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It's a Matter of Perspective: History, Fiction and Narrative in ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ by Philippa Gregory

Lundholm, Emma LU (2017) ENGK01 20171
English Studies
Abstract
This essay explores the relationship between ‘history’ and ‘fiction’ in Philippa Gregory’s historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl (2001). Taking a broadly New Historicist approach to that relationship, the essay examines how the fictional aspects of Gregory’s text are handled in relation to historical ‘fact’, how Gregory’s story illustrates the ways in which an historical novel can be used to address contemporary concerns, and how the choice of narrator plays a key role in both respects. Through close reading, the essay also describes feminist elements in Gregory’s text which are rooted in the thoughts and actions of the main character and it situates these elements in relation to critical literature suggesting that the historical novel,... (More)
This essay explores the relationship between ‘history’ and ‘fiction’ in Philippa Gregory’s historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl (2001). Taking a broadly New Historicist approach to that relationship, the essay examines how the fictional aspects of Gregory’s text are handled in relation to historical ‘fact’, how Gregory’s story illustrates the ways in which an historical novel can be used to address contemporary concerns, and how the choice of narrator plays a key role in both respects. Through close reading, the essay also describes feminist elements in Gregory’s text which are rooted in the thoughts and actions of the main character and it situates these elements in relation to critical literature suggesting that the historical novel, as a genre, has often provided women with a vehicle for protest. The essay concludes with an assessment of the uses of the historical novel as a pedagogic tool, drawing in particular on the experience of history teachers in Australia. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lundholm, Emma LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENGK01 20171
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Philippa Gregory, ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’, History and Fiction, Narratology, New Historicism
language
English
id
8918130
date added to LUP
2017-08-23 14:03:17
date last changed
2017-08-23 14:03:17
@misc{8918130,
  abstract     = {{This essay explores the relationship between ‘history’ and ‘fiction’ in Philippa Gregory’s historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl (2001). Taking a broadly New Historicist approach to that relationship, the essay examines how the fictional aspects of Gregory’s text are handled in relation to historical ‘fact’, how Gregory’s story illustrates the ways in which an historical novel can be used to address contemporary concerns, and how the choice of narrator plays a key role in both respects. Through close reading, the essay also describes feminist elements in Gregory’s text which are rooted in the thoughts and actions of the main character and it situates these elements in relation to critical literature suggesting that the historical novel, as a genre, has often provided women with a vehicle for protest. The essay concludes with an assessment of the uses of the historical novel as a pedagogic tool, drawing in particular on the experience of history teachers in Australia.}},
  author       = {{Lundholm, Emma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{It's a Matter of Perspective: History, Fiction and Narrative in ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ by Philippa Gregory}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}