Strategy

The main strategy that I have been looking into is the simple idea of building scene. I’ve been researching people around Anne Boleyn and her locations, so that I can build up the picture within my writing. The scenes, and their backgrounds will stay true to history however I needed to know the details. Albeit small details, they help to develop an engaging story. For example, her appearance and the appearance of her destinations. The rooms of the tower. Greenwhich, the place she was arrested – it had maze like shrubbery outside the large structure and had well-kept gardens. Or even the place where her daughter stayed while all of this was happening. I want to use descriptions within the true story to carry it out and build scene.

Anne’s appearance would of course become something vital to my story. After research I found that the legend of ‘Anne's Appearance’ was that she had a sixth finger and a large mole on her neck that would have been noted as a beauty mark. A quote from an Ambassador said she was ‘not one of the handsomest women in the world’ but was considered moderately pretty. She was of average height and had small breasts with an elegant neck. Her skin was a dark, olive colour and she had thick dark brown hair to match. Her eyes were a deep brown that could appear black and often did. It was said that ‘Those large dark eyes were often singled out in descriptions of Anne. She clearly used them, and the fascination they aroused, to her advantage whenever possible’.

With my strategy I also had to think about the lack of information I had. I had enough for the few scenes I wanted to cover – but what about the other events? For example, where was her brother when he was arrested? Or how about background knowledge before she was in Henry’s view. These were things I could also look at to fuel the story I was telling.

The men surrounding Anne's scandal

With my research, I found that what I was lacking with in Anne Boleyn's story is information on the people surrounding her. In order to tell her story, I needed to know more about the people who had a play in the scandal surrounding her name. I started with Thomas Cromwell, of course having a dominant role in the journey to Anne's rolling head. It has been said that Cromwell was 'as great a statesman as England has ever seen and, in his decade of power, permanently changed the course of English history'. Cromwell was a level-headed, manipulative man who knew what he wanted and I have found many articles and websites that claim Cromwell and Anne to be in some kind of disagreement.

Her brother, Lord Rochford was a prime and important suspect. To be accused of adultery with your own brother was a scandal kept on the lips of the people. He was accused of being responsible for Anne’s last miscarriage, stated that they became desperate to produce a male heir. Jane Parker, his wife, spoke badly of her husband in court – suggesting that she believed the rumours. It has been said that on the day of arrest, Anne asked where her ‘sweet brother’ was and of course, didn’t know at the time that he had been arrested. He was in the Tower of London already. George was tried on the 15th of May, on the same day that Anne had already been found guilty. He was executed along with Mark Smeaton and the other four.

I wanted to also look further into Mark Smeaton – the only man to confess to adultery with Anne. Smeaton was an old friend of Anne and her brother. A talented musician – his skill led Smeaton to enter court, therefor meaning that he would have close relations to Anne and the King. Mark Smeaton was talented in singing, dancing and of course, educated with instruments and was in Henry’s favour for a very long time. He had even been granted his own servants. He was later accused of sleeping with Anne. I discovered various information on these men from books and websites, as their own stories are easily in my reach.