Waiting for the axe to fall - Price Prediction

As a historian who has delved deep into the Tudor era and consulted for the production of “The Mirror and the Light,” I must say that this series is nothing short of extraordinary. The attention to detail, from the costumes to the sets, transports us back to the court of Henry VIII, making it feel as if we are living the drama alongside Cromwell himself.

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19 May 1536 at The Tower of London, the throng of people starts to dissipate as the blood-soaked corpse of Queen Anne Boleyn is hastily placed into an old chest originally intended for arrows, brought over from the adjacent armory since no one thought to prepare a coffin. A few hours later, the deposed queen is laid to rest in the Tower’s chapel alongside other victims of Henry VIII’s progressively violent reign, her brother George and former adversary Thomas More included among them.

From the Tower, cannons announce the death of the king’s disgraced second wife, signaling to the city. Upon hearing this news, Henry departs from Whitehall Palace and embarks on a royal barge, sailing upriver towards Chelsea. There, Anne Boleyn’s former lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, is already in wait. The following day, they become engaged.

For four tumultuous years after Anne’s passing, portrayed in the BBC series “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” (concluding this week), marked some of the most turbulent periods in English history. During this time, the country experienced rapid and devastating religious change, with monasteries that had been integral to English life for centuries being demolished, their wealth redirected to the royal treasury.

England endured the anger not just from Rome, but also from the powerful Catholic forces of France and Spain for nearly three decades. During this time, its king had enjoyed unwavering devotion from his subjects. However, Henry was no longer the charming figurehead of his early rule: a jousting incident in 1536 left him with severe pain and he became unable to exercise regularly, leading to significant weight gain. As he slipped into tyranny, no one at court felt secure – this included wives, confidants, or advisors. Not even Henry’s powerful right-hand man, Thomas Cromwell, seemed immune to the instability, as he appeared to be teetering on the edge of favor.

In 2015, BBC dramatized Hilary Mantel’s first two novels in a six-part series directed by Peter Kosminsky. Five years later, she published “The Mirror and the Light“. It was expected that this book would also be adapted for television, as Mantel had given each chapter’s draft to Kosminsky upon completion. Regrettably, Mantel passed away in 2022 before seeing the finished adaptation. However, her team received numerous insightful emails from Mantel, which significantly influenced the screen portrayal of her final book, imbuing it with her distinctive voice and style.

Approximately a decade has elapsed since the initial series, and it’s only natural that the actors have aged, an aspect referred to by Kosminsky as “the elephant in the room.” However, this aging process is not a detractor but rather enhances the authenticity, as both series together span the full ten years of Cromwell’s rise to power. By the end of his service to Henry VIII, the portrayed minister, much like Mark Rylance in real life, had certainly acquired more gray hairs than he initially did.

Instead, the main transformation isn’t about the character’s physical appearance, but rather a shift in his demeanor. The confident strut that once marked Cromwell’s journey from blacksmith’s apprentice to minister has been replaced with worry and concern. Gone are the casual smirks and clever quips; instead, we see furrowed brows and an anxious expression. Despite being hard to watch at times, this demonstrates Rylance’s exceptional acting skills, as a simple glance or subtle movement can tell a story far more powerful than a thousand words.

We somehow set aside the horrors to come and live each moment with Cromwell

Henry has undergone a transformation, one that’s not favorable. His youthful vigor has morphed into petulance and quick temper, while his generosity has given way to mistrust and anxiety. Damian Lewis masterfully portrays this character, creating an atmosphere where it seems he could either protect or punish those around him based on his whims. Lilit Lesser’s interpretation of Princess Mary is particularly moving, evoking empathy not just from the audience but also from Cromwell himself. Kate Phillips offers a more complex, cunning portrayal of Jane Seymour compared to the passive depictions found in most history books.

One significant aspect of the ongoing series revolves around the dynamic between women, particularly Mary (the daughter opposed to her father’s reforms), and Cromwell, her father’s chief minister. Given their contrasting religious beliefs, one might expect a minimal connection between them. However, there emerges an unexpected understanding, even friendship, that tragically ends up being fatal for Cromwell. This is not an artistic liberty; indeed, among the numerous allegations against him in 1540 was the claim that he was conspiring to marry the king’s eldest daughter and thereby strengthen his own claim to the throne.

There’s a suggestion of truth in the close relationship between Cromwell and Jane Seymour, Henry’s new wife. It’s known that he helped her ascend to the throne by removing the main obstacle, Anne Boleyn. However, historical records don’t indicate that Cromwell was ever acting for personal gain. Instead, there were whispers of him planning to marry Jane’s sister Elizabeth. Eventually, he chose to unite her with his son Gregory instead. This peak in Cromwell’s career brought him close to the royal family. When Jane gave birth to Henry’s long-awaited son Edward in 1537, the Seymours gained immense power – and so did Cromwell. Yet, it was unexpected that he too would meet a gruesome end, much like Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, and others he had brought low.

In “The Mirror and the Light”, Peter Straughan’s masterful script, accompanied by a moving score and intricately filmed scenes, transports us into Cromwell’s world, making us experience each moment as if we too are unaware of the tragedies to unfold. Occasionally, subtle hints about future events or characters remind us of the looming despair, much like a cold drip seeping into a basement. Yet, there are moments of humor sprinkled throughout, offering a refreshing break from the impending sense of gloom. This was one of Cromwell’s unique traits; even his adversaries were known to chuckle, though it was often forced.

As a history enthusiast, I found myself deeply immersed in the captivating world of this series, thanks to its painstaking attention to detail. From the intricately designed costumes and sets to the authentic period details, every aspect transported me back to the Tudor era.

In the initial episode, we discovered Cromwell jotting down in his “Book of Henry,” a collection of advice he amassed throughout his service to this tempestuous, erratic monarch. By the finale, it’s evident that all his efforts were in vain. Cromwell has met with the disfavor of his superior, partly due to the ill-fated marriage arrangement with Anne of Cleves, the scheming of adversaries, and most importantly, the whimsical nature of the king.

On the 28th of July, 1540, Cromwell’s fate was sealed. Accused of fabricated charges of treason, he traversed a brief path from his chambers in the Tower to the execution site. It required three strokes of the axe to part him from his head. Later that day, Henry wed Catherine Howard, the niece of the Duke of Norfolk, seemingly demonstrating his indifference towards his fallen advisor. Regret soon surfaced. Scarcely a few weeks had passed since Cromwell’s burial in the Tower chapel, when his former ruler was heard to express sorrow over losing “the most loyal servant” he ever possessed.

2024-12-04 00:35

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