Summary of Wolf Hall
“Wolf Hall” is a historical novel that chronicles the rise to power of Thomas Cromwell at the court of King Henry VIII between 1500 and 1535. The novel traces Cromwell’s journey from an impoverished childhood to his emergence as the trusted adviser to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and, following Wolsey’s fall from favour, to Henry VIII himself. Mantel vividly depicts major historical events, including King Henry’s attempt to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn, and England’s break with Rome leading to the establishment of the Church of England. “Wolf Hall” is the first novel in a trilogy, followed by “Bring Up the Bodies” and “The Mirror & the Light”.
Reasons to read Wolf Hall
“Wolf Hall” is a compelling and well-researched historical novel that brings to life one of the most fascinating periods in English history. It will be particularly appreciated by readers interested in the Tudor era. Beyond court intrigue, politics, and religious upheaval, the novel offers insight in Cromwell’s family life and moral complexity. Hilary Mantel was a highly acclaimed British author, best known for her historical fiction. She is one of the few writers to have won the Booker Prize twice: in 2009 for “Wolf Hall” and in 2012 for “Bring Up the Bodies”. “Wolf Hall” also won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction in 2010 and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 2009, while “Bring Up the Bodies” won the Costa Book Award for Best Novel in 2012. The novels are generally regarded as historically accurate, although some historians have questioned Mantel’s sympathetic portrayal of Thomas Cromwell and her critical depiction of Thomas More. Other notable works by Mantel include “A Place of Greater Safety”, “Fludd”, and “Beyond Black”.
Setting: London (England, UK)
“Wolf Hall” is set primarily at the royal court in London, especially at Whitehall Palace. The title refers to Wulfhall, the country seat of the Seymour family in Wiltshire (Jane Seymour later became Henry VIII’s third wife) but also alludes to the Latin phrase “homo homini lupus” (“man is a wolf to man”), which reflects the political environment in which Cromwell operated.
Original title: Wolf Hall
Year of publication: 2009
Nr of pages: 640
