Henry VIII · Chapter
Scene I explained
Two gentlemen discuss the coronation of Anne Bullen and the fate of Queen Katherine, who has been divorced and removed to Kimbolton.
What happens
Two gentlemen discuss the coronation of Anne Bullen and the fate of Queen Katherine, who has been divorced and removed to Kimbolton. The coronation procession is described in detail, and a third gentleman recounts the ceremony at the Abbey, noting the joy of the people and the political shifts, including the fall of Cardinal Wolsey and the rise of Thomas Cromwell.
Themes in this chapter
Fall of the Mighty
The fall of Cardinal Wolsey is referenced through the renaming of York Place to Whitehall, marking the loss of his power and influence.
Appearance vs. Reality
The grand coronation celebration contrasts with the sorrow of Queen Katherine's divorce and illness, highlighting the disparity between public joy and private suffering.
Characters to notice
- Anne Bullen
Crowned queen in a grand ceremony; described as having a sweet face and being an angel by onlookers.
- Queen Katherine
Divorced from the king, removed to Kimbolton, and reported to be sick.
- Cranmer
Archbishop of Canterbury who presided over the divorce court at Dunstable and crowned Anne Bullen.
- Cromwell
Mentioned as a friend to Cranmer, in high esteem with the king, and recently made master of the jewel house and privy councillor.
- Gardiner
Bishop of Winchester, newly preferred from the king's secretary, and noted as no great lover of Cranmer.
- Duke of Norfolk
Claims the office of earl marshal at the coronation and appears in the procession.
- Brandon
Duke of Suffolk, claims the office of high-steward and appears in the coronation procession.
- Earl Surrey
Bears the rod of silver with the dove in the coronation procession.
Key passages
“Our king has all the Indies in his arms, And more and richer, when he strains that lady: I cannot blame his conscience.”
The king possesses immense wealth and joy in embracing Anne, so his troubled conscience over the divorce seems justified.
A gentleman expresses that Anne's beauty and virtue make Henry's actions understandable.
“Since the cardinal fell, that title's lost: 'Tis now the king's, and call'd Whitehall.”
After Cardinal Wolsey's downfall, York Place was taken over by the king and renamed Whitehall.
A gentleman notes the political shift following Wolsey's fall.