This morning I finished the book The Creation of Anne Boleyn by Susan Bordo. I loved this book but for me it felt repetitive simply simply because I am pretty sure I have written all of that down in my notes for my book and in my journal. So I give this book 5 stars if you are looking for a very accurate and, I would say, unbiased look at the facts of Anne Boleyn. A lot of the book focuses on how society has viewed the long dead queen. She was the first queen to be executed and her husband, Henry VII, also put the death the second queen as well. Funny enough, his daughter Mary put the death the (arguably) third queen in British history. Anyway, the book reads like my brain works. It is kind of a very long, well structured rant about how people have villainized or sainted Anne Boleyn. The truth is Anne Boleyn was not a woman of her time. She was strong and "different" from the normal blond angel that was popular in Henry's court. She was strong in the Reformation which really made Catholics angry. Everything about her made her a target from day one. The book discusses how various actors, authors, poets, religious people and just plain old people of different eras have viewed this fallen queen. I think my obsession with Anne began when I just could not figure out how a man who change the entire land of England, pushed for a divorce of his first wife, wrote many love letters and waited seven years to marry in secret could possibly have her executed. How could a loving and doting husband condemn not one but two wives to such a fate? After realizing her death was decided on VERY false charges (in today's courts she would hardly have been given a glance in court before all charges would have been dismissed) I just had to know everything about her. Luckily the book was exactly that. It was very helpful in straightening out some of my thoughts and gave me lots of great places to do some research. I don't expect any one of you to read this book but if you like British history or any history, this would be a good one to pick up and start with.
I hope everyone is having a great week so far and take pleasure in knowing that it is Wednesday, the week is halfway over!
16
June 2014
The
Bull Fight
The
crowd cheers. The man prances around. I do not understand all of
this. They seem to get excited when the man dances around me with his
sharp tools. He wears a stupid hat and tight little pants. I so badly
just want to run him over but the prancing little man dashes to the
side and sticks me with a sharp tool. It hurts so badly and I am
bleeding. The red blood is coursing down my shoulder but I will not
go near him again or at least I think I won't until he gets out that
stupid blanket and starts prancing around with that too. It is red
like my blood as if he is mocking my bleeding. Just can't stand for
this. With a great puff I charge at him but this time I am very
unlucky. He stabs me in the back again and leaves the sharp tool in
my back. I howl with pain and charge him again. How dare he stab me!
He stabs again and I charge faster at him. This time he actually
looked a little scared but he still has the upper hand for I am
mortally injured. I try not to give up but he stabs me once more
between my shoulders. As I lie in wait for death to overcome me I can
see him still prancing around in his stupid little hat and little
pants. He has dropped the blanket and the crowd is going wild. He has
another sharp tool and with as much flare as he can muster he stabs
me again in the back of my neck. I think I will sleep now and wander
off into the dark abyss that is death all the while wishing I had
been smarter and gored him.
17
June 2014
“What
is it that you see?”
She
lived in a large, bustling metropolis of a city. Her city was the
heart of the country that was shaping the world. The girl had once
loved her city but she was becoming discontent with all the noise and
traffic of living in such a popular city. It seemed that everywhere
she looked was another person scheming to find a husband for their
daughter or someone bribing a city official for votes. Her happy town
that was full of life, dancing and fun had turned into a city of
marauders, drunks and fools. She wanted more. She needed more. She
decided to leave. In the dark of night she packed up what few things
she owned and needed and took her dowry. Her parents were in the
process of marrying her to a cruel up and coming politician.
She
prepared no note but rather crept out and walked to the mountain. She
climbed and climbed until she reached the top. It took all night and
was very difficult but not any lonelier than her city had been to
her. She sat and looked around thinking to herself where she was
going to go and what she was going to do.
“What
is it that you see?” whispered
the wind to the girl.
She
thought about this for a second. At first the city seemed calm in the
wee hours of the morning but very quickly people were up and busy.
She saw chaos. People yelling at each other. Dogs running loose. A
child almost getting run over by a man on a horse who was too busy to
see of the child was fine. It was mean and chaotic in her city. From
a top this mountain the girl realized she had to leave but now where
would she go?
“Look
around you. What do you see?” whispered
the wind again.
The
girl looked behind her and saw an old man and an old woman with a
donkey traveling away from the city. They had an empty cart and she
just knew she could help them. Down the mountain she went and caught
up with the elderly couple. The couple were from a distant coastal
village. They had a son but he was killed fighting in the city's
army. They sold wool and other items to make money to eat since they
were too old to fish and hunt much. The elderly couple let the girl
go with them to their little village. The walk to the village was
very peaceful. The air was fresh and smelt of dirt and moist, green
earth. It was a far cry from the putrid stench of the city. Birds
chirped as they passed and a soft breeze made the hot walk a bit more
bearable. The trio finally reached the village the next morning and
the girl was in awe. People were working but they were helping their
neighbors. Children were happily playing about and some were even in
outdoor classes. Men were fishing in the crystal blue waters and
there were women weaving. Everyone was busy but very relaxed and
happy about it.
The
girl never went back to the city. Her family never came looking for
her. She lived a quite life by the sea and when the elderly couple
passed they gave her their home since they had no other family but
her. She let the wind guide her that night on the mountain and since
then she never looked back.
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