I have read many books on Tudor history but I have to say that my favourite books are written by Alison Weir. Ms Weir is a British author who was written both fiction and nonfiction books, but primary her writings are on English history – several focusing on the Tudor reign.
Her books include:
Nonfiction
• The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1991)
• The Princes in the Tower (1992)
• Lancaster and York - The Wars of the Roses (1995)
• The Children of Henry (VIII 1996)
• Elizabeth, The Queen (1998)
• Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England (1999)
• Henry VIII: The King and His Court (2001)
• Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (latest edition, 2002)
• Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley (2003)
• Isabella: She-Wolf of France, Queen of England (2005)
• Katherine Swynford: The Story of John of Gaunt and His Scandalous Duchess (2007)
• The Lady in the Tower (2009)
• Traitors of the Tower (2010)
Fiction
• Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey (2007)
• The Lady Elizabeth (2008)
• The Captive Queen (2010)
I am lucky enough to own four of her books (those in bold) and I would like to purchase ‘Traitors of the Tower’ when I can afford to.
Alison is such a brilliant author, her writing style is smooth and easy to read. Although her nonfiction books are filled with incredible information and such detail they are not difficult to read. I have found that some historical based books can be a real challenge to read as they are so full of information that they do not flow and seem to bog you down. Alison’s books are nothing like that. They are easy to read, informative and extremely interesting. It reminds me of reading a novel, except everything you read is based on fact!
She has received lots of praise from people all around the world including...
"Alison Weir has perfected the art of bringing history to life. There is a breadth of vision to [her] research and writing that provides a sense of time and place as well as consequence." (Chicago Tribune)
"Alison Weir has a wonderful way of bringing…history alive." (Manchester Evening News)
"Alison Weir`s hugely popular history books are as gripping as novels." (The Times)
"Alison Weir is one of our greatest popular historians." (The Daily Mail)
"Alison Weir writes compellingly. Her art is such that the reader is swept along by the story, scarcely noticing how very complicated that story is." (The Literary Review)
"Alison Weir is one of our best popular historians and one, moreover, with an impressive scholarly pedigree in Tudor history." (Frank McLynn, The Independent on Sunday)
"Weir provides immense satisfaction. She writes in a pacy, vivid style, engaging the heart as well as the mind." (Amanda Foreman, The Independent)
I wrote to Claire Ridgeway who runs the Anne Boleyn Files (whom I admire greatly and think is a wonderful and extremely talented writer herself!) and asked her what she thought of Alison Weir. Claire has been fortunate enough to meet and speak with Alison and has a great opinion of the woman.
Claire said of Alison Weir:
‘I love her "The Lady in the Tower" book and I know how hard she works on researching her books and looking at primary sources so I would recommend her as a writer and historian. Her work has got rid of many of the myths regarding Anne.
She's also a lovely person.’
I was so thrilled to read this! I greatly respect Claire’s opinions and thoughts and think she is one of the leading knowledgeable people on Anne Boleyn. She spoke highly of Alison and it was great to hear that she acknowledges how hard Alison researches all her books. I have read a few accounts that have suggested that Alison does not research her books in detail but I would really have to rebut this. Just one look at her reference list shows how detailed and carefully she researches and gathers information. Reading her books and other author’s books on Anne and Tudor history you can see the similarities and common historical facts. It is clear how hard Alison researches her books and how jam packed with accurate historical information they are.
My FAVOURITE book by Alison Weir is The Lady in the Tower . I bought this book from Hampton Court when I was in London last year so it has a very special place in my heart. To carry a book with me about Anne Boleyn bought from a palace that Anne spent a great deal of time at – just the thought sends shivers down my spine! I started reading this book a short time after the plane took off from London on my way home and I read this book from cover to cover on the plane finishing it before I got home. I was sitting in an aisle seat, the lights in the cabin turned off, my reading light shining down on me casting light over the pages I read. I held the book in one hand and a tissue in the other. I sobbed my way through the book, ending up with tears staining my cheeks as I closed the book.
The blurb for the books is as follows:
The imprisonment and execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, in May 1536 was unprecedented in English history. It was sensational in its day; and has exerted endless fascination over the minds of historians, novelists, dramatists, poets, artists and film-makers ever since.
Anne was imprisoned in the Tower of London on 2 May 1536, and tried and found guilty of high treason on 15 May. Her supposed crimes included adultery with five men, one her own brother, and plotting the King’s death.
Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading up to her arrest. Was it Henry VIII who, estranged from Anne, instructed master Secretary Thomas Cromwell to fabricate evidence to get rid of her so that he could marry Jane Seymour? Or did Cromwell, for reasons of his own, construct a case against Anne and her faction, and then present compelling evidence before the King? Or was Anne, in fact, guilty as charged?
Never before has there been a book devoted entirely to Anne Boleyn’s fall. Alison Weir has reassessed the evidence, demolished many romantic myths and popular misconceptions, and rewritten the story of Anne’s fall, creating a richly researched and impressively detailed portrait of the dramatic last days of one of the most influential and important futures in English history.
This book is the most detailed piece of writing I have EVER read detailing the last few months of Anne Boleyn’s life. There is so much detail weaved through such great emotion. I could not help but sob as I read about Anne’s final walk to the scaffold, or about the strength and courage she held during the final minutes of her life. Alison conveyed such grief and yet such strength and intelligence throughout this entire book. It was a magnificent read and I have referred to this book many times in my own personal writings. This book although focuses on the last few months of Anne’s life, really inspired me to write about the last few days of Anne’s incredible life.
I just adore Alison Weir! She is a brilliant, talented author who writes with such love and conviction that it makes her books compelling and gripping. She is just brilliant and I cannot wait to read any future works she might write.
It’s finally finished!!!!! For those of you that were friends with me in May of this year you will know that I worked really hard on writing a piece about Anne Boleyn’s final days. From May 1st until her execution on May 19th I wrote about what happened to Anne and her fellow accused each day throughout that period accumulating in her death and then a conclusion. I worked incredibly hard on this piece and it ended up being 44 types pages (with some images) and over 21 000 words. This piece became my baby, my passion expressed through my writing to share such an interesting and incredibly moving and powerful time in history. I would stay up late each night, well into the early hours of the morning, re reading books, articles and websites, writing and rewriting, searching for specific images, dates, locations etc. etc. I poured my heart and soul into this piece and was so proud of what I had written.
I entitled my piece ‘Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History’. A friend of mine encouraged me to share my writings with others on LJ and after much debating I decided to. I am so glad that I found the courage to do such a thing as I was fortunate enough to make several wonderful friends who shared an interest with me about Anne Boleyn and the Tudors. Writing this piece was very special and important to me.
Well I can say that I have FINALLY finished. I finished my writing and proof reading and such well over a month ago but have only just printed it off and put it all together in a folder. I have been terribly busy that I had to put the final compiling of everything on the backburner. But I am happy to say that my writing has been printed off, put into a folder, a reference list added, a contents page included, a side bar made and a title front page completed! It is printed off, bound, done and dusted!
I am SOOO proud and happy with the way it has all turned out. I know that I am extremely biased, but I think the final product looks quite good. My friend Issy made a simple front over page for me (which I think looks very pretty) and I made a simple side bar. I’m honestly over the moon and so proud of my efforts. It was such a hard and emotional thing to write, to go into such detail about Anne Boleyn’s final days was a huge emotional journey for me but I am so glad that I stuck with it and completed my writing.
Here are a few pictures of the final product:
I entitled my piece ‘Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History’. A friend of mine encouraged me to share my writings with others on LJ and after much debating I decided to. I am so glad that I found the courage to do such a thing as I was fortunate enough to make several wonderful friends who shared an interest with me about Anne Boleyn and the Tudors. Writing this piece was very special and important to me.
Well I can say that I have FINALLY finished. I finished my writing and proof reading and such well over a month ago but have only just printed it off and put it all together in a folder. I have been terribly busy that I had to put the final compiling of everything on the backburner. But I am happy to say that my writing has been printed off, put into a folder, a reference list added, a contents page included, a side bar made and a title front page completed! It is printed off, bound, done and dusted!
I am SOOO proud and happy with the way it has all turned out. I know that I am extremely biased, but I think the final product looks quite good. My friend Issy made a simple front over page for me (which I think looks very pretty) and I made a simple side bar. I’m honestly over the moon and so proud of my efforts. It was such a hard and emotional thing to write, to go into such detail about Anne Boleyn’s final days was a huge emotional journey for me but I am so glad that I stuck with it and completed my writing.
Here are a few pictures of the final product:
Category:
Anne Boleyn
2
comments
The Tudors – A show about King Henry Tudor VIII, beloved and hated King of England; a show that focused on his life, his wives, his children, his successes and his gut wrenching failures. A show that brought the man to live in more depth than I believe has been done through television before. I absolutely LOVED this show, I loved it with such a great passion and now, after four years and 38 episodes my favourite television show is over.
I watched the finale and I will freely admit that I just spent the last half an hour crying. I cried for so many reasons, because it was the end of the series and I knew it would be over. I cried because Charles Brandon, most beloved Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk died and I cried because of Anne Boleyn. Because the woman whom is my idol, my hero, the woman I would love to model myself upon made one of the most incredible guest appearances that I have ever seen. Part of me feels so speechless, as though I cannot form words and the other part of me is racing a hundred miles an hour with so very much that I want to say.
There has been so much I have loved about the Tudors, and so much that I have absolutely loathed about the show. I don’t think it’s possible to do a review of each season… I could be writing for days and I don’t think I particularly want to write another 44 typed page recap like I did for Anne Boleyn’s final days! But what I will do is write about my likes and dislikes of this show… there is so much I want to say and yet I don’t know where to begin. I can’t believe that it’s over!
I will also give a little review of the last episode, as there is so much I want to say about it (both positive and negative – but mostly positive!) But I will put all of behind a cut, because let’s face it, when I start talking about the Tudors… I can talk for DAYS!
Season 4, Episode 10 – The Finale
I had read a few spoilers regarding the finale, mostly about Anne Boleyn returning and the ghosts of Henry’s wives. I had also read that Charles Brandon would die in the last episode, but generally I had kept myself spoiler free. The finale though was nothing at all what I had expected! I had thought that Henry would die and we would see him on his death bed, but what happened at the end, with the huge portrait and him walking away, well that was a bit of a shock. There was a moment there that I thought he had died after the death dream and the squire would walk in and find him in his chair, but turns out he hadn’t kicked the bucket yet!
Actually I ended up HATING those death dreams/scenes. I loved the white horse and I love it how they used the white stallion when Charles died – but the whole death scene with the death rider coming to kill Henry – yeah totally over the top and NOT necessary! They could have focused on other things, we the audience are not as dumb as to not realise Henry is dying! I just found the scene long and pointless – ALTHOUGH JRM did look rather sexy standing there with his eyes glowing… meow!
Speaking of deaths – CHARLES BRANDON! I love Charles and I adore Henry Cavill as an actor. I think he has done such a wonderful job portraying Charles Brandon over the last four seasons. He has made Charles grow and develop as a person and has had some stunning scenes full of emotion and passion. Charles’ death scene was for me the most touching and sad moment in the finale. I was in tears when Henry ordered Charles to court and then said that he had the power to make Charles well again. You could see that Charles just wanted to die, that he knew it was his time, but typical Henry not wanting his friends to leave. Poor sweet Charles. I just cried and cried and cried when he died – such a simple image of him lying in his bed, eyes open, dead. A simple and yet extraordinarily powerful scene. And the music... oh gosh it sent shivers down my spine. Charles Brandon is dead...
The return of the wives – I knew this was happening and STILL it made me shiver. Catherine or Aragon, so strong, still clinging onto the faith that she was Henry’s one and true wife, so proud of her daughter. For me it seemed like she was FINALLY standing up for herself. She was no longer afraid of Henry, but she was able to stand up and say what she truly felt and believed. It was a very powerful and moving scene. (I still don’t like her anymore than I did before, but it was a beautiful scene!)
I was not so happy about Jane Seymour’s return – she annoyed me in life and she annoys me in her death! Cannot that woman just shut up and be boring somewhere else?! She the love of Henry’s life, he saw her as his one true wife and from what I have read and understood she loved him deeply in return, so what happens when she comes back as a ghost? She rebukes him! Erm hello, Henry was just doing what he thought best for his son! They had no knowledge of modern medicine back then and didn’t realise that a little bit of germs was actually good for a child growing up! He was a father, a KING protecting his only heir – he did what he thought was best for his son! He protected Edward out of love and yet Jane comes alone and chastises him! Grr that woman annoys me!
But not surprisingly my FAVOURITE wife and most beloved was Anne Boleyn. I squealed like a little schoolgirl when she appeared. I ADORED the scene with Anne and Elizabeth and it was one of my favourite in the finale. Anne is just… oh Anne, even as a ghost she was everything she was in life. For me Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of Anne Boleyn is the most accurate and most compelling. I had high hopes for her return and she did not let me down. I ended up crying thought this scene as I found it extremely emotional. I have always wondered what Anne would have thought about her daughter Elizabeth, all her triumphs and all that which she conquered. So when Anne said that she was fiercely proud of her daughter it just reduced me to tears. I know that when she was alive (in history not just in the show) Anne adored her daughter and doted over her like a loving mother (even choosing to breast feed her which was a huge shock in those days!)
I love how even in death Anne was defending herself! Saying that she loved Henry and that all the accusations against her were false. How she defended Kitty Howard, saying they were both like two months drawn to the flame and burned. I think that is such an accurate analogy and a beautiful piece of writing which Natalie delivered perfectly. They were drawn to Henry, so bright and exuberant and both were burned so badly (for different reasons of course, but to have the same outcome). Then, just as Anne turns away she gives that smirk, such a small smirk and yet it summarizes Anne Boleyn to a tea! Such a proud and fierce woman, so intelligent and centuries before her time. I LOVE that smirk!
I did not like however when Henry was saying his goodbye’s to Mary, Catherine and Elizabeth how at the end Elizabeth turned and almost stormed away so emotionless. Erm HELLO history tells us a very different story. All throughout her rein Elizabeth was VERY careful to mention that she was Henry VIII’s daughter, that she was the cub of a lion and she ALWAYS linked herself to her father. She was an incredibly smart woman! She knew to mention her mother could be fatal to her image as a ruler and she carefully used the link she had to her father to remind the people who she was and where she came from. I cannot ever imagine Elizabeth hating her father and storming away like that. She might not have liked him, although I think she did, the way they ended that scene was just ridiculous!
Another thing that frustrated and annoyed me was the Hans Holbein painting. YES Henry commissioned Hans Holbein the Younger to paint a magnificent painting of him but NOT in the final year of his life. In fact Hand Holbein died in 1543 so uh he wasn’t even ALIVE in Henry’s final years, so how could he have painted that painting?! I understand what Hirst was trying to do with the symbolism of the painting and that’s fine, but seriously he needed to get his facts and dates straight. I know it’s something small and not that significant but seriously, a few small dates make a big difference!
Overall I did enjoy the finale, although there were parts that annoyed and frustrated me I thought it was well done and I was and still am so sad to see the show end. I fell in love with the Tudors all over again thanks to this beautiful series and I thought overall the actors did a magnificent job of portraying the people of history. I especially think Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill did fantastic jobs of playing Anne Boleyn and Charles Brandon. I know that Natalie did a lot of research about Anne and visited lots of historical places and I commend her for that as I believe she got Anne perfectly! I cried so much in this episode (but then again I cried a lot throughout the series!) Beautiful ending, some parts were very well written and I am very sad to see the series end.
Likes and Dislikes from Season 1 – 4:
Dislike:
Historical inaccuracies: OH MY FUCKING GOSH I cannot even begin to express how much the historical inaccuracies of this show SHIT me off! Don’t get me wrong, I understand that this is a television show and some allowances are made – after all Henry ruled England for almost 38 years, that’s a LOT to cover in 38 episodes (oh look at that… maybe one episode for each year? INTERESTING!) Anyways I realise there was a LOT that happened in his life and during his reign and some allowances must be made. But what this show did was not just make allowances they bloody decided to CHANGE history! Serious shit like when and how people died, changing important dates in history, having characters do things completely different than what they did in history (oh and don’t get me started on the whole Charles Brandon mistress issue – HE FREAKIN’ LOVED CATHERINE WILLOUGHBY and proved this by protecting her from Henry’s wrath!)
I just found all the inaccuracies really frustrating. Maybe it is because I am an avid reader/fan of Tudor history (and especially Anne Boleyn). I tend to know a bit about that time period, what happened when, what people’s relationships were like between each other and how people died or their fates. To change many significant events was not only pointless and frustrating but it gives a false impression of what really happened in history. Michael Hirst is a brilliant writer and he wrote some mind blowing scenes/lines throughout this series, but mucking up major dates/events/deaths etc. etc. is just a huge NO NO as far as I’m concerned!
Likes:
Anne Boleyn:
Most people know my utter fascination and love for Anne Boleyn so it’s not surprising that she is my most favourite part of all this series. Even though she was wrongly and tragically executed at the end of season 2, Anne was my favourite character in the entire series. As I have said above Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of Anne was spot on, I think she is the closest representation of Anne that I have ever seen. I know that Natalie did a lot of research about Anne, visited a lot of the places Anne went to (including the Tower) and she shows in her portrayal that she captured Anne Boleyn perfectly. To see Anne brought to life literally brought tears to my eyes, it sent shivers down my spine and humbled me to the core. Anne was such a feisty, spirited, intelligent, courageous woman and to see all of that played out on screen was breathtaking. The saddest, most gut wrenching death scene that I have ever seen was Anne Boleyn’s execution. I think they captured this scene very accurately and for once Hirst wrote a scene the way it actually happened in real life! From Anne’s dress to her final moments, to looking away, to her courage everything was acted out as it really happened to poor Anne. It was a beautiful scene and my favourite from the entire series. I LOVE Anne Boleyn and I LOVE Natalie’s portrayal of her.
Charles Brandon:
Again as I have said above I adore Charles Brandon! Not just because Henry Cavill played him and let’s face it the man is freakin’ HOT HOT HOT! But I adore the man that Charles was. I loved him in his youth, so young and vibrant, climbing the social ladder, becoming more than he was born to be. He was the most beloved friend of the King, falling in love (or lust), challenging the King’s love and his own life; growing in knowledge and spirit and aging so gracefully and almost with a hint of sadness. I loved how Charles was portrayed throughout this series and as you watch you can see how he changes from a young invincible man to an aging man full of wisdom who knows his time is drawing to a close. It was Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Charles that made me interested in who the real Charles Brandon was. Since the first season I have been researching the man and who he was and although there is not a huge amount of information out there, I have learned so much. Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk was an incredible man and he is my second favourite thing about this show! (And well honestly, the sex scenes with Henry Cavill were enough to make me need a cold shower! That man is just sex on two legs!!)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (aka Henry VIII):
Love him or hate him I did think that JRM did a good job at portraying Henry VIII. He captured his youth and vibrate really well and his passion for not only his wives but also for sport and music and his love of life and especially eating! I understand why they did not age him very much or make him very fat – it’s a tv show and you want people to tune in and watch, the easiest way of doing that is having a drop dead gorgeous main star! I realise that this is part of the way TV shows work and how they draw people in. I know a lot of people who got really angry that they did not age or make JRM fat but I guess with all the other massive historical inaccuracies this is something else that we just had to accept. Although I will add that JRM gravely old man voice annoyed me towards the end! We get it, you’re old and gonna die, drop the annoying voice! I loved whenever Henry got angry as I think JRM captured that anger and rage perfectly. Henry could at times be quite a violent man (I have read somewhere that there were about 72 000 executions ordered under Henry VIII rein - now if that’s not one angry dude I don’t know what is!) Henry was very easily swayed by his emotions and his belief that he was the highest law of the land and that everyone must follow him unconditionally. He used this power for a lot of things, and many of those things were not for the good of the people or the country. But that was who Henry was, kinda a spoiled brat really who took his power to far. He got what he wanted when he wanted and if he didn’t then you had better run for your life or kiss your ass goodbye! JRM captured all of this brilliantly and when he got angry I slunk down into my chair fearful of what could happen next! Henry VIII grew on me through watching this series, I can see why he did a lot of the things that he did and his reasoning behind his actions (although I personally don’t agree with much of what the King did, I can see why he chose what he did). Excellent portrayal by JRM.
Costumes/Set:
I WANT A TUDOR GOWN! OMG I LOVE the costumes on this show! They really outdid themselves with the accuracy and authenticity of these costumes. Not only where they historically accurate they were breathtakingly beautiful! I seriously want Anne Boleyn’s execution dress and ALL the dresses that she wore. I have worn a Tudor style gown with the huge hooped skirt and French hood and although they are quite difficult to walk backwards in (because you have no sense of perception behind you) they are stunning and I want them! The jewels and crowns and all those beautiful sparkly items are just to die for! I want, I want, I want! I also loved the men’s costumes and how lavish and lush they were. Really I don’t think there was any holding back. The settings were just stunning and although not always historically accurate they left me drooling with their beauty! The sets were so intricate with hundreds upon hundreds of tiny details and I would have loved to walk through those sets just spending hours looking at all those tiny details. I think they captured the theme of the Tudor period really well. I’ve been to Hampton Court and you can see how intricate and beautifully detailed the ceilings and walls really are and they showed this through the sets in the show. I really believe that if they did not have such stunning costumes and sets this show wouldn’t have gone anywhere.
Emotional Scenes/Music:
Despite blatantly inaccurate moments there were many parts throughout this series where the scenes were just overwhelmingly emotional. My top three emotional moments would have to be Anne Boleyn’s execution, Charles Brandon’s death and Katherine Howard’s execution – they were all extremely powerful and emotive and beautifully written. I will give Hirst some credit, the man can write emotive scenes which pull at the heart strings. I think nearly all of the main characters got some scenes where they had to cry or be fearful or angry or display some sort of strong emotion and they all pulled them off so well. Deaths are always sad, but the way they were written and portrayed on the show throughout the seasons was brilliant. I also thought the music tied in magnificently with the emotive scenes. I have the first two soundtracks (must get the third and fourth series soundtracks) and I love to listen to them. Each song reminds me of a different scene and I get images in my head and that’s exactly what the piece of music is supposed to do. For example Charles’ death scene, although so simple was really brought to another level by the music that way played in the background. Not sure who the composed the music for the last two seasons, but for Season 1 and 2 Trevor Morris did a brilliant job!
Okay I think that’s about all that I have to say about the finale and the series. I just wanted to add my top three saddest moments which made me bawl like a baby!
Top Three Saddest Moments:
1) Anne Boleyn’s execution
I cannot watch this clip without crying that is how powerful I find it. Natalie Dormer did the most amazing job of portraying Anne’s final moments. She captured her stunningly and there are so many beautiful little details which I am happy to say are accurate and historically correct! There is so much emotion and power behind this scene. I know that I am a huge fan of Anne Boleyn, but I just think even if you’re not a fan that this scene was so beautifully written it MAKES you feel something!
2) Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk's death
Henry Cavill did such a wonderful job portraying Charles Brandon. Especially in his final years when he knew he was aging and losing his power and that he would soon die – he captured such emotion and sadness. Although his death was nothing extraordinary or over the top – he just quietly passed while in his bed, there is something about this scene which makes me cry. Perhaps it is because I love the person Charles Brandon was, or that I adore Henry Cavill’s portrayal… Whatever the reason there is such emotion behind such a simple death.
3) Katherine Howard’s execution
Love her or hate her I found Kitty Howard's death extremely sad. For me I think she was just a little girl thrust into a world that was far to much for her to cope with. She was used and manipulated by her family and those around her for their own gain and at the end of the day she was thrown to the wolves. She had no one to go to for guidance or support and was left to make some terrible, terrible mistakes. Of course she should have known better than to have an affair, after all she would have known what happened to her cousin Anne Boleyn, once Queen of England. But she still chose to betray her marriage and Henry. I feel sorry for her and her death, again is done quite simply, but it really shows the mixture of youth and immaturity this poor girl had.
I really loved this series. I have the first three seasons on DVD (the first two seasons I bought from the Tower of London… ooooh!) and I cannot wait to purchase the fourth season. I really wish they would continue with the reins of Edward IV, Mary I and Elizabeth I but alas I do not think they will. I’m sad that the show has ended as it was a BIG part of my life. I have made so many wonderful and brilliant friends through our mutual love of The Tudors. I feel honoured and happy to have been a part of this show – even as just a viewer!
And even though I said I did not want to write a massive long winded review… I have officially typed six pages and over 4000 words! *Slaps forehead* But damn I love The Tudors!!
Life is... very beautiful.
I watched the finale and I will freely admit that I just spent the last half an hour crying. I cried for so many reasons, because it was the end of the series and I knew it would be over. I cried because Charles Brandon, most beloved Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk died and I cried because of Anne Boleyn. Because the woman whom is my idol, my hero, the woman I would love to model myself upon made one of the most incredible guest appearances that I have ever seen. Part of me feels so speechless, as though I cannot form words and the other part of me is racing a hundred miles an hour with so very much that I want to say.
There has been so much I have loved about the Tudors, and so much that I have absolutely loathed about the show. I don’t think it’s possible to do a review of each season… I could be writing for days and I don’t think I particularly want to write another 44 typed page recap like I did for Anne Boleyn’s final days! But what I will do is write about my likes and dislikes of this show… there is so much I want to say and yet I don’t know where to begin. I can’t believe that it’s over!
I will also give a little review of the last episode, as there is so much I want to say about it (both positive and negative – but mostly positive!) But I will put all of behind a cut, because let’s face it, when I start talking about the Tudors… I can talk for DAYS!
Season 4, Episode 10 – The Finale
I had read a few spoilers regarding the finale, mostly about Anne Boleyn returning and the ghosts of Henry’s wives. I had also read that Charles Brandon would die in the last episode, but generally I had kept myself spoiler free. The finale though was nothing at all what I had expected! I had thought that Henry would die and we would see him on his death bed, but what happened at the end, with the huge portrait and him walking away, well that was a bit of a shock. There was a moment there that I thought he had died after the death dream and the squire would walk in and find him in his chair, but turns out he hadn’t kicked the bucket yet!
Actually I ended up HATING those death dreams/scenes. I loved the white horse and I love it how they used the white stallion when Charles died – but the whole death scene with the death rider coming to kill Henry – yeah totally over the top and NOT necessary! They could have focused on other things, we the audience are not as dumb as to not realise Henry is dying! I just found the scene long and pointless – ALTHOUGH JRM did look rather sexy standing there with his eyes glowing… meow!
Speaking of deaths – CHARLES BRANDON! I love Charles and I adore Henry Cavill as an actor. I think he has done such a wonderful job portraying Charles Brandon over the last four seasons. He has made Charles grow and develop as a person and has had some stunning scenes full of emotion and passion. Charles’ death scene was for me the most touching and sad moment in the finale. I was in tears when Henry ordered Charles to court and then said that he had the power to make Charles well again. You could see that Charles just wanted to die, that he knew it was his time, but typical Henry not wanting his friends to leave. Poor sweet Charles. I just cried and cried and cried when he died – such a simple image of him lying in his bed, eyes open, dead. A simple and yet extraordinarily powerful scene. And the music... oh gosh it sent shivers down my spine. Charles Brandon is dead...
The return of the wives – I knew this was happening and STILL it made me shiver. Catherine or Aragon, so strong, still clinging onto the faith that she was Henry’s one and true wife, so proud of her daughter. For me it seemed like she was FINALLY standing up for herself. She was no longer afraid of Henry, but she was able to stand up and say what she truly felt and believed. It was a very powerful and moving scene. (I still don’t like her anymore than I did before, but it was a beautiful scene!)
I was not so happy about Jane Seymour’s return – she annoyed me in life and she annoys me in her death! Cannot that woman just shut up and be boring somewhere else?! She the love of Henry’s life, he saw her as his one true wife and from what I have read and understood she loved him deeply in return, so what happens when she comes back as a ghost? She rebukes him! Erm hello, Henry was just doing what he thought best for his son! They had no knowledge of modern medicine back then and didn’t realise that a little bit of germs was actually good for a child growing up! He was a father, a KING protecting his only heir – he did what he thought was best for his son! He protected Edward out of love and yet Jane comes alone and chastises him! Grr that woman annoys me!
But not surprisingly my FAVOURITE wife and most beloved was Anne Boleyn. I squealed like a little schoolgirl when she appeared. I ADORED the scene with Anne and Elizabeth and it was one of my favourite in the finale. Anne is just… oh Anne, even as a ghost she was everything she was in life. For me Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of Anne Boleyn is the most accurate and most compelling. I had high hopes for her return and she did not let me down. I ended up crying thought this scene as I found it extremely emotional. I have always wondered what Anne would have thought about her daughter Elizabeth, all her triumphs and all that which she conquered. So when Anne said that she was fiercely proud of her daughter it just reduced me to tears. I know that when she was alive (in history not just in the show) Anne adored her daughter and doted over her like a loving mother (even choosing to breast feed her which was a huge shock in those days!)
I love how even in death Anne was defending herself! Saying that she loved Henry and that all the accusations against her were false. How she defended Kitty Howard, saying they were both like two months drawn to the flame and burned. I think that is such an accurate analogy and a beautiful piece of writing which Natalie delivered perfectly. They were drawn to Henry, so bright and exuberant and both were burned so badly (for different reasons of course, but to have the same outcome). Then, just as Anne turns away she gives that smirk, such a small smirk and yet it summarizes Anne Boleyn to a tea! Such a proud and fierce woman, so intelligent and centuries before her time. I LOVE that smirk!
I did not like however when Henry was saying his goodbye’s to Mary, Catherine and Elizabeth how at the end Elizabeth turned and almost stormed away so emotionless. Erm HELLO history tells us a very different story. All throughout her rein Elizabeth was VERY careful to mention that she was Henry VIII’s daughter, that she was the cub of a lion and she ALWAYS linked herself to her father. She was an incredibly smart woman! She knew to mention her mother could be fatal to her image as a ruler and she carefully used the link she had to her father to remind the people who she was and where she came from. I cannot ever imagine Elizabeth hating her father and storming away like that. She might not have liked him, although I think she did, the way they ended that scene was just ridiculous!
Another thing that frustrated and annoyed me was the Hans Holbein painting. YES Henry commissioned Hans Holbein the Younger to paint a magnificent painting of him but NOT in the final year of his life. In fact Hand Holbein died in 1543 so uh he wasn’t even ALIVE in Henry’s final years, so how could he have painted that painting?! I understand what Hirst was trying to do with the symbolism of the painting and that’s fine, but seriously he needed to get his facts and dates straight. I know it’s something small and not that significant but seriously, a few small dates make a big difference!
Overall I did enjoy the finale, although there were parts that annoyed and frustrated me I thought it was well done and I was and still am so sad to see the show end. I fell in love with the Tudors all over again thanks to this beautiful series and I thought overall the actors did a magnificent job of portraying the people of history. I especially think Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill did fantastic jobs of playing Anne Boleyn and Charles Brandon. I know that Natalie did a lot of research about Anne and visited lots of historical places and I commend her for that as I believe she got Anne perfectly! I cried so much in this episode (but then again I cried a lot throughout the series!) Beautiful ending, some parts were very well written and I am very sad to see the series end.
Likes and Dislikes from Season 1 – 4:
Dislike:
Historical inaccuracies: OH MY FUCKING GOSH I cannot even begin to express how much the historical inaccuracies of this show SHIT me off! Don’t get me wrong, I understand that this is a television show and some allowances are made – after all Henry ruled England for almost 38 years, that’s a LOT to cover in 38 episodes (oh look at that… maybe one episode for each year? INTERESTING!) Anyways I realise there was a LOT that happened in his life and during his reign and some allowances must be made. But what this show did was not just make allowances they bloody decided to CHANGE history! Serious shit like when and how people died, changing important dates in history, having characters do things completely different than what they did in history (oh and don’t get me started on the whole Charles Brandon mistress issue – HE FREAKIN’ LOVED CATHERINE WILLOUGHBY and proved this by protecting her from Henry’s wrath!)
I just found all the inaccuracies really frustrating. Maybe it is because I am an avid reader/fan of Tudor history (and especially Anne Boleyn). I tend to know a bit about that time period, what happened when, what people’s relationships were like between each other and how people died or their fates. To change many significant events was not only pointless and frustrating but it gives a false impression of what really happened in history. Michael Hirst is a brilliant writer and he wrote some mind blowing scenes/lines throughout this series, but mucking up major dates/events/deaths etc. etc. is just a huge NO NO as far as I’m concerned!
Likes:
Anne Boleyn:
Most people know my utter fascination and love for Anne Boleyn so it’s not surprising that she is my most favourite part of all this series. Even though she was wrongly and tragically executed at the end of season 2, Anne was my favourite character in the entire series. As I have said above Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of Anne was spot on, I think she is the closest representation of Anne that I have ever seen. I know that Natalie did a lot of research about Anne, visited a lot of the places Anne went to (including the Tower) and she shows in her portrayal that she captured Anne Boleyn perfectly. To see Anne brought to life literally brought tears to my eyes, it sent shivers down my spine and humbled me to the core. Anne was such a feisty, spirited, intelligent, courageous woman and to see all of that played out on screen was breathtaking. The saddest, most gut wrenching death scene that I have ever seen was Anne Boleyn’s execution. I think they captured this scene very accurately and for once Hirst wrote a scene the way it actually happened in real life! From Anne’s dress to her final moments, to looking away, to her courage everything was acted out as it really happened to poor Anne. It was a beautiful scene and my favourite from the entire series. I LOVE Anne Boleyn and I LOVE Natalie’s portrayal of her.
Charles Brandon:
Again as I have said above I adore Charles Brandon! Not just because Henry Cavill played him and let’s face it the man is freakin’ HOT HOT HOT! But I adore the man that Charles was. I loved him in his youth, so young and vibrant, climbing the social ladder, becoming more than he was born to be. He was the most beloved friend of the King, falling in love (or lust), challenging the King’s love and his own life; growing in knowledge and spirit and aging so gracefully and almost with a hint of sadness. I loved how Charles was portrayed throughout this series and as you watch you can see how he changes from a young invincible man to an aging man full of wisdom who knows his time is drawing to a close. It was Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Charles that made me interested in who the real Charles Brandon was. Since the first season I have been researching the man and who he was and although there is not a huge amount of information out there, I have learned so much. Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk was an incredible man and he is my second favourite thing about this show! (And well honestly, the sex scenes with Henry Cavill were enough to make me need a cold shower! That man is just sex on two legs!!)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (aka Henry VIII):
Love him or hate him I did think that JRM did a good job at portraying Henry VIII. He captured his youth and vibrate really well and his passion for not only his wives but also for sport and music and his love of life and especially eating! I understand why they did not age him very much or make him very fat – it’s a tv show and you want people to tune in and watch, the easiest way of doing that is having a drop dead gorgeous main star! I realise that this is part of the way TV shows work and how they draw people in. I know a lot of people who got really angry that they did not age or make JRM fat but I guess with all the other massive historical inaccuracies this is something else that we just had to accept. Although I will add that JRM gravely old man voice annoyed me towards the end! We get it, you’re old and gonna die, drop the annoying voice! I loved whenever Henry got angry as I think JRM captured that anger and rage perfectly. Henry could at times be quite a violent man (I have read somewhere that there were about 72 000 executions ordered under Henry VIII rein - now if that’s not one angry dude I don’t know what is!) Henry was very easily swayed by his emotions and his belief that he was the highest law of the land and that everyone must follow him unconditionally. He used this power for a lot of things, and many of those things were not for the good of the people or the country. But that was who Henry was, kinda a spoiled brat really who took his power to far. He got what he wanted when he wanted and if he didn’t then you had better run for your life or kiss your ass goodbye! JRM captured all of this brilliantly and when he got angry I slunk down into my chair fearful of what could happen next! Henry VIII grew on me through watching this series, I can see why he did a lot of the things that he did and his reasoning behind his actions (although I personally don’t agree with much of what the King did, I can see why he chose what he did). Excellent portrayal by JRM.
Costumes/Set:
I WANT A TUDOR GOWN! OMG I LOVE the costumes on this show! They really outdid themselves with the accuracy and authenticity of these costumes. Not only where they historically accurate they were breathtakingly beautiful! I seriously want Anne Boleyn’s execution dress and ALL the dresses that she wore. I have worn a Tudor style gown with the huge hooped skirt and French hood and although they are quite difficult to walk backwards in (because you have no sense of perception behind you) they are stunning and I want them! The jewels and crowns and all those beautiful sparkly items are just to die for! I want, I want, I want! I also loved the men’s costumes and how lavish and lush they were. Really I don’t think there was any holding back. The settings were just stunning and although not always historically accurate they left me drooling with their beauty! The sets were so intricate with hundreds upon hundreds of tiny details and I would have loved to walk through those sets just spending hours looking at all those tiny details. I think they captured the theme of the Tudor period really well. I’ve been to Hampton Court and you can see how intricate and beautifully detailed the ceilings and walls really are and they showed this through the sets in the show. I really believe that if they did not have such stunning costumes and sets this show wouldn’t have gone anywhere.
Emotional Scenes/Music:
Despite blatantly inaccurate moments there were many parts throughout this series where the scenes were just overwhelmingly emotional. My top three emotional moments would have to be Anne Boleyn’s execution, Charles Brandon’s death and Katherine Howard’s execution – they were all extremely powerful and emotive and beautifully written. I will give Hirst some credit, the man can write emotive scenes which pull at the heart strings. I think nearly all of the main characters got some scenes where they had to cry or be fearful or angry or display some sort of strong emotion and they all pulled them off so well. Deaths are always sad, but the way they were written and portrayed on the show throughout the seasons was brilliant. I also thought the music tied in magnificently with the emotive scenes. I have the first two soundtracks (must get the third and fourth series soundtracks) and I love to listen to them. Each song reminds me of a different scene and I get images in my head and that’s exactly what the piece of music is supposed to do. For example Charles’ death scene, although so simple was really brought to another level by the music that way played in the background. Not sure who the composed the music for the last two seasons, but for Season 1 and 2 Trevor Morris did a brilliant job!
Okay I think that’s about all that I have to say about the finale and the series. I just wanted to add my top three saddest moments which made me bawl like a baby!
Top Three Saddest Moments:
1) Anne Boleyn’s execution
I cannot watch this clip without crying that is how powerful I find it. Natalie Dormer did the most amazing job of portraying Anne’s final moments. She captured her stunningly and there are so many beautiful little details which I am happy to say are accurate and historically correct! There is so much emotion and power behind this scene. I know that I am a huge fan of Anne Boleyn, but I just think even if you’re not a fan that this scene was so beautifully written it MAKES you feel something!
2) Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk's death
Henry Cavill did such a wonderful job portraying Charles Brandon. Especially in his final years when he knew he was aging and losing his power and that he would soon die – he captured such emotion and sadness. Although his death was nothing extraordinary or over the top – he just quietly passed while in his bed, there is something about this scene which makes me cry. Perhaps it is because I love the person Charles Brandon was, or that I adore Henry Cavill’s portrayal… Whatever the reason there is such emotion behind such a simple death.
3) Katherine Howard’s execution
Love her or hate her I found Kitty Howard's death extremely sad. For me I think she was just a little girl thrust into a world that was far to much for her to cope with. She was used and manipulated by her family and those around her for their own gain and at the end of the day she was thrown to the wolves. She had no one to go to for guidance or support and was left to make some terrible, terrible mistakes. Of course she should have known better than to have an affair, after all she would have known what happened to her cousin Anne Boleyn, once Queen of England. But she still chose to betray her marriage and Henry. I feel sorry for her and her death, again is done quite simply, but it really shows the mixture of youth and immaturity this poor girl had.
I really loved this series. I have the first three seasons on DVD (the first two seasons I bought from the Tower of London… ooooh!) and I cannot wait to purchase the fourth season. I really wish they would continue with the reins of Edward IV, Mary I and Elizabeth I but alas I do not think they will. I’m sad that the show has ended as it was a BIG part of my life. I have made so many wonderful and brilliant friends through our mutual love of The Tudors. I feel honoured and happy to have been a part of this show – even as just a viewer!
And even though I said I did not want to write a massive long winded review… I have officially typed six pages and over 4000 words! *Slaps forehead* But damn I love The Tudors!!
Life is... very beautiful.
Category:
The Tudors
4
comments
I found this image of Anne Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth Tudor while I was surfing Google Images. I was utterly blown away by the similarities between Anne and her daughter. This is the most famous portrait of Anne, painted during the 1600’s on memory and word of what Anne looked like. (There is much debate if any portraits of Anne Boleyn survived after her fall. After her death Henry removed all emblems, badges, signs etc. of Anne, making it as though she never existed – what an ass!)
This portrait of Elizabeth was painted by Marcus Gheeraerts, the Younger, when Elizabeth was approximately fifty years of age.
Comparing these images you can see huge similarities between mother and daughter. The facial structure and jaw line are very similar with long slender faces tapering off into a slightly pointed style jaw. Both women have long noses with a small round curve at the tip and high cheekbones. They also both have huge round eyes. When Elizabeth was born it was recorded that she had the hair and complexion of her father, but the facial structure and eye colour of her mother. My gosh you can see that in these portraits!
I have two theories about the extraordinary similarities between mother and daughter. Since this portrait of Anne was painted over half a century after her death, it could be suggested that the portrait of Anne was BASED on the portrait of Elizabeth. The person whom painted the image of Anne could have used the portrait of Elizabeth as a bit of a template, using Elizabeth’s facial structure, complexion and eye colour as a basis as to what Anne Boleyn could have looked like.
My other theory (the one I like better!) is that the portrait of Anne Boleyn is actually close to what she really looked like, and the portrait of Elizabeth reflects this in the similarities between mother and daughter.
At the end of the day we will never know (unless some mysterious, long lost portrait of Anne suddenly comes to light within the next few decades!) Either way I think Anne Boleyn was an absolutely STUNNING woman and she passed on not only her beauty but her wits, intelligence and fiery spirit onto her daughter.
Category:
Anne Boleyn,
Elizabeth I
2
comments
Photos from Hampton Court...
Myself and King Henry VIII. There were brilliant actors at Hampton Court who acted out all sorts of scenes and then walked throughout the palace and allowed us to talk and take photos with them. They spoke to us using the laugnage of the day and as though they were really King Henry VIII or Queen Catherine Parr. I introduced myself to King Henry VIII as having travelled far across the oceans from Australia to congratulate him on his wedding to the Queen. He said that he knew of Australiasia and he had heard that the people there were short with no necks. Then he said but if they were as beautiful as me then he would most certainly send exploerers there. He complimented me saying that I was very beautiful. Dirty old man! He was supposed to be getting married!
When Anne was exectued Henry ordered that ALL trace of her be removed from every court, every palace, every royal monument. And yet, here at Hampton Court there remins an ingisgnia of "HA" which in those days meant "Henry and Anne". Funny how Henry demanded all signs of Anne be removed and yet somehow some memory of her managed to live on through that. I think it's just a testiment of what a strong, powerful, lasting woman she was.
The Tudor Rose - my next tattoo!
Myself and Catherine Parr
Inside the Great Dinning Hall.
Category:
Hampton Court,
Me,
Photos
0
comments
Anne Boleyn: My idol, my hero, my inspiration and source of great joy, sadness and great wonderment. Thank you for being such an incredible, amazing woman.
Category:
Anne Boleyn,
Inspiration
0
comments
