So I thought today I would address a topic that has come up in a couple of books I have read but I find it hard to believe. I am reading Plain Jane by Laurien Gardner right now and this is a quote from it"'Mistress Jane,' Anne said, extending her very pale, well groomed hand towards Jane. It was the deformed hand, and on the side of her finger, Jane could see a little show off nail that was the vestiges of a sixth finger" (pg 168).In the circumstances of this book Jane Seymour is relating the sordid details of Queen Anne's deformity. I find it hard to believe that Anne Boleyn would have a deformity on her hand. I find it hard to believe because there is no way that a man as lustful and full of pride as King Henry would select a Queen with a deformity. It would not be accepted by society and if she did have this extra nail, she certainly would have been very careful at hiding it, not letting it be seen by courtiers.
It is likely that these rumors came about during her fall from grace and after her death as a way to smear her memory. It also would have been more evidence of her being a witch and possibly cursing Henry to not have any sons. Because of this I find it a little weird that the author would have Jane talking about this deformity during an early point in the story when this idea likely didn't exist yet; but I guess it is a interesting tidbit to gossip about.
What do you think?
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DolleyGurl~I am loving your new blog. Very good job. I am going to be a follower.
ReplyDeleteOf course you are right about the smearing of her name.. this finger and the wart.. the witch's wart to be exact on her neck.. are a rumor to make Henry and his friends feel better about themselves for killing her.
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