What book is Jane Seymour reading in Wolf Hall? Anne Boleyn Book Explained

The long-awaited second season of Wolf Hall, Nearly a decade after the first season, it continues the story of Henry VIII’s tumultuous reign, beginning with Anne’s death. This follows the excitement of the BBC’s first footage of Wolf’s Hallis the return. Even after the tragic execution of Anne Boleyn, guaranteed by the inventions of Thomas Cromwell (The History Press), its shadow persists. In episode 2, Anne’s ghost is shown through the presence of a book belonging to her.

A moving scene shows Jane Seymour, newly married to Henry, examining one of Anne’s personal effects. This seemingly simple act has profound meaning for Jane. It’s a way of representing her relationship with Henry’s past and anxieties about her own duty. The book itself stands as an artifact relating to Henry and Anne’s relationship, making the scene historically questionable in the context of the Tudor era.

Jane Seymour reads Anne Boleyn’s Book of Hours at Wolf Hall

Pages shown clearly point to a specific historical artifact

Although Jane Seymour features very little in Season 2, Episode 2 of Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, there is a thought-provoking scene featuring her and Thomas Cromwell. Seymour passes a book to Cromwell, saying: “That was hers. Anne Boleyn. Although she does not specifically state that it is her Book of Hours, which is an example of the show’s naturalistic dialogue, it is evident when Cromwell opens it. The two pages presented in the conversation are Christ as the Man of Sorrows and the Annunciation to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel, with inscriptions by Henry and Anne, respectively..

The page reveals in this Wolf Hall The scene shows that the book is one of three surviving Books of Hours belonging to Anne Boleyn. Two of these books are currently kept at Hever Castle, owned by the Boleyn family, and the book shown is kept in the British Library.. It’s a remarkable insight into the couple’s secret exchanges during their courtship phase, with the context of each page revealing their feelings; Henry portrays himself in love with the kneeling Christ, and Anne emphasizes her desire to give him a son in the context of the chosen illustration.

Books of hours were an important part of religious life

As a devout Catholic, this item would have fascinated Jane

Hours were personalized prayer books prevalent in England from the 13th century until the Reformation. These books outlined brief devotional services to the Virgin Mary, held at eight specific times daily.. They included a liturgical calendar, psalms, prayers to saints, and funeral rites. Often tailor-made, schedules were adapted to individual preferences. Since it wasn’t always practical to tell the time, books were a good way for people to do so privately in their rooms. They were highly sought after as religious texts. The Book of Hours shown in the program was probably commissioned by Henry VIII and was published quite abundantly.

The religious and private nature of these books makes it significant that Henry and Anne were defacing the text with love notes and promises to each other. Hours were deeply religious objects, often illuminated with complex artwork and considered sacred.. Defacing them was seen as a desecration, especially in a society where religious authority was fundamental. As king, Henry VIII was also expected to uphold religious traditions and set an example for his subjects. Their involvement in such a seemingly trivial act highlights the growing power of personal desires over traditional authority.

Another Anne Book of Hours Recently Had Secrets Discovered

Hidden treasures were discovered in Anne’s hours in 2021

The Book of Hours shown in Wolf Hall It is not the only Anne book that has been preserved, nor is it the only one that contains an inscription. An ancient Anne’s Book of Hours is kept at Hever, printed in Bruges between 1410-1450 (Héver Castle). Anne Boleyn inscribed a miniature of the Last Judgment with the enigmatic phrase “Le temps viendra” (The time will come), followed by your signature “Je Anne Boleyn.” She also added an astrolabe, symbolizing the passage of time. This is chilling in the context of Boleyn’s earthly trial and execution, as shown in Wolf Hall.

However, it was not this book, but the other book kept at Hever that caught the attention of historian Kate McCaffrey during her master’s thesis research. The Other Hours were printed in Paris around 1528. Anne Boleyn inscribed a moving message in the book: “Remember me when you pray/That hope leads day by day/Anne Boleyn.” McCaffrey made an incredible discovery under ultraviolet light:

“Emerging from the highly interconnected network of names is a story of gendered community, solidarity and bravery. A secret circle of predominantly female owners worked together to protect the note signed by Anne within the book and thus cherish her memory, despite widespread attempts to dishonor her after her downfall.”

– through University of Kent

This means that, contrary to the morbid rumors that her Book of Hours was taken to the scaffold with her, Anne gave it to a loyal and trustworthy noblewoman who passed it down through a line of nobles.. It was one of the few objects that survived Anne’s character assassination.

Jane Seymour reading the book in Wolf Hall is intriguing

Henry tried to scrape off all traces of Anne’s existence

Jane Seymour reading Anne’s Book of Hours sticks out like a sore thumb for one important reason – After Anne’s execution, Henry VIII strove to extract almost all acknowledgment of his existence from Hampton Court Palace. Even talking about Anne Boleyn was inadvisable. When Henry married Anne, there were many tributes commissioned for her, including intertwined Hs and As in the Great Hall to make a statement about his claim to the throne. After Anne’s death, most of these carvings were scraped from the palace walls or changed to read H and J following Henry VIII’s marriage to Jane Seymour..

Very few of Anne Boleyn’s possessions survive. Most of Anne Boleyn’s portraits were also destroyed or hidden. Her daughter Elizabeth I, who, along with Mary Tudor, was illegitimate for a time, did much to restore her mother’s image. Several portraits of Anne Boleyn were discovered or painted in the Elizabethan era (The Third Eye Traveler). With this in mind, as well as the other Books of Hours being kept away from the court, it is intriguing that Jane is reading one. Not only that, but a book with traces of the intimate history between Henrique and Ana, which he would certainly like to forget.

For a series like Wolf Hall, which is widely commendable for its historical accuracy and one of the best period dramas created, feels surprisingly contrived. However, it’s easy to see what the showrunners are up to – as a creative device, the Book of Hours is a great way to bring Anne’s shadow into Jane’s story. The passion between Henry and Anne is clear in the inscriptions, and in many ways, Jane is Anne’s antithesis. It’s also a good way to bring out her anxiety about producing an heir, a primary concern she shares with Anne.

Source: The History Press, Héver Castle, University of Kent, The Third Eye Traveler