Theme CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

CHAPTER III PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL

3.1 Theme

Theme is the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Theme commonly discussed by the reader since it is the most confusing and famous term between the other literary elements and can be interpreted differently by each reader. Apparently, The Other Boleyn Girl is a story about family devotion. In the matter of fact, the main theme of the novel develops a much larger by including love story and family ambition. There are some major themes of the novel but the most interesting themes of it are materialism and pursuit of higher social classes as the symbols of success and happiness. Gregory portrays the life of 16 th -century in England where social classes still lead the role of human classification. This era decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its overarching greed, arrogant, empty pursuit of pleasure and even ignore to other human. This fact makes human turns into beast which can do anything in order to pursuit their needs, their greediness and their irrational ambition of higher social classes. Not only in low class society but it is also happened in court in England. Where Anne Boleyn tried to win King Henry’ heart in case to fulfill her ambition, becoming queen of England. When the Tudor period began in 16 th -century, about a third of the population lived in poverty with the wealthy expected to give alms to assist the impotent poor. Tudor law was harsh on the able bodied poor i.e, those unable to find work. The tables had no clothes on them. The Mother and Father would sit on stools and the children Universitas Sumatera Utara would stand while they ate. Those who left their parishes in order to locate work were termed vagabonds and could be subjected to punishments including whipping. Various inflationary pressures, perhaps due to influx of New World gold and rising population, set the stage for social upheaval with the gap between the rich and poor widening. This was a period of significant change for the majority of the rural population, with manorial lords beginning the process of enclosure. Gregory positions the characters of The Other Boleyn Girl as reflection of true events on these social trends. Anne Boleyn and Mary Boleyn, sisters who their family works in court tried to get a higher position in order to make their family’s material condition better than before. The gap of rich people and poor people motivated them to get their ambition. By seeing that they are not come from a very poor family, greediness of having higher social classes absolutely in charge. As Gregory saw it , although the Tudor court was glamorous there was deep poverty and that was a normal way of life. In the 16 th -century depicted in the novel, however, fancy clothes and well mannered people do not guarantee that they are satisfied with what they have. Still there is an ambition to have more than what they already have in their life. It is a human being to gain more and more, materialism and greediness do take a role. 3.2 Character According to Roberts and Jacobs 1995:51, character is a reasonable facsimile of human being, with all the good and bad traits of being human. Generally, a story is concerned as a major problem that a character must be face. It may influence with other character, with difficult situation, or with an idea or general circumstances that Universitas Sumatera Utara force action. The characters of Fitzgerald novel The Other Boleyn Girl are really interesting, they are:  Mary Boleyn: The novel narrator, Mary an innocent young girl who wants the best for her family. In her early age of thirteen after married, she asked to take care of King Henry after the accident that Anne caused. Honest and keep telling what he like and dislike, especially when the first time she rejected an offered to become King’s Mistress. This lovable and faithful wife has no choice after her family pushed her to do what they want. At the end of the time she no longer pretend to love the King, but she already fell in love with him. Although she loves her family especially Anne and George, she can be very powerful to say no when Anne asked George to have sex. Mary is also portrayed as a loving and devoted mother to her and Anne’s children. The Other Boleyn Girl is told entirely through Mary’s eyes; her thoughts and perceptions shape and color the story.  Anne Boleyn: Howard-Boleyn eldest child. This ambitious girl already shown it when the fir time King Henry came to their house. Anne being more intelligent is a statement that often comes from Annes own mouth or that of the girls Uncle Howard. Anne is more aware of worldly affairs. She reads intellectual discourses that are popular for her time, and so she appears to be more intelligent. She is also more cunning than Mary. Anne is always scheming for her own benefit. Once she is trained on a specific goal, she will do anything to attain it. She is a materialistic girl especially due to social status. Mary and Anne both described as beautiful and sensual, but Anne is often described as more intelligent than Mary Universitas Sumatera Utara  George Boleyn: the most heartbreaking character of the family. He is tragically out of place in the world. He is a fantastic courtier, knowing how to manipulate the king without appearing to do so. He quickly and elegantly gets his sisters out of trouble when they say or do the wrong things that might displease the king. George is his sisters champion. For his part, George is married to one of the least attractive women in this story, Jane Parker. George is more attracted to men than to woman, which is a very serious crime in the sixteenth century. He falls in love with Francis Weston, knowing full well that should this be found out he will be imprisoned or executed. In the end, it is suggested that George gave in to Annes request that he father a child with her in order to save her crown. Anne hoped that George would give her a son to claim as the kings. George is thus beheaded, with Anne, at the climax of the novel.  King Henry: In the beginning, though Henry flirts and takes to bed other women in the court, he appears to be devoted to his wife, Queen Katherine. This instills a sense of loyalty though it is tainted and a deep capacity to love. However, as the novel progresses, Henrys weaknesses begin to develop. He is besot by Anne, as she tantalizes him, then refuses to have sex with him, and continually teases him until he declares he has nearly gone crazy over her. She leads him, like a small puppy, to where she wants him to go. Anne manipulates Henry so successfully that most of England turns against the court. But through Annes advice, Henry learns how much power he has. He can defy the pope. He can make laws to his liking. He can get rid of his wife—any wife he no longer wants. Henry becomes more tyrannical as he ages. As he physically declines with age, he also becomes more self-absorbed. Mary sees how Henry has never Universitas Sumatera Utara matured into his manhood. He is childlike in his wants, and his needs must be constantly catered to.  Sir Thomas Boleyn: Anne, Mary, and Georges father. This old man actually a very responsible father. As a leader of his family, he tries to do anything to fulfill their needs. Until he makes a wrong decision by following his brother in law’s suggestion to make Anne as King Henry’s mistress. Later on this novel he becomes very eager to make his “Boleyn” family as King Henry relatives. And that lead him to see the destruction of his own family.  Elizabeth Howard Boleyn: Sir Thomass wife, mother of Anne, Mary and George Boleyn. She basically never agrees with his brother idea about Anne and King Henry. Her feeling as a mother knows that it will end with tragedy. But because in this period women are powerless and so does she.  Thomas Howard: Head of Howard-Boleyn family, one of the more important men in England. He is the actor behind everything. He arranged Anne and Henry, Marry and Henry relationship. Even at the end of the story he tries to arranged relationship between King Henry and Jane Seymour in order to have his position in court. This man is very greedy and selfish.  Queen Katherine of Aragon—Henrys first wife of Spanish origins. Daughter of Queen Isabella of Spain. This woman loves King Henry very much. She tries and tries to having a heir to the court. She never suspicious about other people, it shown when she welcoming the Boleyn sisters very well at the court. Until at the end of the story, she still treat herself as truly Queen of England although Henry already divorced her. She is very loveable to her society. Universitas Sumatera Utara  Jane Parker: George Boleyns wife through arranged marriage. She is forever spying on the Boleyns and has the most obnoxious sense of sociability. She is the one who tells King about Anne and George scandal in incest.  William Stafford: An independent man who teaches Mary to think for herself. Williams love has no other motivation than to find and to give happiness.  Henry Percy: Friend of Anne and George. He is accused and beheaded for adultery with Anne.  Jane Seymour: Young girl of the Seymour family who wins the kings fancy after Anne cannot conceive a son.  Francis Weston—courtier with whom George Boleyn has a homosexual affair.

3.3 Plot