Those who were so treacherous to the Boleyns at the last eventually met their own tragic ends: Thomas Cromwell was hanged, drawn, and quartered after falling from power for failing to please his king in the procurement of his fourth queen; Jane Rochford was beheaded with King Henry’s fifth queen, Catherine Howard, for acting as her panderer; and the king himself died a gross and disease-ridden man.
I wish to especially thank Gavin Astor, second Baron Astor of Hever Castle in Kent, who owned Hever when I wrote this novel, for his kind correspondence, the use of his own research, and his encouragement. The Astor family no longer owns Hever, but it is still open to the public and makes a great day trip from London.
And my gratitude as always to my husband, travel companion, and proofreader, Don.
Karen Harper
April 2005
READING GROUP GUIDE
The Last Boleyn
About this Guide
Greed, lust for power, sex, lies, secret marriages, religious posturing, adultery, beheadings, international intrigue, treachery, and betrayal. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Last Boleyn tells the story of the rise and fall of one of England’s most powerful families, through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Mary.
Although her sister Anne (who became the queen), and secondarily her brother George (who was executed alongside Anne), and father Thomas are the ones most remembered by history, Mary was the Boleyn that set into motion the chain of events that brought about their meteoric rise to power, as well as the one who managed to escape their equally remarkable fall. Sent away from home at an extraordinarily young age, Mary is quickly plunged into the dangerous world of court politics, where everything is beautiful, but deceptive, and everyone is always watching and manipulating. As she grows into a woman, Mary must navigate the dangerous waters ruled by two kings (not to mention her own family) in order to finally find a place for herself and the love she so deeply desires.
The questions in this guide are intended as a framework for your group’s discussion of The Last Boleyn.
1. Throughout The Last Boleyn, the image of life in court as a game of chess is discussed. What does the chess game mean to Mary Bullen, and how does the way she plays the game differ from those around her? Who at court is the wisest player, and who wields the most power over time?
2. When Mary leaves the French court to return to England, what lessons does she take with her? Who has she met that has had the greatest impact (either in a positive or negative way) on her as she has grown? What experiences in her adolescence in France most shape the woman she becomes?
3. In the world of this novel, a great deal of one’s status is determined by family—both William Stafford and William Carey for example are in positions where their limited social standing is directly linked to the rebellion of previous generations, and much is made of the “Howard blood” in Mary Bullen’s lineage. To what extent do you see the roles of the characters as fixed, and where do we see someone making their own place in the world? Can a person ever truly escape the sins of their fathers in Tudor England? How far can the ambitious self-made man or woman carry themselves?
4. Of all the Queens of both France and England we see, which one do you like the most? Who is the shrewdest player of her precarious part? Who is the bravest in asserting herself? In what way do the actions of one have repercussions on those that come after her? How do you see the future Queen Jane Seymour’s role?
5. Discuss the relationships Thomas Bullen has with his children. In what ways do they each rebel and in what ways are they influenced by the way he treats them? Why is it that they each react somewhat differently to their place in the world and in his life? In what ways do their relationships with him play out in their relationships with each other?
6. Why do you think Lady Elizabeth was once able to stand up to Lord Bullen when he tried to force her to become the king’s mistress, but could never do the same on behalf of her children? How do you see the power structure in the Bullen household, and how does it compare to the power structure in the outside world?
7. Discuss the character of Anne. What do you think of the woman she grew up to be? Do her actions at the end of her life redeem her for the way she treated Mary and others previously? Where do we see her most blatant play for power within the family, and could you, as a reader, ultimately forgive her behavior?
8. Mary tells Staff of the nightmares that have been haunting her since Sir Thomas More’s execution. Why do you think the story of Meg Roper affects her as deeply as it does? What in this tale strikes such a deep chord within Mary that she can’t get the image out of her mind and even feels the need to reach out to the girl?
9. Why do you think Anne changes the family’s name from Bullen to Boleyn? Is this a cosmetic change she makes at a whim, or is she making a larger statement to the world and/or the rest of her family?