How far would you go to save your immortal soul?’
This is the question that plagued Tudor High Chancellor, Sir Thomas More. Lawyer, philosophiser, and advisor to Henry VIII, when the court turned on its head at the arrival of Anne Boleyn. Hounded by prolific characters like Thomas Cromwell, his fellow court members, and the King, he was left with a choice to either protect his life by betraying his beliefs or face the executioner.
In the end, he decided to die for his principles.
It is no wonder that his story, of a man standing alone against the rapidly changing times, would be depicted again and again in TV shows and movies. Depicted as a historical example of a Tudor courtroom drama, in Robert Bolts ‘A Man for All Seasons’; Michael Hirst’s ‘The Tudors’; and Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall’. His resilience has been reimagined contradictory depending on the medium. More as witty but crass, violent but kind. A hero, or villain.
Prosiding as the jury, Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by cultural historian and literary scholar, Prof. Sarah Churchwell; Jessie Childs author of "God’s Traitors - Terror and Faith in Elizabethan England"; historian and screenwriter Alex von Tunzelmann and Dr Joanne Paul, who is currently writing a biography of Thomas More’s life.
Together on this episode of 'Not Just the Tudors…Lates', our historians will bring forth their case on whether Thomas More was a true saint, or just a zealot opponent to change.
Up Next in From Modern to Ancient
-
The Complete History Of Vladimir Puti...
Vladimir Putin is the modern face of dictatorship, rising out of the ashes of the chaotic Yeltsin years. In the 90's, Putin was a relatively unknown figure would go on to occupy an untouchable position in a country spanning 11 timezones. We delve inside the twisted mind of Vladimir Putin.
-
The Longest Alliance: England and Por...
On 16th June 1373, England’s King Edward III signed a treaty of alliance with Portugal’s King Ferdinand. It still stands, making it the longest continuing alliance in history. This year, in June 2023, it celebrates its 650th anniversary. In this film, Mike Loades, a Brit living in Portugal, trave...
-
Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon -...
Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn - the first two wives of Henry VIII - are so often portrayed as opposites. Katherine as the loyal, scorned wife - Anne as the bright, bewitching upstart.
But now Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb returns to Hever Castle to explore what Anne and Katherine were really l...
29 Comments