For many historians Anne remains the lady with an extra fingernail who was too flirtatious, even in a harmless courtly way, for her own safety and well-being. The result of these interpretations is that the responsibility for her tragic death lies with her, the victim, rather than with the king and his ministers who orchestrated her execution: she miscarried a defective fetus in 1536. It was because Henry viewed this mishap both as an evil omen, both for his lineage and his kingdom, that he had her accused of engaging in illicit sexual acts with five men. - Retha Warnicke
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author argues some historians blame Anne Boleyn for her death instead of her accusers.
- In plain terms
- Some historians say Anne caused her own death by being too flirtatious.
- What can you take from it?
- Victim blaming distorts historical responsibility.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who bears responsibility for historical injustices?
- How do we judge historical figures?
Another view
It relies on interpreting motives without direct proof.
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