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Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

John Guy And Julia Fox on Their New Biography of Anne Boleyn

Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Folger Shakespeare Library

Arts

4.7837 Ratings

🗓️ 16 January 2024

⏱️ 34 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Even after appearing in a Shakespeare play, historical romance novels, a Broadway musical, and prestige TV dramas, there's still more to learn about Anne Boleyn. A new biography by the team of husband-and-wife historians John Guy and Julia Fox takes a scholarly look at the evidence surrounding Anne’s rise and fall. They freshly examine well-known accounts, and also take in passing references in neglected sources. In particular, they focus on Anne’s years of training in the courts of Europe, which shaped her into the formidable woman whom Henry VIII came to regard as an intellectual equal. It also prepared her for the ruthless politics of the English court, where Anne’s ambition and cunning won her some powerful enemies. Fox and Guy are interviewed by Barbara Bogaev. John Guy is a fellow at Cambridge University and a Tudor historian who has appeared on many TV and radio documentaries about the period. He’s written biographies of Henry VIII, Thomas More, and Queen Elizabeth I. His biography of Mary Queen of Scots was adapted into a film in 2018. Julia Fox has written biographies of Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and Anne’s sister, Jane Boleyn. Hunting the Falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and the Marriage That Shook Europe is out now from Harper. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. Published January 16, 2024. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Ben Lauer is the web producer. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. We had technical help from Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc.

Transcript

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0:00.0

She's one of England's most famous queens, and her tragic fall has captured imaginations

0:04.7

for centuries.

0:06.3

But a new biography proves that there's still more to learn about Anne Boleyn.

0:17.1

From the Folger Shakespeare Library, this is Shakespeare Unlimited.

0:21.2

I'm Michael Whitmore, the Folger director.

0:24.1

The story of Anne Boleyn has provided material for generations of writers.

0:28.8

Shakespeare featured her in his history play about Henry VIII.

0:32.7

Recently, Anne has starred in historical romance novels of Broadway musical and prestige TV dramas.

0:40.2

A new biography by the team of husband and wife historians John Guy and Julia Fox

0:45.2

takes a scholarly look at all the evidence surrounding Anne's rise and fall.

0:50.4

They freshly examine well-known accounts and also take in passing references in neglected sources.

0:57.0

They focus in particular on Anne's years of training in the courts of Europe.

1:02.0

That training shaped her into the formidable woman whom Henry VIII came to regard as an intellectual equal.

1:09.0

It also prepared her for the ruthless politics of the English court, where Anne's ambition

1:13.6

and cunning won her some powerful enemies.

1:17.2

John Guy is a fellow at Cambridge University and a tutor historian who's appeared on many

1:22.1

TV and radio documentaries about the period.

1:25.3

He's written biographies of Henry the 8th, Thomas Moore,

1:28.6

and Queen Elizabeth I. His biography of Mary Queen of Scots was adapted into a film in 2018.

1:35.5

Julia Fox previously wrote biographies of Henry the 8th's first wife, Catherine of Aragon,

1:41.0

and Anne's sister, Jane Boulin. Here's Julia Fox and John Guy in conversation with Barbara Bougave.

1:50.0

You've both written books about other members of this family, so what's the idea that you'd

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