Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What's With Your Background Picture??

What's with my background picture? 

Thanks for asking. I'd love to tell you. 

The actual person in the background is Natalie Dormer, a British Actress (actor to be politically correct). First off, I think she's beautiful. I love her long dark hair, piercing eyes, and perfect lips.  But that's not why I have her on my background (I'm not that kinda girl *wink*).  She's there, in a beautiful dress, portraying her character Anne Boleyn from SHOWTIME''s THE TUDORS.

What kind of nut would have a picture of Anne Boleyn on their background? Me.  I'm probably her number one fan. I truly feel Anne Boleyn has helped shape me into the woman I am today. But for you to understand I need to start at the beginning, so bare with me.

Back in 2008 THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL staring Natalie Portman came to movie theaters. I, being ignorant in history--particularly Tudor history--went to see the movie with one of my good friends, Chey, thinking it looked like a wonderful romance (which in actually it really was). Needless to say, Chey and I in were flabbergasted when the movie ended with her head cut off.

I felt stunned. Shocked. Sick to my stomach. It had to be a mistake. It wasn't fair! I wanted to see the alternate ending. There had to be an alternate ending!!!!


How could King Henry VIII behead the woman he loved and chased for a decade? How could he so easily disregard her?

Where was the love?

The passion?

Fairy tales weren't supposed to end this way!!!


I went straight home to bed (since it was 2 am by the time we got home) and tossed and turned mulling it. First thing the next morning I called my mother. The conversation went something like this:

"Mom! Did you know King Henry VIII beheaded Anne Boleyn?"

My mom let out a long, drawn out sigh, "Oh Erin, Erin, Erin, where were you in history class? Of course I knew that. How did you graduate with a cumulative 3.9 and NOT know that?" (good question!)

I looked at the clock--six hours until I needed to be to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  I had time.  I quickly logged onto the Internet and typed in ANNE BOLEYN. Of course there were thousands of hits, so I spent the next six hours combing through as many as I could. Reading. Reading. And more reading.  But still, the details were vague. There had to be more to the story. I HAD to find out!
A little about me:  I can be...obsessive. 

I spent every free minute thinking about Anne, Henry, history, and how could things have gone so wrong.  It was my curse for gagging at history in high school and college--now I was obsessed with it.

I went straight to Borders and found as many thick books (non-fiction) about Anne Boleyn. I locked myself into my room, snuggled with Tali, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and dove in. What I found was shocking! Controversial! Amazing!

Anne wasn't the harlot that the movie, the Internet, and most history classes liked to portray her as.   What a
relief!

Anne Boleyn was the second daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, an Ambassador to France in his early years and later elevated to Lord Privy Seal when King Henry VII was in pursuit of Anne. Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk.

How could Anne Boleyn, Lady In Waiting to Queen Claude of France, one day become one of the most influential Queens of England?


THAT is a good question!!!  But allow me, over time, to help explain why this dark haired mystery woman, and her journey to the throne touched my life in so many ways.

For now--this post is way to long...keep tuning in for more of this (and a lot more of other fun stuff too!)



Erin Apelu

1 comment:

  1. Wow, thanks, Erin! I somehow missed that in history, too. Can't wait to read your future posts on it!

    ReplyDelete