tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post7532471281796245838..comments2023-10-12T02:21:40.102-07:00Comments on English Historical Fiction Authors: John Wycliffe and the Necessity of Taking Sides in HistoryDebra Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03256313302199653185noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-57531284301016218252012-12-20T00:00:35.147-08:002012-12-20T00:00:35.147-08:00I read a biography of Henry V once by a major hist...I read a biography of Henry V once by a major historian. What got me is even though it seemed incredibly biased, the author seemed to be claiming that those who did not agree with him, or held differing viewpoints (such as those which cast Henry in a more sympathetic light) were the ones lacking in objectivity. <br /><br />Objectivity can be a difficult issue. I remember my mother told me that is why we should always try to read more than one source. Not sure about the idea of all viewpoints being 'equal'. Could that be postmodernism?English Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806974885775295349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-84535349063773973132012-12-19T23:54:19.298-08:002012-12-19T23:54:19.298-08:00Yes that was indeed the case. As sympathetic as I ...Yes that was indeed the case. As sympathetic as I am to the Lollards as a modern Protestant, I cannot help but think sometimes that the actions of Oldcastle and his followers in this instance was a bit- well- silly. <br /><br />BTW I wrote a response recently to Ian Mortimer's biography of Henry V which seems very biased to say the least. Pop over to Medieval Reader to see it. English Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806974885775295349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-19484636769503956842012-12-19T09:49:19.616-08:002012-12-19T09:49:19.616-08:00I agree that the voices of our characters should n...I agree that the voices of our characters should not be mistaken for our own voices--but I also think that it is impossible for the historical novelist to completely remove his own voice from the story. The way you frame your main character's life, like a photographer choosing what to crop out and what to include, shows what *you* think is important. If you abhor slavery, you would probably choose to show some of the uglier sides of it, not to glorify it in the novel by only showing good things about it--but to accurately portray your characters, you would not have *them* abhor slavery.Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-21007602198860336882012-12-19T01:38:31.771-08:002012-12-19T01:38:31.771-08:00Thanks for a great post! As historical fiction aut...Thanks for a great post! As historical fiction authors we can, of course, take sides and make moral judgements (as historians can), but I don't think we are compelled to do so. What we do is show things from a particular point of view. The voices of our characters should not be mistaken for our own voice. As a person living in 21st Century Britain, for example, I abhor slavery in all its forms but, if I am writing a novel set in Roman Britain, I need to take the reader with me inside the minds of people for whom it was just a normal part of life, whether they are slaves themselves, or slave-owners, or soldiers fighting to defend a system of which slavery is an integral part. Mark Pattonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06621801968983662236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-33116606931543071762012-12-18T07:43:38.328-08:002012-12-18T07:43:38.328-08:00Yes, I think we should definitely be aware of our ...Yes, I think we should definitely be aware of our biases. Declare them? Maybe. But not every author is going to do so (or even know himself well enough to declare it thoroughly), so I think it is imperative for the reader to read critically. <br /><br />Where we get into trouble is when (a) readers think that authors have the ability to be totally unbiased/objective, or (b) readers think that since every author is biased all viewpoints should be received equally--which leads to things like Hitler's actions might be fine depending on your point of view.Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-30215325568784416592012-12-18T02:27:28.796-08:002012-12-18T02:27:28.796-08:00Isn't the answer to the biases we all have to ...Isn't the answer to the biases we all have to become aware of them and even perhaps declare them, so that people can read the work (fiction or history) with that clearly in mind?Anne Warehamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13102518926229038553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-51793678468922511942012-12-17T20:34:37.414-08:002012-12-17T20:34:37.414-08:00Thanks, Barbara!Thanks, Barbara!Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-73928465931657828252012-12-17T20:34:24.562-08:002012-12-17T20:34:24.562-08:00Thanks, Lauren! Thanks, Lauren! Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-83259536880666426002012-12-17T20:34:01.381-08:002012-12-17T20:34:01.381-08:00That will be a very interesting dissertation! I be...That will be a very interesting dissertation! I believe Oldcastle was one of the reasons public opinion and the civil authorities turned so harshly against the Lollards.Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-86226067839080972012-12-17T20:32:57.934-08:002012-12-17T20:32:57.934-08:00Thanks, E.M.! Whenever an author mentions an early...Thanks, E.M.! Whenever an author mentions an early novel attempt "which will never see the light of day", it makes me so interested to read it! :-)Rosanne E. Lortzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11048843976794056529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-16813260294173576662012-12-17T19:14:02.555-08:002012-12-17T19:14:02.555-08:00Fascinating analysis...thanks for posting it.Fascinating analysis...thanks for posting it.Barbara Monajemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06740868750916582900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-37356687793756367082012-12-17T18:08:28.799-08:002012-12-17T18:08:28.799-08:00Great post, Rosanne. Most interesting. The issue...Great post, Rosanne. Most interesting. The issue of bias is so important to remember.Lauren Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02938146663557663891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-51170999428396510842012-12-17T13:02:02.590-08:002012-12-17T13:02:02.590-08:00I am working on my BA Dissertation this year, and ...I am working on my BA Dissertation this year, and one subject I intend to cover is the attitudes towards treason and sedition in the reign of Henry V. A nobleman called Sir John Oldcastle who had become a Lollard had apparently caused many of them to gather together in London with intention of kidnapping the King (though the chroniclers said they wanted to kill him and take over). English Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806974885775295349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-87568246418469167692012-12-17T00:58:20.997-08:002012-12-17T00:58:20.997-08:00Great post Rosanne. One of my earlier medievals (w...Great post Rosanne. One of my earlier medievals (which will never see the light of day!) was called Lollard's Daughter. Those early reformers were so brave. Most people think it all started with Martin Luther but JW and others were raising those questions long before.E.M. Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00565716658256251123noreply@blogger.com