The love story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII is one of the most perplexing, attractive, and enigmatic stories in history. Was it love? Was it lust? Was it ambition? Hollywood always likes to pick one of those reasons and exaggerate it to the extent that PG13 ratings will allow it. This is perhaps why the series "The Tudors" was one of my favorite Tudor England representations on film. Yeah, it was inaccurate. Yeah, it was a bunch of pretty costumes and unnecessary nudity at times. But it was deep, complex, and ironic in its usage of imagery, poetry, and symbolism. The character development of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII was my favorite. Two young people with dreams and hopes for a better England, starting as confidantes, lovers, and friends with things in common, become the bitterest enemies and strangers. Historically, I think this was a fair picture of Anne and Henry because it was documented that they were close friends and they had many things in common (music, poetry, theology, literature, hunting, and politics). Henry waited for her for seven years before consummating the relationship and finally marrying her to be his queen. He had her, this descendant of noble merchants and dukes, crowned as queen with the ancient crown of British history. He abandoned his faith in the Pope, his friends, and his country's well being for her love. And this was perhaps their doom from the start. To love is good enough, but to love while hurting others tarnishes that love and the black stain simply grows with every argument, with every resentment, with every longing for what was promised and failed to be given. Henry wanted a son. Anne bore a daughter. It simply was not good enough. Henry never heard the Beatles play "Love is all you Need!".
What especially saddens me about May and Anne's execution is her manner of disposal. She was once the beloved lady of the monarch, a woman who could do no wrong, and suddenly slanders and truly heinous accusations were thrown at her. Not only was Anne the woman killed, but her name was marred and disdained for the years to come. It was this stain on her name which would affect her only legacy, her 2 year old daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth grew up to be queen, yes! Elizabeth ruled and led with brilliancy and cunning, yes! But Elizabeth lost so much, gave up so much, and never experienced the many joys of being a woman. Elizabeth never grew up with a mother. Elizabeth never married. Elizabeth never bore her own children. With Elizabeth died the Tudor dynasty and the whole point of what Henry was trying to establish by marrying six different times.
Sadly, Elizabeth grew up with a ghost, a faded memory of a laugh, of long black hair touching her cheek, of a sparkling eye looking over her clothing, but was any of it real? Did Elizabeth know that her mother was innocent? Did she perhaps think of her at times when things became difficult? Did she blame her like others did and maybe even believed in her treason? History is so uncertain, it is all conjecture. The only real proof anyone has of Elizabeth's love for Anne is the locket ring with Elizabeth's image and that of another woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and a french styled hood which was commonly attributed to Anne Boleyn and popular in the 1530s. To commemorate and honor these women, I present my video tribute to Anne Boleyn's fall, Elizabeth's rise, and the very different but interwoven lives they led.
(My youtube name used to be historygirl23 hence the logo on the bottom and this was a fanvideo I created for them last year) Enjoy!
Song: Christina Perri "The Lonely"
Films: The Tudors, Elizabeth, Elizabeth: Golden Age
http://youtu.be/4sCrU-0t2Nc
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