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2:07 pm
July 2, 2011
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This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time: trying to reach out and “touch” history, trying to put yourself in the shoes of those who inhabited it. What got me thinking about this even more was an article from a Tudor blog that I read a while ago…
http://onthetudortrail.com/Blo…..ry-mantel/
I found it an extremely moving piece, especially this bit…
Hilary then describes how she begins to sense the Spring of 1535, “when Thomas More was still alive and pearls were still warm on the neck of Anne Boleyn. It was then that the shock of the past reached out and jabbed me in the ribs. They were as alive as I am; why can’t I touch them?”
This is what I always try to explain to people when they ponder at why I love Tudor history so much, when historical figures like Anne Boleyn have been dead for centuries and centuries. My reply goes something like this: “these people were alive once. They drew breath and slept and ate and felt the air on their face just like you or me. They felt love, they felt pain. They were human, not characters from stories, and the events we read about in history books were their lives.”
I find myself continually trying to reach through the years towards Anne – especially whenever I visit Hever Castle. I gaze in wonderment at her Books of Hours, finding it incredible that these were books she held in her own slender hands. The possibility that she took one of them to her execution hits me like a ton of bricks every time. I always have to shuffle away to let other visitors stand and look at them, but each time I long to go back to steal just a little more time to myself, to try and put myself in Anne’s place, to try and get a sense of what she felt on that May morning she went out to face her death.
History quite often moves me to tears. For instance a couple of weeks ago I was rereading one of Claire’s excellent articles, and I came across Francis Weston’s last letter. My eyes just brimmed up as I read the last words he ever wrote, the last time he put pen to paper, to say farewell to his family. The execution speeches have a big effect on me too. My modern mind is overwhelmed in the face of the bravery of Henry VIII’s victims; could I walk up the steps of a scaffold and walk towards my own end so bravely? The answer to that is a resounding no!
Anyway, I’ll try and keep this ramble as relatively short as possible! I’m sure every history fan tries to reach past the surface of history, to put themselves in Anne’s place, Henry’s place, etc! We all must know how difficult and infinitely frustrating it is. Sadly we can’t hop in a time machine and we can’t bring Anne or any of her contemporaries back to life. But this is all part of the excitement of studying history, I guess. It’s a long, long journey. Once you’re hooked you can’t go back!
xxx
2:45 pm
May 16, 2011
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I feel the exact same way as you do, I get so emotional whenever I see new pieces of history especially with Anne. And one day when I visit the Tower of London & Hever Castle i'll be seeing what she saw which is incredibley moving and meaningful for me to look foward to. And i'll close my eyes and try to imagine what it was like for her when she was at Tower of London and when she visited Hever Castle. I can already predict that i'll cry being that close to Anne.
And I also always wonder how anyone could be so brave walking up those scaffold steps, they'd have to force me up those steps cause I don't think I could willingly do it with the knowledge my head would be separated from my body in a matter of minutes and my blood would be staining the same wood….Yeah, they'd definately have to tie me down or something. That's one of the reasons I admire Anne soo much – the fact she could keep her cool like that is so brave and beautiful.
I don't see why anyone can not get into history, it's so cool learning about things that happend years ago on the same earth we live in today. I live in a state that has alot of Indian historic sites and going to those sites and thinking 'On this day 100's of years ago someone else was standing where I am now'.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
3:12 pm
June 7, 2010
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I completely understand. When I visit historical sites, I try and remember the significance of the place. The people of the past were real, they lived and breathed, and were a part of the past. But, these places still exist and they are a part of the present. I am reminded of one of my favourite theorists, Bruno Latour. He argues that the past is still alive. Time is a continual process, and we should avoid dividing the past from the present. We are a result of what happened before, and we will impact what happens in the future. Latour articulates it much better, but his theory highlighted how I feel about historical sites.
I've only visited Hever once, but it is a highlight of my life. I felt Anne's presence. She is alive there. Her story, life, death, and legacy are rooted in Hever. Even my Mum felt something, and she is not as versed in the Tudor period as I am, but she respects and values history.
I admit I am a rather sensitive, emotional person. So, there are times when I was moved to tears, especially at a place like the Tower. The sheer violence and tyranny of the place must touch people, but I felt so saddened for those who lost their lives. It's true that St. Peter ad vincula is one of the saddest places on earth.
Not quite on topic, but when I visited the Louvre in 2004 I finally got to see my favourite Da Vinci painting “The Virgin and Child with St. Anne.” It is one of the most beautiful pieces of art I've ever seen. I stood (like a fool) in the midst of the Italian gallery, and wept.
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
3:19 pm
May 16, 2011
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I also want to visit St.Peter and Vincula. I can only imagine how touching it is to be at these sites, and I have that much more to look foward to when I finally visit Europe.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
6:26 pm
November 18, 2010
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Sadly, if I'm going back to UK in the next few years, it will be because a close family member has died. I really can't see a holiday there happening soon….
It's always bunnies.
7:41 pm
May 16, 2011
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Oh! I'm sorry Anyanka that's awful, I hope everything works out okay though.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
1:16 pm
February 24, 2010
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Okay my post got lost…grrrr. I’ll try again.
The first time I came to this site was to read about Sir Francis Weston. That letter made me cry too.
I fear that if I ever get the chance to go to England, I will be crying from the minute I get on the plane. It would be a dream come true.
For now, I love traveling to various historical sites in America. We had the privilege of visting Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello a few years back. When we reached his desk, I had tears in my eyes. This was where Thomas Jefferson had contemplated and then wrote our Declaration of Independence. I felt so close to him at that moment.
Whenever I am visiting a site, I like to touch something that perhaps the person who had lived there had touched. Like a book, a chair, or even a living room wall. Touching these things makes me feel closer to the person. Brings them to life for me.
The other day I was asking two friends if they had seen the movie, “Iron Jawed Ladies.” They hadn’t so I was telling them it was about the women who fought to give us our right to vote. When I was telling them what they suffered through to give us that right, one of them said, “Yeah, I don’t want to see it.” When I asked her why not she said, “They’re dead.” She was glad they got us the right to vote, but she didn’t need to know how it came about. I was stunned. See what I have to put up with and why I love this site so much?
Anyway I am a firm believer in learning from the past. The old adage holds true…If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.
7:46 pm
May 16, 2011
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Sharon said
I fear that if I ever get the chance to go to England, I will be crying from the minute I get on the plane. It would be a dream come true.
I also have never been to England and I want to so very very bad and it’ll be a dream come true for me too. I would also probably start crying on the plane there because it means that much to me. It’s a part of me now. For some reason History is such an emotional thing because it’s events that made the world today and it’s people who helped shape the way things are and right this moment i’m thinking – I wonder what people were doing at this very moment 500 years ago, or 100 years ago, you know? History inspires us to make more history and hope that maybe one day 100’s of years from now that people will feel the same way and think the same way. And also we are part of history in the making and that’s….amazing.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
2:46 pm
November 18, 2010
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Sharon said
The other day I was asking two friends if they had seen the movie, “Iron Jawed Ladies.” They hadn’t so I was telling them it was about the women who fought to give us our right to vote. When I was telling them what they suffered through to give us that right, one of them said, “Yeah, I don’t want to see it.” When I asked her why not she said, “They’re dead.” She was glad they got us the right to vote, but she didn’t need to know how it came about. I was stunned. See what I have to put up with and why I love this site so much?
Adds to my list of movies I want to see. I must admit I don’t know a lot about American Sufferage apart from Susan B Anthony. Any books you can recoomend about it?
It's always bunnies.
2:23 pm
February 24, 2010
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Anyanka, The name of the movie was, “Iron Jawed Angels.”
A few books:
“The Suffragette”, by Janet MacLeod Trotter. Novel
“The Ascent of Woman: A History of the Suffragette Movement and Ideas Behind It,” by, Melanie Phillips Non-Fiction
“Sisters: The Lives of America’s Suffragists,” by Jean H Baker Non-Fiction
One I am considering getting is, “Sonnets of a Suffragette,” by Berton Braley This is a reproduction of a book written before 1923. I found it on B&N.
7:26 pm
November 18, 2010
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Thank you, Sharon. I’ll look out for those.
It's always bunnies.
7:31 pm
November 18, 2010
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Mya Elise said
Oh! I’m sorry Anyanka that’s awful, I hope everything works out okay though.
Lots of unexpected household bills, new car, new roof, replacement stove, washer drier all in one year has wiped out the take the family back to see our parents for the fore-seeable future. Family emergancies only ATM..
It's always bunnies.
