Mary Queen of Scots

Q: ‘Did she or didn’t she?’ Analyse the interpretations of the Casket Letters.

Mary Queen of Scots (MQS) is one of the most controversial characters in Scottish history. As a Catholic queen in a Protestant, male-dominated society, Mary’s rule over Scotland was complex. The most disputed aspect of MQS’ reign is her alleged involvement in the murder of her cousin and second husband, Lord Darnley, whom she married in 1565. The marriage was “quickly strained” and Mary grew to strongly resent her husband. Darnley’s death, 2 years later, is “the most celebrated mystery in Scottish history”. The most incriminating historical evidence are the Casket Letters, found in 1567 and containing eight passionate, unsigned letters, allegedly written by Mary to Lord Bothwell prior to the death of Darnley. Unfortunately, the original French Casket Letters no longer exist, however Scottish and English translations have survived, but the authorship, authenticity and reliability of the Casket Letters have been the focus of debate throughout history. Historians such as Weir and Villius believe that the Casket Letters were genuine documents but tampered with by the Scottish Lords to fulfill their political needs. Historians like Wormald, Henderson and Lang consider the letters to be entirely authentic, thus implicating Mary as actively plotting in Darnley’s murder.

William Wallace

Q - “We recognise the Wallace of today in a simplistic portrait of a complex man”

(Andrew Fisher).

To what extent does a history’s purpose affect their representation of William Wallace.

William Wallace was ‘a simplistic portrait of a complex man’ as his complexities are painted on to him by the historian due to the fact that little is known of his life. Wallace was a 12th century Scottish freedom fighter who died at the hands of the English in 1305. He is considered a national myth with his fundamental ideal of a Scotland free from English governance striking at the heart of core Scottish identities. The basis of our information is The Wallace, a poem written 200 years after his death by a minstrel called Blind Harry. Representations of Wallace either omit parts of the history or add in other events to heighten the tension of the past. Nationalist histories idolise Wallace by focusing on the legend rather than an accurate history. Popular history plays heavily into the dramatic parts of the Wallace legend to entertain an audience. Academic histories try to use factual information and thorough research; however, a lack of conclusive primary evidence and his mythological status dissuades many scholars from writing about him. A history’s purpose significantly impacts the retelling of the myth which complicates the ‘simplistic portrait’ of Wallace.

Boudica

Q: Evaluate the role of gender in representations of Boudicca.

“The role of gender has been imperative in certain historians’ representations of Boudicca, to the extent that she has been rendered a myth. Representations of her have varied dramatically over almost 2000 years, thus making her ideal for analysing evolving ideas about gender. Boudicca, warrior queen of Iceni, ruthlessly fought against Roman oppression, destroying several of their cities and becoming a British national icon. Tacitus, a Roman historian from antiquity, is the original source and thus influences all following writings on Boudicca. His political bias, steeped in patriarchal society, significantly impacts his negative portrayal of Boudicca’s military conquests and provides insight into ‘ancient misogyny’. Renaissance representations of Boudicca, were largely influenced by rash miscopying and were positively skewed to compliment Queen Elizabeth I. By making her a figure of overwhelming nationalism they attempted to reconcile her gender, thus proving history to be a blend of fact and fiction. Moreover, Caitlin C. Gillespie, being a representative of the feminist school of thought, illuminates ‘ancient misogyny’ and uses Boudicca’s gender to represent feminist causes. Hence, ideas about gender have obstructed certain historian’s analysis of Boudicca and have led her to become ambiguous, therefore she illustrates changing ideas and attitudes towards gender over two millennia.

Richard III

To what extent has the image of Richard II been shaped by Tudor representations?

Throughout history, representations of Richard III have been manipulated by historians in order to present a character that fits the pre-existing notions that align with their school of thought. The first representations of Richard III either vilified his character to justify the transition to Tudor rule or, on the contrary, Richard’s supporters (Ricardians) attempted to absolve Richard of the crimes he was accused of by debunking the myths constructed by the Tudor historians. Today, historians approach issues involving certain historical events and figures such as Richard III with greater objectivity, using newly availability sources, consideration of contextual historical influences and forensic evidence. These all provide greater understanding of his character to educate about his life and ruling, disregarding the rumours and controversy. It is important to note that the role of politics and entertainment in the creation of Richard III’s historical narrative during the Tudor reign have been incredibly influential; exaggerated details for the purpose of creating an interesting story and political connotations in representations of Richard III have made it increasingly difficult to separate propaganda from fact from fiction.

Joan of Arc

Q: Analyse the differing representations of Joan of Arc,

as influenced by the context of the historian.

The context of historians has a significant influence over their judgements when interpreting and representing history. Context encompasses gender, religion and other societal aspects, all of which the historians of Joan of Arc have a diverse range. Through analysing the three main representations of Joan of Arc, being religious, political and social, it becomes clear that these representations have come to be portrayed as a result of the historian’s context. This subjectivity has been studied in the works of an anonymous Parisian cleric, Marina Warner and Dr Helen Castor, exemplifying how their differing contexts have resulted in three images of Joan of Arc. These three differing representations are constructed in the form of a journal, an academic work and a documentary respectively. It is therefore observed that the context of historians has a significant influence in constructing the 3 main representations of Joan of Arc, each portraying different images of one woman, who eventually becomes “all things to all people” risking “losing the human being.” (Dr Helen Carter, 2015.)

Presentism/Statues

Q: “The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.” (L.P. Hartley)

Evaluate the impact of presentism in the changing interpretations of historical statues.

The historiographical concept of “presentism’ is the “uncritical adherence to present-day attitudes, especially the tendency to interpret past events in terms of modern values and concepts.” American social historian Professor Lynn Hunt identifies, “Presentism, at its worst, encourages a kind of moral complacency and self-congratulation,” reflecting the ability for this concept to alter interpretations of historical narrative. The separation between the past, a “foreign country,” and contemporary historical narrative remains highly subjective. Presentism’s influence is rising as historical events and figures become reframed by evolved social values and morals. The 21st Century global community has become increasingly enlightened, and moved away from traditional understandings, such as ideas based on Social Darwinism. Statues have been used by civilisations for thousands of years to commemorate significant figures and events. As described by historian Dr Charlotte Riley, “By placing a figure as a statue it created a sense of importance and immortalisation,” exhibiting the original interpretation of statues when they are first erected. Social movements including ‘Rhodes Must Fall’, and recent waves of the ‘Black Lives Matter Movement’ (BLM), have raised debate and conflict over continued relevance of historical statues. Such ‘statue wars’, shaped by increasing understanding of historical events and presentist attitudes has caused changing interpretation of the figures represented by statues.

The Black Death

Q: Analyse the influence of context on the changing responses to the Black Death

The changing responses to the Black Death have been heavily influenced by the context in which the plague is viewed, clearly evident through the differing religious, cultural, scientific and modern contexts that have emerged throughout history. Due to the lack of scientific evidence and medical assistance, society in the Medieval period was poorly equipped against a violent epidemic of such magnitude, resulting in the emergence of traditional religious responses. Ziegler highlights the superstitious beliefs surrounding the supernatural in a religious context, as well as the persecution of a minority group to provide reassurance against the incomprehensible nature and cause of the Black Death. However, due to the changing contexts and the increasing availability of scientific evidence, historical analysis of the plague and its biological cause have allowed for responses to alter to a modern scientific understanding rather than medieval superstition. As a result, contextual factors have influenced modern responses, as evident through an increase in the production of popular historical media in a modern context, allowing for the Black Death to be seen in a lighter, comedic view, for the purposes of entertainment. This humorous portrayal of the plague has suggested how modern-day society is mocking the tragedies of the past in a presentist way. Nevertheless, the SARS and COVID-19 pandemics have sparked a re-analysis of historical adaptations for entertainment. Fundamentally, context has a profound influence on the ever-changing responses to the Black Death, as it is inevitable responses are susceptible to contextual influences.

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