The other Boleyn Girl: Why doesn't Mary hate Anne?

Question

I just finished reading the Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory and I am a little confused on some facts:

1) Why Mary didn't hate Anne after alll that she did

2) Why wasn't Mary relatively sad when William Carey died (first husband)

3) Why was her family so wanting-of-power

Answer 1

okay, i havent read the book but ive seen the movie and i know the history some what but i cant seem to recall the answer to ur second question...

1) mary didnt hate anne after everything that she had done because i think mary was the bigger person and forgave her because they were sisters and they had to get on

3) their family was so power needy because in those times it was kinda like ur big and rich and powerful or pretty much nothing, so they needed to marry into a powerful family (the royal family) to gain power

Answer 2

Why didn't Mary hate Anne - I think she did.  I think she hated her at times certainly, especially after Anne adopted Mary's son Henry.  But why she didn't hate her all the time - well, I think it would be very hard to hate someone that was your sister.  Mary still cared about Anne because she was her sister.  Lucky for you I have my copy right on hand - I've been rereading it for the millionth time, because I love it.  Anyway, do you remember the part where William Stafford was telling Mary about the rumors he had heard about George and Francis Weston.  She tells him "I don't hold him up to shame.  He's my brother."   Later she says, "William, this is my brother.  We are the three Boleyns, we all three need each other.  Then William flips out and says to her, "Your brother is a sodomite!"  Mary's response is crucial; "And still my brother!"  She tells him later, "They could be my enemies till death and they would still be my brother and sister."  That is why Mary doesn't hate Anne - because despite what she has done, she is still her sister, and she still cares about her and loves her as such.

Why Mary wasn't sad at the death of William Carey - I would chalk that up to the fact that she didn't really know him all that well.  Sure he was her husband, but she spent very little time with him, and was the king's lover throughout the bulk of their marriage.  They became affectionate near the end of their marriage after the king moved on to Anne, but they never had the connection that they might of had if she had spent more time with him.  Remember that the marriage was arranged and he was quite a bit older than she was.  If she had stayed with him through the duration of the marriage, she may have grown a lot fonder of him, and maybe even grown to love him, and thus would have been more grieved at his passing.  I think she was sad to a point - she certainly was fond of him at the end - but they didn't have much of an emotional bond as husband and wife.  I hope that sort of makes sense.

Why the Howards wanted power - because everyone wanted power.  The more power they had, the more influence they had over the king, and the more influence they had over the running of England.  It was the next best thing to being the actual monarch.  The more power and influence they had, the more that they would be able to make sure things happened in the kingdom that were beneficial to them and to their interest.  George tells William Stafford that in life there was only one goal - more.  That pretty much sums up their quest for power - they simply wanted more.  

I hope you find this helpful!!  Feel free to shoot me an email if you would like me to clarify anything!

Answer 3

Might I warn you that The Other Boleyn shouldn't always been taken as historically immaculate...

But your questions are worth while, so I shall share my thoughts.

1) Why the devil wouldn't Mary hate her sister? Now, I'm a twin, and if my sister did anything of the like - heads would roll and I'd loathe her with a passion! But honestly, when little Mary was in the spotlight, mistress of Harry, spoiled with riches and was the most important member of her family because of her 'influential' status. And then, looking pretty with a wicked plan in mind - Anne took that all away! She stole the king from under Mary's nose, she became the first lady of the family, she was doted upon with riches unknown to you or I...and in the process [as the book seems to express] treated Mary rather harshly! And all this while Mary was bearing a child, a son, talk about low. [Not that it was Harry's this is a rumour that has never been proved] But then there is forgiveness, and with Anne as the Queen of England, it was not Mary's best interest to fall out of grade or better yet, anger the Queen. So she smartened up, put a smile on and let it go.

2)

This question could be regarded as whimsical. We weren't present in those days, perhaps Mary didn't give a fiddles you-know-what that William was dead or maybe she was depressed and hiding in her chambers with dispair. It has been a time since I read this book, but I think she was at least slightly upset...Besides, why would she waste her time in mourning [there was a set amount of time one HAD to mourn for in those times] longer than she needed, wearing black and being utterly drab, when she could find a new man....start all over...have a little fun! For heaven sakes! Her sister the queen had power dripping from every inch of her body and that prowess dripped to every member of her family, the House of Boleyn, not that all expressed it or had much, they certainly would not waste their time in the spotlight! Mary remarried, end of story.

3)

Everybody had want of power. It was the ultimate goal in those times, in these times! The King was the highest of state and in England, as it remains, and Defender of the Faith.  'By the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth, under Jesus Christ, Supreme Head'   Can you imagine? If you were in his grace, not ticking him off left, right and center with your words and actions, you would have been showered with power, money, homes, politcal status! It was the only way to survive, my dear, and that was court. That was what it was all about - trying to please your sovereign, at whatever cost, damaging your enemies with falsehood when the king was listening and scheming to your heart's fullest desire!

I hope I've given you some sort of answers, but I think it's important to remember these novels, however excellent they may be, should not be trusted as a textbook of history - they can be rather flimsy in truth or just a little bit tweaked from what was really going on to fancy the author.

Cheers!