tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post3001276007018842079..comments2024-03-23T12:38:46.260+00:00Comments on The History Girls: The White Queen reviewed by Sarah GristwoodMary Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-52294726791682277532014-04-26T17:41:06.204+01:002014-04-26T17:41:06.204+01:00There are a number of contemporary chronicles from...There are a number of contemporary chronicles from the period of the Wars- the trouble is that many are slanted with a Yorkist bias. Many seem to people seem to grumble about how the nasty Tudors vilified poor Richard but they don't realize what adept propagandists the Yorkists were themselves- especially Edward IV and his father...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-48857516853557756142013-07-23T18:53:49.437+01:002013-07-23T18:53:49.437+01:00I think some people are too harsh, to be clear thi...I think some people are too harsh, to be clear this drama was created for Sunday night entertainment, not to educate, and what, are the BBC really expected to strip down buildings to the bare minimum just to create a sense of authenticity? No. This programme may not be historically accurate in all its aspects but the initial facts are there they are not simply creating their own story from nothing. I believe they have struck a creative balance between the entertainment factor and the historical factor and anyone with an ounce of intelligence should be able to distinguish between a factual historical programme and one made to entertain (based upon historical events) I believe this collection of critics is being un-fairly cruel to the BBC as a production team and I am a personal fan of the show. There target audience is not historical experts nor is it to educate their target audience is people that want an entertaining costume drama to watch on the sofa on a Sunday night. Finally, if you do not like the story line, if you are going to sit there and nit pick at all the minorly unrealistic factors in set and costume i can declare that 1) you are not enjoying the programme so turn it off and stop moaning and 2) you don't understand the point of it, for goodness sake it was made to entertain allow them some artistic license I think they've done a wonderful job with it.Kate 98https://www.blogger.com/profile/02349083803391512386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-84615858382712462052013-07-07T09:18:29.099+01:002013-07-07T09:18:29.099+01:00A very balanced review, Sarah! I'm not too fus...A very balanced review, Sarah! I'm not too fussed about minor inaccuracies - especially since, as you point out, we really can never know exactly how things were. I did get a bit fed up in the first couple of episodes where, every two minutes, a device had to be found to explain why one or other of the characters was explaining the back story - but that is a real difficulty when you're compressing a lengthy book and a v complex period of history. I also roll my eyes a bit when Elizabeth and her mum waltz off into the woods to solve a problem by pulling a piece of string - if it works so well, why don't they do it all the time? (It would be useful, wouldn't it? Hm, nobody seems to want to publish my new book... oh well, off to the woods!')But generally, I'm enjoying it. I do find Margaret Beaufort an interesting charater.Sue Purkisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084528571944803477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-3121272256037977572013-07-06T17:09:29.118+01:002013-07-06T17:09:29.118+01:00I think that the events of history are highly inte...I think that the events of history are highly interpretive. I don't care about zippers and drainpipes showing but I might feel a jolt at the misplacement of the printing press. (I'm in the USA and have seen only one episode of The White Queen-- on Youtube.) I believe less and less in the term historical accuracy because whether an object or an idea is accurately placed or not depends on place and who you're talking to. I know this from my research on the invention of the sewing machine. When I watched The Tudors, I wondered when women became so willing, was doubtful, kept thinking about it, and now believe that that's what made the story work. Peggy Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08797917246312547808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-43783682334771076652013-07-06T09:24:42.436+01:002013-07-06T09:24:42.436+01:00I'm such a pedant when it comes to historical ...I'm such a pedant when it comes to historical accuracy it gets in the way of enjoying programmes like this. I know it's a failing, and I probably miss wonderful stuff (I do spend the time reading, so it's hardly wasted time). But there are so many wonderful, true, historical tales, and so much accurate information available, I find it astonishing that 'mistakes' creep in.JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-50479436321908201212013-07-06T03:11:44.260+01:002013-07-06T03:11:44.260+01:00It's true we only tend to think of Margaret Be...It's true we only tend to think of Margaret Beaufort as the old battle-axe(though as a mother at 13, she can't have been THAT old when Henry took the throne. In fact, younger than Elizabeth Woodville? But I have read Blood Sisters and thought you did rather a good job of writing about the young Margaret.<br /><br />I've seen only an episode or two of The Tudors and found it difficult to swallow. I don't think I saw the episode with the printing press, but of course it came in during Edward IV's reign, yes? And Anthony Woodville was an early patron... :)Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.com