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Bring Up the Bodies is an historical novel by Hilary Mantel, sequel to the award-winning Wolf Hall, and part of a trilogy charting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, the powerful minister in the court of King Henry VIII. It won the 2012 Man Booker Prize and the 2012 Costa Book of the Year. Wikipedia
Bring Up the Bodies is the second novel in Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy, following her Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall. Published in 2012, it continues the story of Thomas Cromwell, the brilliant, ruthless statesman who rose to prominence in the court of King Henry VIII. Like Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies is deeply concerned with the themes of power, loyalty, betrayal, and the human cost of political ambition.
The novel picks up where Wolf Hall left off, in the midst of the turmoil surrounding King Henry VIII’s desire for a male heir and his obsession with Anne Boleyn. In Bring Up the Bodies, Anne’s marriage to Henry has deteriorated, and she finds herself embroiled in a deadly struggle to maintain her position at court. Meanwhile, Cromwell, the king’s chief minister, continues his meteoric rise but must navigate a world of intrigue, shifting alliances, and brutal political maneuvering.
Plot Overview
Bring Up the Bodies focuses primarily on the downfall of Anne Boleyn and the consequences of her fall for both her and those around her, especially Cromwell. Henry VIII has grown tired of Anne, and his desire to marry Jane Seymour, who he believes will provide him with the longed-for male heir, leads to the political and personal crisis that brings Anne’s reign to a brutal end.
Cromwell, who has been instrumental in orchestrating the break with the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England, now faces a challenge in maintaining his influence and power as the king’s chief adviser. As Anne’s fate grows more precarious, Cromwell is forced to become the architect of her destruction, orchestrating her arrest and trial. Anne is accused of adultery, treason, and incest, and Cromwell plays a key role in ensuring that the charges stick, despite their dubious nature.
The novel’s title, Bring Up the Bodies, refers to the gruesome act of bringing the bodies of the accused to trial and ultimately to the execution block, a theme that runs throughout the book as Cromwell witnesses the physical and moral costs of political maneuvering.
Major Themes
Power and Political Machinations
The novel continues to explore the central theme of power that was present in Wolf Hall, but it delves more deeply into the costs of maintaining power. Cromwell is a master of political strategy, but his ascent to the top of Henry VIII’s court has made him vulnerable to the very system of intrigue and betrayal he has mastered. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Cromwell is both a participant in and a victim of the same ruthless political world that he has helped to create.
Cromwell’s understanding of power is cold and pragmatic—he recognizes that personal loyalty and morality often have little place in the world of Tudor politics. The brutal efficiency with which he handles Anne Boleyn’s downfall is a testament to his ability to separate his personal feelings from his political duties, though it also highlights the emotional and psychological toll this detachment takes on him.
Loyalty and Betrayal
Loyalty is a recurring theme in Bring Up the Bodies, particularly in relation to Cromwell’s relationships with others at court. Cromwell’s loyalty to Henry VIII is unquestionable, yet his loyalty to friends, colleagues, and even family becomes more complex as the story unfolds. As Anne’s fall accelerates, Cromwell must navigate the shifting alliances at court, making decisions that test his own moral compass. Betrayal, both personal and political, is a key theme in this context—many of the characters are willing to betray others for their own gain or survival, and Cromwell’s role as a political fixer often requires him to facilitate these betrayals.
Ambition and Consequences
Cromwell’s ambition is one of the driving forces behind the novel, and Bring Up the Bodies explores the consequences of that ambition. His rise to power has come at a steep cost, particularly to his own conscience. While he is widely respected for his intelligence and administrative skill, his increasing involvement in the destruction of those around him raises questions about the price of success and the moral compromises required to achieve greatness.
Cromwell’s personal struggles, particularly the loss of his wife and children, serve as a reminder that his ambitions come at a personal cost. Despite his ruthless professionalism, there are moments in the novel where Cromwell’s humanity emerges, especially when he reflects on the losses he has suffered. His drive to build and maintain power is often in tension with his personal grief and the growing isolation that accompanies his success.
The Role of Women
While Bring Up the Bodies focuses on male power structures and the politics of Tudor England, it also engages with the lives and fates of the women involved, particularly Anne Boleyn. Anne’s ambition and determination are central to her downfall, but Mantel also shows the vulnerability of women in a patriarchal society. Anne, like many of the women at Henry’s court, is caught in a dangerous game where her fate is often decided by the whims of powerful men. Her tragic downfall is a poignant reminder of the precariousness of women's positions at court, especially when they are viewed as dispensable once they fail to provide what the king desires.
Style and Narrative Voice
Mantel’s writing in Bring Up the Bodies is as vivid and layered as in Wolf Hall. She continues to use the present tense, which creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy, drawing readers into the political intrigues and personal dilemmas of the characters. The novel is characterized by its dense prose and shifting perspectives, which allow Mantel to explore the interior lives of her characters, particularly Cromwell. This approach allows readers to see the world through Cromwell’s eyes, with his sharp intelligence and ruthlessness, as well as his occasional moments of doubt and vulnerability.
The use of shifting perspectives also gives the reader a sense of being immersed in the tumult of court life, where allegiances change quickly and nothing is ever truly certain. Cromwell is a central figure, but the narrative allows glimpses into the lives and minds of others, creating a richly layered and immersive story.
Conclusion
Bring Up the Bodies is a powerful, gripping continuation of the story of Thomas Cromwell. It explores the political and personal consequences of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal in the context of Tudor England’s treacherous court. Hilary Mantel’s expert portrayal of Cromwell’s rise, his role in Anne Boleyn’s downfall, and the emotional and moral costs of political power makes this novel an outstanding work of historical fiction.
Would you like to explore a specific character or theme from Bring Up the Bodies in more detail, such as Cromwell’s personal relationships or the portrayal of Anne Boleyn? Or perhaps discuss how Mantel’s writing style adds to the novel’s impact?
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