Comments on: The Rape of Anne Boleyn

By: joe frazier

joe frazier — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:48:56 +0000

My opinion: The rape scene was used to contrast Mary and Anne’s relationship with Henry. And it illustrates how dangerous Anne’s position was.

It sounds like the issue is less about the historical inaccuracies and more about the fact that a strong female could be raped as “punishment” for using the only tools she has to get ahead. The feeling is the same as seeing an historical African-American hero lynched or an Irish succumbed to heavy drink.

The viewer could fall into a feeling of “Sigh… THEY did it to us again.”

By: Lisa Kindervatter

Lisa Kindervatter — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:29:36 +0000

The movie was mildly entertaining, especially if you like period pieces. I am no historian, but enjoy reading historical biographies–NOT historical novels– and have read many about this time period. From what I’ve read, this movie is only marginally accurate and it does bother me that Hollywood can take such license with real people’s lives, especially when the facts are so available. There is dispute amongst historians about who is older, Anne or Mary, but most seem to agree that Mary was older. Mary, by the way, was not the sweet, innocent thing portrayed in the movie. She had a known reputation for being wildly promiscuous while at the French court, so much so her father sent for her to come home. Then, of course, he gave her to King Henry–go figure. Historins say of Anne that she is characterized as evil by those who supported poor Katherine of Aragon and the Catholics (and there were many), but that their views are tainted. Historians generally characterize her as a pious Protestant (something that is missing from the movie) who may have chosen this path away from Catholicism as the only way to legally marry Henry, although there is some evidence that she was involved with Protestism before her relationship with Henry. She is generally believed to be a mixture of piety and ambition, probably not promiscuous (not being impressed with her sister’s example)but extremely willful and headstrong. That mixture in her personality was not really shown in the movie. Also, Henry’s character in the movie was nothing like the bigger than life, boisterous, charming, highly intellectual and highly athletic, 6 foot 4 “superman” that Henry the Viii certainly was in real life. And I always wonder in these movies why, with so many pictures extant, they can’t try to pick actors that actually look the real characters? Natalie Portman was close, though….

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:28:22 +0000

I agree the rape scene i disagree with. The Tudors portrays Henry and Anne better. About how he divorced Catherine and how there relationship was full of lust. Natalie Portman did an okay job but Natalie Dormer did a better job she shows how Anne was. Henry wanted to break free from Rome and he wasn’t angered by Anne doing that he did all that just to be with Anne. That way he would be head of the church of England. I don’t think he raped her she loved him and he loved her.
But her downfall was because she couldn’t produce a mail heir. And she was becoming angered with Henry’s mistresses while she was with child. Henry got sick of her so he executed her.
Anne Boleyn was amazing and i didn’t like how Natalie Portman portrayed her like with all the drama between Mary and Anne that was a little off. I know it is called The Other Boleyn Girl but i was not portrayed like the Tudors.

By: Meghead.

Meghead. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:20:33 +0000

if you’re going to make a movie about the book, i think that it should stick to the book’s plot.
the movie was stupid.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:24:39 +0000

that bothered me also. i feel that the movie did not own up to history in many areas

By: Nicola

Nicola — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:51:28 +0000

Anne was not a victim? Perhaps not, but I’m surprised you say that with such solidity. Some Historians are still arguing whether Anne actually had no other choice. The king desired her, she could hardly tell him no, not just for her sake but for her family’s, but she also didn’t want to compromise her chastity – she was a deeply religious woman. Not the piety of Catherine, but her own set of beliefs. Since Henry was already considering derailing Catherine, Anne would have known that it were possible for her to ask for marriage, which would have solved the problem nicely. The fact that the reformation had to come about because of it could not have been foreseen by Anne nor Henry. As far as Henry and Anne expected, they thought the divorce would take weeks, not six years as annulments were dealt out frequently by the pope, Henry’s sister herself got one just as Henry was asking for one. Unfortunate circumstances which could not have been predicted (the pope being captured by the Spanish, for one) rendered the long drawn out process of the reformation.

Regardless of the courtship victimising Anne or not (and I believe not, as you do), her sticky end certainly made her a victim.

As for the rape scene, I wasn’t surprised – it had been used once before in the BBC drama of Henry VIII starring Ray Winstone as Henry and Helen Bonham Carter as Anne. It caused uproar with historians back then, too.

By: jackie

jackie — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:18:32 +0000

anne did leave the perfect tudor queen in elizabeth the 1st she made our country great and very prosperous at the time henry wanted her to name elizabeth as bastard she refused .wonder if it would of saved her henry married some other ladys after but was completly obsessed with getting a male heir the history books do hint at the fact he died in such a state he was probably in a state of syphillis which as most people know causes a state of madness to some degree and he must of been vile to put up with let alone sleep with yuk.queen elizabeth the 1st is buried in west minster abbey london right next to mary queen of scots who in life she never met but never the less had beheaded they were first cousins i think thats so sad to politics of the time though i love tudor history i was born in the wrong era ha ha jackie.

By: jackie

jackie — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:08:12 +0000

poor poor girl she was so young and was just a victim of circumstance she was so brave at her execution so the history books say.henry just wanted a son and heir he was so deluded to think a woman can just keep geting pregnant and deliver the goods under such pressure she must of been terrified of the out come so sad.i arnt being basic but imagine a young woman having to bed an old ulcerated gluten in the later years of his life in the hope he could father a child i know there was money and power involved but her family had alot to answer for to especially her father.i feel so sad for anne she is buried at the chapel of st peter the avinqular at the tower of london i beleive rest in peace you brave young woman anne excecuted 19th may 1536.

By: Eadaoin

Eadaoin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:40:50 +0000

WHO said mary was younger than Anne??? No Way! ive been researching her for years. Mary was the older and supposedly most beautiful of the two but anne was supposed to be witty and striking. And as for whether she was in love with henry? At first no she wasn’t. Her father was furious with Mary when Henry was no longer interested in her so decided Anne would be better. Thomas Boleyn had already gained some titles and didn’t want that to end. I dont think he knew the extent of how far Anne could go. Eventually anne did fall in love with Henry. I presume from all the love letters and excitement it brought her, We also have to remember taht when he first met Anne he was still athletic and rumoured as the most handsome man in England.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:23:52 +0000

I have a new book about Anne Boleyn. Would you like a free copy to review for your blog? Email me at shannon@glassroadpr.com.