Looking into the world from Beyond the Veil and the folklore that surrounds it.
Part 8.
To my dearest friends and followers,
Over the course of the last 2 months, I have been analyzing my novel, The Story of Hollyhocks (Tales from Beyond the Veil book 1), and talking about the historical elements and folklore that I put in to the story. If you would like to read through the previous 7 posts in this series, please check out the Archive on the right panel of this page and begin with the post From Beyond the Veil in September.
Today I will be going through chapters 28-31.
Chapter 28 tells of Richard of Shrewsbury, the Duke of York, arriving at the Tower of London to stay with his older brother, Edward V. In chapters 16 and 19, we saw the two boys in Ludlow, playing a game together which we are told they did often (or when their schedules permitted them to do so. Chapter 28 expands over several days, in which it is implied that the boys were delighted to be reunited with one another again. We then learn from the narrator that they spent much of their playing together at the Tower.
History tells us that, while Edward resided in Ludlow and was raised by his maternal uncle, Lord Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, Richard of Shrewsbury was raised primarily by his mother, Elizabeth Woodville. This meant that Richard would have spent much of his time in London, and that the two brothers would have hardly seen each other during their childhood. Elizabeth Woodville was said to have been in sanctuary in Westminster Abbey in London, when her son was taken from her and brought to the Tower on the 16th of June (Edward was brought to his lodgings in the Tower on the 19th of May).
I changed these historical facts for the purpose of having Richard there for Edward in chapters 16-19. It created fond memories in the flashbacks, while also allowing the two boys to have discussions that lead up to Edward finding the Forest in the first place.
Chapter 30 is quite extreme, which greatly contrasts with chapter 29, which is, if I may say so, a beautiful chapter filled with rich dialogue between Hollyhocks and Edward. The two touch on many topics: dreaming of flying and the freeing nature of it, exploring the idea of joy and wishing they could feel it forever, and talking about the possibilities of living in a fairy ring. Chapter 30, however, tells of the fate of Edward V and his brother, Richard.
Historically, the princes in the tower "disappeared" in late September, 1483. Things get extremely interesting here. In 1518, Thomas More wrote that Richard III had the princes murdered by being smothered with their own pillows while they were sleeping. In 1593, William Shakespeare also wrote that the princes were smothered by pillows in his play, Richard III. There are theories that Edward V and his brother were murdered not by their uncle, Richard III, but by Henry Tudor (who would later become Henry VII). There is also evidence in the writings of Sir Thomas More and the painting of his family, Sir Thomas More and Family (Painted by Hans Holbein) supporting the idea that the princes were never murdered, but went on to live secret lives. Who knows what really happened...
Chapter 31 shows the final moments between Hollyhocks and Edward before they are separated from one another. Hollyhocks grieves of his absence, and ends the chapter with a final goodbye, before she, JuJuBee, and Shaylee begin to take their leave from London.
Thank you so much for reading!!
Check out my Twitter for daily updates about my progress with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)!!
Yours truly,
Me
Me
Additional:
The Story of Hollyhocks (Tales from Beyond the Veil book 1) by Vanessa Paige Israel
The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis
Holbein Artworks: Sir Thomas More and Family.
Holbein Artworks: Holbein, Sir Thomas More & The Princes in the Tower.
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