Divorced, Beheaded, Survived: A Feminist Reinterpretation Of The Wives Of Henry VIII
One hardly needs to reinterpret history to conclude that some of Henry VIII's wives were manipulated and victimized by a male-dominated society; most historians see that as a given. In her apparent determination to find something new under the sun, Lindsey sacrifices both objectivity and credibility. Virtually every important event is filtered through her feminist prism. Ann Boleyn may not have been the "great whore" of popular lore, but Lindsey's portrayal of her as a victim of sexual harassment on a grand scale is a bit much. Still, this book has value. In examining these women as flesh-and-blood humans rather than pawns in a chess game of power politics, Lindsey has performed a useful service. Her portrait of Henry's first and perhaps most tragic wife, Catherine of Aragon, is particularly poignant. This is a generally enjoyable and informative work, considering the self-imposed constraints the author worked under.Jay Freeman--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.