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possess – the groundwork of a romance". He continues by describing his idea for the Tower itself, "Desirous of exhibiting the Tower in its triple light of a palace, a prison, and a fortress, the Author has shaped his story with reference to that end; and he has also endeavoured to contrive such a series of incidents as should naturally introduce every reflect of the old pile – its towers, chapels, halls, chambers, gateways, arches, and draw-bridges – so that no part of it should remain unillustrated."
258:
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328:, Ainsworth made plain the consequences of failed political intrigue in the Tudor period. Jardine notes that members of the nobility were not tortured; Ainsworth overlooks this with the intention of showing that failure in political machinations came at a high price. In this, Ligocki feels that Ainsworth was true to the nature of the Tudor period, reflecting the "cruelty and ruthlessness of the politically ambitious of the age".
281:
According to literary critic George Worth, "Ainsworth seems constantly to be trying to remind his readers, living in an age of urbanization and industrialization in which historic old landmarks were being swept away or defaced or 'restored' beyond recognition, that they had a heritage, one very large vested in physical structures of one kind or another, and that the heritage might soon be gone beyond recall."
29:
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Tower. Later, she is kept as the Tower's prisoner. Overall, the Tower has gothic elements along with having a connection to the
Catholic Church in its architecture. The Tower, in its style, also represented the sublime and the connection with the divine. With these various dimensions to the Tower, there is a connection between
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past, and he sought to describe them neutrally. Of Mary herself, Ainsworth emphasised aspects that made her a decent queen. Although many
Catholics in the novel tried to use Mary to push Catholicism in a fanatical manner, Ainsworth introduces Cardinal Pole as a moderating figure who tries to sway Mary away from such views.
348:, in spite of the absurd antics of the hero of the latter – have undoubtedly the quality of durability. No writer could hope to surpass either as romantic histories of their particular subject." Leo Mason, in a 1939 article, says that "History through the eyes of romance is the essence of Ainsworth at his best –
304:. In depicting Mary, Ainsworth tried to overcome the view of her as "Bloody Mary" and any anti-Catholic bigotry. He felt that he could depict her without any bias as he focused on what was known about her knowledge and religious aspects. Ainsworth was accused of sensationalising violence in his novels; for instance critic
368:
Brown and P Curnow felt it still dominated the public perception of the castle. In their official handbook to the Tower, published in 1986, they noted that "Still an innocent visitor to the place today might be led to suppose by guides and guidebooks, that it was built almost entirely for the Tudor monarchs".
284:
Catholics, in general, were viewed negatively by
Ainsworth's contemporary English audience. In particular, Mary had the reputation for seeking the death of people and was dubbed "Bloody Mary". Although Ainsworth disagreed with the Catholic religion, he felt that they were part of an idealised English
268:
The focus in the novel is the three aspects of the Tower of London. To further this focus, Ainsworth depicts two crownings, a wedding, executions, and even a siege of the Tower. Lady Jane has her first night at the Tower as the Queen of
England, and she visits St John's Chapel, located in the White
244:
The novel is illustrated with 40 engravings and 58 woodcuts by
Cruikshank. The illustrations depict moments from the story while the woodcuts show off architectural features related to the Tower. Ainsworth was grateful for the illustrations to the novel, and he wrote in the preface that "it was no
127:
on 10 July 1553. Prior to her entrance into the Tower, she ruled as Queen of
England for nine days after she and her husband were put on the throne by the Duke of Northumberland. Soon after, Mary I took control of England and sent the Duke to be executed. Dudley, to gain back the kingdom, formed a
280:
The architectural descriptions within the novel tend to break up some of the aspects of the plot, but they serve to show how the Tower has changed over time. This transcends the temporal bounds of the plot to connect the origins of the Tower to the 19th century when
Ainsworth published the novel.
139:
are mentioned. The novel returns to Lady Jane busying herself with prayer as she awaits her execution. Her only hope for freedom is to become a
Catholic. There are conspiracies over Mary's rule of England, which come from those who supported the imprisoned Lady Jane and also those who wish to put
367:
The enduring image of the Tower of London as a grim place of torture and imprisonment was largely shaped by the works of 19th-century authors, particularly
Ainsworth's novel. Such was its influence in emphasising the Tudor epoch of the Tower's history, in the late 20th century historians R Allen
336:
Edgar Allan Poe believes that "The authorship of this work does a little, and but a little, more credit to Mr. Ainsworth than that of 'Jack
Sheppard'. It is in no spirit cavilling that we say it is rarely our lot to review a work more utterly destitute of every ingredient requisite to a good
253:
The novel begins with a preface which explains: "It has been, for years, the cherished wish of the writer of the following pages, to make the Tower of London – the proudest monument of antiquity, considered with reference to its historical associates, which this country, or any other
360:, are romantic histories and will no doubt endure." Worth, in 1972, explains that Ainsworth "spaces his descriptions judiciously throughout the novel in such a way as to heighten the effect of the novel rather than detract from it." In 1975, Nicholas Rance claims that
128:
rebellion, which resulted in failure and the imprisonment of both himself and his wife. After the imprisonment, Simon Renard, the Spanish Ambassador to England, arranges a marriage between Mary and Philip of Spain to bring a Catholic take over of England.
312:
and an atmosphere of the Chamber of Horrors into the historical novel". Despite these assertions, Ainsworth was faithful to the sources he worked from. Most of his information was derived from
245:
slight satisfaction to him, that circumstances at length enabled him to carry into effect his favourite project, in conjunction with the inimitable artist whose designs accompany the work."
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is based on the events following the death of Edward VI. Various groups tried to seize the throne, and Mary I was crowned. This brought about a restoration of Catholicism and the
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The events of the book alternate between the historical background and the plot of Lady Jane. In Book II, incidents throughout the history of England from
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with a large dinner party near the printers of his works, Bradbury and Evans, at the Sussex Hotel. The work was illustrated by George Cruikshank.
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The plot begins with Lady Jane Grey, wife of Guilford Dudley and daughter-in-law to the Duke of Northumberland, as she enters the
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148:, on the throne. However, neither of these two sides succeeds before the novel ends, and Lady Jane is executed.
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are based on Jardine's description of torture in the Tudor period. By recounting suffering and torture in
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and while planning to start his own magazine. Both novels began their publication in January 1840, with
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A painting of Lady Jane Grey, possibly from the late 16th century and based on an earlier portrait
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being published on its own until December 1840. Ainsworth celebrated the conclusions of
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serially published in 1840. It is a historical romance that describes the history of
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The Life and Works of the Lancashire Novelist William Harrison Ainsworth, 1805–1882
28:
156:
595:
Tower of London, Greater London: Department of the Environment Official Handbook
141:
633:. London: Merrell Publishers in association with Historic Royal Palaces, 2000.
145:
672:
340:
In 1934, Malcolm Elwin argues, "several of his novels – particularly
660:
The Historical Novel and Popular Politics in Nineteenth Century England
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in the Tower, which Lady Jane visited on her first night in the castle
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Ligocki, Llewellyn. "Ainsworth's Historical Accuracy Reconsidered",
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is an "incongruous merging of historical romance and guide book".
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from her short-lived time as Queen of England to her execution.
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A Reading on the Use of Torture in the Criminal Law of England
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Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies
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The book is mentioned in the Victorian children's novel
277:, in their emphasis on architecture and with history.
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The Tower of London: The Official Illustrated History
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91:During 1840, Ainsworth was busy writing the serial
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597:. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1986.
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992:Works originally published in American magazines
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415:
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560:
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119:The Tower of London seen from the River Thames
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8:
1002:Cultural depictions of Lord Guildford Dudley
21:
619:. 2 Vols. London: Garland Publishing, 1979.
320:(1837), and details such as the use of the
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681:
673:
651:Mason, Leo. "William Harrison Ainsworth",
617:William Harrison Ainsworth and His Friends
27:
20:
590:. Paris: Baudry's European Library, 1841.
1007:Cultural depictions of Mary I of England
391:
176:John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
997:Cultural depictions of Lady Jane Grey
982:Novels first published in serial form
612:. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press, 2003.
7:
962:Novels by William Harrison Ainsworth
669:. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1972.
1022:Cultural depictions of Elizabeth I
629:Impey, Edward; Parnell, Geoffrey.
593:Allen Brown, Reginald; Curnow, P.
16:Book by William Harrison Ainsworth
14:
718:Ainsworth's novels origin dispute
564:Allen Brown & Curnow 1984, 36
308:remarked that Ainsworth "brought
573:Impey & Parnell 2000, p. 91
626:. London: Jonathan Cape, 1934.
1:
586:Ainsworth, William Harrison.
372:References in popular culture
144:, the Protestant daughter of
453:Carver 2003 pp. 235, 237–240
190:Xit (Sir Narcissus Le Grand)
1012:Novels set in Tudor England
744:William Makepeace Thackeray
95:while writing a serial for
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873:The Constable of the Tower
704:William Harrison Ainsworth
667:William Harrison Ainsworth
648:IV (1972), pp. 23–28.
77:William Harrison Ainsworth
26:
977:Art by George Cruikshank
398:Carver 2003 pp. 228, 231
33:First edition title page
957:Novels set in the 1550s
662:. London: Vision, 1975.
407:Carver 2003 pp. 234–235
223:Mistress Placida Paston
841:The Lancashire Witches
534:Mason 1939 pp. 160–161
525:Elwin 1934 pp. 175–176
507:Ligocki 1972 pp. 25–26
498:Ligocki 1972 qtd p. 25
379:Little Lord Fauntleroy
350:The Lancashire Witches
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161:
137:Cato Street Conspiracy
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624:Victorian Wallflowers
516:Carver 2003 qtd p. 24
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199:Cuthbert Cholmondeley
171:Lord Guildford Dudley
159:
133:William the Conqueror
118:
1017:Novels set in London
809:The Miser's Daughter
471:Worth 1972 pp. 63–64
462:Worth 1972 pp. 71–73
444:Ainsworth 1841 p. ix
430:Worth 1972 pp. 60–63
322:Scavenger's Daughter
235:Dame Poentia Trusbut
220:Mauger, the headsman
22:The Tower of London
952:1840 British novels
857:The Flitch of Bacon
793:The Tower of London
588:The Tower of London
362:The Tower of London
326:The Tower of London
294:The Tower of London
275:Notre Dame de Paris
271:The Tower of London
226:The Duke of Suffolk
105:The Tower of London
101:The Tower of London
93:The Tower of London
72:The Tower of London
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480:Carver 2003 p. 234
421:Carver 2003 p. 241
273:and Victor Hugo's
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205:Lawrence Nightgall
186:Philip II of Spain
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967:Historical novels
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905:Myddleton Pomfret
889:The Spanish Match
734:George Cruikshank
658:Rance, Nicholas.
608:Carver, Stephen.
332:Critical response
193:Og, Gog and Magog
181:Mary I of England
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53:George Cruikshank
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972:Victorian novels
849:James the Second
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655:XXXV (1939).
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135:to the 1820
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18:
825:St. James's
214:Gilbert Pot
142:Elizabeth I
49:Illustrator
946:Categories
785:Guy Fawkes
581:References
337:romance".
152:Characters
146:Henry VIII
97:Guy Fawkes
87:Background
897:Old Court
298:rebellion
208:Elizabeth
921:Boscobel
881:John Law
769:Crichton
761:Rookwood
289:Sources
196:Winwike
932:(1875)
924:(1872)
916:(1870)
908:(1868)
900:(1867)
892:(1865)
884:(1864)
876:(1861)
868:(1857)
860:(1854)
852:(1848)
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836:(1844)
833:Auriol
828:(1844)
820:(1842)
812:(1842)
804:(1841)
796:(1840)
788:(1840)
780:(1839)
772:(1837)
764:(1834)
753:Novels
727:People
711:Topics
637:
601:
249:Themes
39:Author
386:Notes
111:Story
635:ISBN
599:ISBN
344:and
64:1840
316:'s
300:of
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557:^
435:^
412:^
382:.
356:,
352:,
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682:v
641:.
605:.
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