Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy is being praised everywhere. One reason for the success is certainly the fact that even if the novels are about the events in Henry VIII's court in Britain during the stormy years of the 16th century, the story rises onto a universal level as it depicts human destinies in the hands of a despot.
The story is told from the perspective of King Henry's right hand Thomas Cromwell, in a time in history when new ideas gain a foothold among the people, some of them still fighting to maintain the old order.
For me, the most capturing features in the novels are their lively characters, the magical descriptions combined with the almost everyday dialogues about inflammatory topics, as well as the sensation that I was present in the venues – an impression that only few writers are able to create. It was also interesting to see how the history of states and nations is made by individuals: in the best case by capable, well-informed and law-abiding individuals, but in the worst case by narcissistic, whimsical and greedy ones.
The writer of the trilogy, Hilary Mantel, is trained in law like the main character Thomas Cromwell. So the novels might also be read as lessons in law, power, and the power of law. Examples: Everyone is guilty of something, though not always of what they are convicted of, or: Let's throw mud, and see what will stick. And: interpretation of law can be stretched for certain purposes.
Thomas Cromwell rose exceptionally high in a harsh class society on his own merits. He was an efficient administrative reformer and a complex character. Regardlesss whether he was a good guy or a bad guy, Mantel manages to describe how Cromwell, as the implementer of the wishes of the self-interested king, becomes more and more flattened as a person, until the despot wipes him off the face of the earth for all.
After reading the Wolf Hall trilogy, it feels good to live in our modern times in a country where people in general understand that concentrating power in the hands of one person is dangerous. Still, people should see more clearly the value of fair and exact laws as well as the importance of keeping the legal system separate from the political system. Nothing should be taken for granted.
The superstitiousness, gullibility and hard everyday work of common people are also part of the world of these novels. It is easy to keep down an unlearned people, but it was just during this time in our history that individuals began to understand the importance of the usage of their own language, first just in religious life, but due to this literacy started to become more common.
Of course, the Wolf Hall trilogy is, first of all, a wonderful trip into history and human minds. The novels made me want to explore the accurate locations of the events in England, and find more information about the characters, their later lives, and destinies of their families. I have also enjoyed much the interviews of Hilary Mantel, available online.
Hilary Mantel: Wolf Hall. 2009
Hilary Mantel: Bring Up the Bodies. 2012
Hilary Mantel. The Mirror & the Light. 2020
Photo Pixabay / Bodsa
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