Book Reviews: Wolf Hall

Posted on | January 25, 2010 | No Comments

Hilary Mantel’s Booker winning novel, Wolf Hall is, at its best, a novel left incomplete. At its worst, it seems superfluous, a novel unneeded, retelling a story which has been told hundreds of times in history textbooks- dry as dust tomes languishing in dark, musty corners in school and college libraries the world over have told the story of the tragic love of Henry VII and Anne Boleyn (on whose fringes lay Thomas Cromwell, the hero of this novel, with his machinations), with its far reaching consequences; and they have not told it any worse than this novel.

The story, revolving round the mad infatuation of Henry VII, then king of England, for Anne Boleyn, with the regular court intrigues is not a bad one, as stories go. Throw in the historical impact of the affair- the breaking of the Church by Henry (and orchestrated by Cromwell), and the resistance he encountered from More- and it becomes a cracking good tale. Cromwell himself is a very interesting character- his rise from a common soldier to the Prime Minister of England would have been fascinating in itself, in any other hands.

Instead, despite Mantel’s monomaniacal devotion to Cromwell (if this were a movie, Cromwell would be present in almost every frame), in the end I closed the book feeling nothing for Cromwell. Apathy would probably best describe my feelings about the character of Cromwell, and as for my reaction to the novel- perhaps a faint gladness that finally it was over. I knew very little of his motivations for bringing in the English Reformation; and I cared even less. Of course, there was a faint taste of revenge in his actions- for Wolsey, his patron- but throughout, you are left wondering if that is prime motivation. Or, does he in fact have a motivation- except his self interest? He does come through as the consummate politician which he was- but even consummate politicians have motives beyond self, one would like to think.

Even if one accepts the fact that only self was the motive driving Cromwell, the story remains incomplete. For the novel ends with the redrawing by Cromwell of ‘The Map of Christiandom’- but if that is not his primary motive, then the story has not yet reached a satisfactory conclusion at this point. The novel, in this case, serving as the story of Thomas Cromwell, should then also trace his downfall- and of his schemes- first with the beheading of Anne Boleyn (in the year 1536- the novel ends in 1535) and then Cromwell’s own execution in the year 1540 by the same king.

As most historical novels, this one also has a rich collage of characters which could have provided great color, but are woefully neglected. We read of Thomas More, the primary opponent of the Reformation, but we never get to know him well- and like or hate him- as a character.  Similarly, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are never fleshed out as personalities. Poor Henry ends up being portrayed as a headstrong and immature prince who spends most of his time in the pursuit of Anne Boleyn (which he probably did) and Anne comes across as a pretty and pretty mean calculating machine (which again she probably was). But what of the strength of character, the moral conviction required to go through with something as momentous as the break of the state from the church, and carrying through the split with Rome? In the end, most of the characters seem plastic, with events taking over the place which should have been occupied by people, and the novel ends up becoming a showcase Mantel’s knowledge of history.

But then, if wanted to read the history of the English Reformation, we already have more concise and accurate textbooks, no?

The only redeeming features are some passages when the author does try to halfheartedly focus on the character of
Cromwell, especially in the earlier parts where his relationship with Wolsey is touched upon. And a touch of sardonic humor helps to rush through the earlier pages, but that is about it.

Similar Posts:

• job in the times of recession
• BodhiTree-Revisited
• the moon

Comments