Dr. Margaret M. Keenan (Meg)
Assistant Director, CEPA, Murphy Institute
Adjunct Professor, Newcomb-Tulane College
First Year Programs/TIDES
Email: [email protected]
Office hours: W, 5:30-6:45 pm
Office: 101 Tilton Hall
Phone: 504.862.3236
TIDE 1710-01, Fall 2014
THE TUDORS IN NOVELS AND FILM
Tuesdays, 5:30-6:45
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this seminar, students examine popular depictions of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Mary Tudor, and
Elizabeth I. The English Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the fall of Anne Boleyn, treason and heresy,
and sixteenth-century views on women’s sexuality and female rulers are among the topics covered.
Students are also given a brief introduction to English sixteenth-century paleography.
Throughout this course, students should ask themselves the following questions:
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Do creators of historical fiction have obligations to audiences?
Do they have obligations to the dead (or the memories of the dead)?
Are there some types of historical fiction in which it is particularly important to achieve historical
accuracy and others in which it is less important?
Do anachronisms necessarily detract from historical fiction?
Where do we draw the line between historical fiction as art (i.e., literature and film) and historical
fiction as entertainment (i.e., bodice-rippers and blockbusters)?
Is it helpful to draw such a distinction?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES:
This course aims to:
1) Introduce the students to the cultural and intellectual life on campus and in the city of New
Orleans through academic and social interaction.
This outcome will be reached through:
 Class field trips to the Howard Tilton Library and Windsor Court for tea
 Class discussions
 Lectures by guest faculty
2) Expose freshmen to new areas of studies, specifically sixteenth-century English history and
literature (fiction) and film focusing on sixteenth-century history. Allow freshmen to learn to
discuss academic reading assignments in a seminar setting.
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This outcome will be reached through:
 Interaction with Tulane faculty & staff
 Discussions within the TIDES class
 Reading assignments on Tudor history and fiction about Tudor history
 Lectures by guest faculty
3) Enhance student satisfaction and retention.
This outcome will be reached through:
 Small-group interaction and discussion with faculty
 Class discussions and social outings
FORMAT:
There will be some “lecture” on the historical background of the period. Some weeks I may show
PowerPoint slide clips about Tudor history and ask you to fill in the details based on the David Starkey
documentary you have watched. Most of the class sessions, however, will be devoted to discussion of your
readings and film clips. Hence, it is very important that you read the assignments carefully, watch the clips,
and be prepared to discuss them.
READING AND FILM LIST:
All readings not already accessible via the internet will be provided to you on Blackboard
Non-Fiction:
 Carol Levin, “Elizabeth: Romantic Film Heroine or Sixteenth Century Queen,” Perspectives
(April 1999). (Online, see link below.)
 Garret Mattingly, Armada, Chapter 1 (Blackboard).
Novels:
 Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl (Blackboard)
 Virginia Wolf, Orlando, Chapter 1, pp. 1-30, (Blackboard, optional)
 Hilary Mantal, Wolf Hall, Chapters 1 and 2 (Blackboard)
Film and Film Clips:
 Anne of a Thousand Days
 Elizabeth (“The Kate Blanchett One”)
 Lady Jane
 Orlando
 Shakespeare in Love
Documentary:
 Monarchy by David Sparky, Series 2, Episodes 2-3. Available from Netflix Streaming or from
Amazon (free with Prime membership). If you don’t have a Netflix Account or an Amazon
Prime membership, you should purchase one. If you don’t wish to do this, you can reserve
time with me, and I will provide an office and computer where you can watch the episodes
on the relevant weeks. Each consists of 48 minutes.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Students are required to do all the assigned readings, view the assigned films and documentary episodes,
and come to every class prepared to discuss these. In order to pass this course, you must:
1) Attend at least nine of the sessions (per TIDES policy)
2) Complete all reading assignments, and watch all film clips and documentary episodes and be
able to discuss them. (Most of the film clips will be viewed in class.)
3) Complete your writing assignments
I expect, of course, that you will attend every class session. Two absences are allowed for the possibility
of illness or emergency. If either forces you to use one or two of your allowed absences, you are still
responsible for the reading and assignments.
One class absence and your participation grade goes down to a 92 (A-).
Two absences and your participation grade goes down to an 82 (B-).
Three absences and you fail the class, per TIDES policy.
Grading Scale:
93-100 = A
90-92 = A-
87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
67-69 = D+
63-66 = D
60-62 = D-
59 and below = F
You grade will be based on:
Participation: 50%.
After the first class, you earn up to ten points for each class in which you attend and
participate. Participating includes asking questions, answering questions, and making
points in discussions. It also includes paying attention when others are speaking. Please see
the standard grading scale above for how your participation grade will be calculated. I do
reserve the right to call on students to make sure everyone has done the reading.
Students often tell me that they would like me to lecture in this course, especially as the
Tudor history is complicated, and it helps them to have an overview. I will do some
lecturing, but since this is a seminar course I would like to keep lecturing to a minimum. I
will have you watch a very well done documentary, David Starkey’s Monarchy. Starkey is a
leading Tudor historian, as well as a TV personality.
By watching the Tudor parts of the documentary, you will learn about, or refresh your
memory of Tudor history. Thus, our discussions will be informed by actual history which
we can compare to fiction, literature, and film about the Tudors.
Writing Assignments: 50%.
You will have ten one page papers due at the beginning of most classes. Papers will be
graded with a 2 (satisfactory), 1 (below average), or 0 (unsatisfactory).
Grading Scale for Papers:
20-19 points – A
18-17 points – B
16-15 points – C
14-13 points - D
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13-0 points - F
TOPIC OUTLINE:
Class 1, August 26:
Introduction to the Course and the Tudors.
Reading Project Discussion
Assignment: Watch Monarchy, Series 2, Episodes. 2 and 3: Netflix link. Amazon Link.
(With both Netflix and Amazon, you may need to navigate to the correct episode).
Class 2, September 2:
Lecture: Henry VIII
Film: Anne of a Thousand Days
Assignment: Read Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Chapter 1, and Tracy Bouman, “Wolf Hall: The Changing
Faces of Thomas Cromwell,” The Telegraph
Paper 1: Is the Hilary Mantel sympathetic to Thomas Cromwell? How does this compare to the way
he is usually depicted?
Class 3, September 9:
Lecture: The English Reformation
Discussion: Wolf Hall
Film: Continue Anne of a Thousand Days
Assignment: Read the Dictionary of National Biography entry for Anne Boleyn (concentrating on
last two sections), and The Other Boleyn Girl, pp. 585-589 and Q and A with Philippa Gregory. Please
read the Q and A section carefully.
Paper 2: Based on your reading of the Dictionary of National Biography entry for Anne Boleyn, do
you believe Anne was guilty of the crimes for which she was charged?
What sort of claims does Gregory make about Anne Boleyn? Some of the claims she makes are in the
novel, which is, of course, fictional, but other claims she makes are in the Q and A where she states
these claims as facts. Does this matter?
Class 4, September 16:
Film: Anne of a Thousand Days
Discussion: Anne Boleyn
Assignment: Look up and read at least one film review on Anne of a Thousand Days.
Paper 3: In response to this, write a one page film review of your own. Do not summarize the film.
Tell the reader whether you agree with the review you read, and whether the film is a good film.
Why or why not?
Class 5, September 23: The English Reformation II
Lecture: Edward VI
Film: Lady Jane
Assignment: Read “The Tudor Age,” pp. 256-265, on Edward VI and Mary Tudor (Optional). Read
Richard Cavendish, “Lady Jane Proclaimed Queen,” History Today and Frank Prochaska “The Many
Faces of Jane Grey,” History Today.
Paper 4: Why do you think Lady Jane decided to take the throne? Give evidence from your readings.
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Class 6, September 30:
Film: Lady Jane
Assignment: Read at least two film reviews on Lady Jane.
Tentative Field Trip: Saturday, October 4: Tea at Windsor Court 2 pm. Meet at Riley Center at 1:30
pm. Note: Date is Tentative
Class 7, October 7:
Finish: Lady Jane
Discussion: Lady Jane
Paper 5: Write a one to two page film review on Lady Jane where you respond to the film reviews
you have read. Tell the reader whether it is good film and why. Pinpoint where it is historically
inaccurate. Does this matter?
Class 8, October 14:
Lecture: Elizabeth, Part I
Film: Elizabeth
Paper 6: Read Armada, Chapter 1. Is the author of Armada sympathetic to Mary Stuart? Provide
evidence for your answer.
Class 9, October 21: Elizabeth’s Challenges
Guest Lecture by Tulane Associate Professor of History James Boyden: “The Origins of the AngloSpanish conflict of the late Sixteenth Century, and the Armada Campaign of 1588”
Assignment: Read the Orlando selection.
Paper 7: How does Virginia Woolf depict Elizabeth in Orlando? Is she sympathetic to her? Provide
evidence for your answer.
Class 10, October 28:
Lecture: Elizabeth, Part II
Film: Elizabeth
Assignment: Read Carol Levin, “Elizabeth: Romantic Film Heroine or Sixteenth Century Queen,”
Perspectives
Paper 9: Write a one page paper on whether you agree with Carol Levin in her analysis of Elizabeth.
Class 11: Wednesday, October 29, 6 PM
(Please note class this week will be on a Wednesday)
“Blazing Tudors: Comedy and ‘History’ on Film and Television”
William Robison, Professor of History at Southeastern Louisiana University
A reception will follow the lecture.
Paper 10: What was the argument of Professor Robison’s lecture? Do you agree or disagree?
Class 12: November 4:
Lecture: Elizabeth, Part III
Film: Elizabeth
Discussion: Elizabeth
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