55 pages • 1 hour read
The Other Boleyn Girl
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Character Analysis
Mary Boleyn
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination, death, antigay bias, and graphic violence.
Mary is the chief protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel. She is the eldest daughter of Thomas Boleyn, a baron and a trusted member of Henry VIII’s court who served as ambassador and diplomat. The Duke of Norfolk, the head of the powerful Howard family, is her uncle, the brother of Mary’s mother. Mary is blonde and considered quite beautiful. She was born at Hever Castle, the family’s country estate in the county of Kent. As a young child, Mary was part of the court of the Queen of France, but she was summoned home to be married at the age of 12. Her first husband, William Carey, was a member of the king’s household, and Mary became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. The queen had an affection for the young girl and favored Mary until Mary caught the king’s attention and became his mistress.
Mary’s nature is warm, affectionate, honest, and loyal, with a streak of stubbornness and a mischievous sense of humor. She admires her sister and generally supports her, but she also considers Anne her rival for attention, favors, and prestige, thus developing the theme of Unlock all 55 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 9,150+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Philippa Gregory
