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On what grounds does Henry wish to divorce Katherine?
There are three key aspects to Henry’s desire to divorce Katherine: political, legal, and personal. The political ground of his pursuit relates to the issue of succession. Katherine has not produced a surviving male child, which is necessary to secure his family line’s claim to the throne. Henry therefore wishes to marry another woman who, he believes, will give him a male heir. To this end, he and his advisors develop a legal argument for the divorce that intends to prove that Henry’s marriage to Katherine is illegitimate. The issue here is that Katherine was first married to Henry’s brother, and the king married her after his brother after he died—an act that the Bible appears to outlaw. But just as important as these political and legal claims is Henry’s personal attraction to the young and beautiful Anne Bullen.
Why doesn’t Cardinal Wolsey want Henry to marry Anne Bullen?
Wolsey doesn’t want Henry to marry Anne Bullen for several reasons. One is that he believes she’s a Lutheran, which goes against the Catholic Church. Another is that she isn’t a politically advantageous match. As an Englishwoman, she brings no diplomatic potential with her, unlike the duchess of Alençon, who would secure ties with England’s chief rival, France. Finally, Wolsey believes Anne to be a socially inappropriate match. He indicates his disdain for her social class when he says, in an aside, “Anne Bullen? No, I’ll no Anne Bullens for him” (3.2.116). Historically, though she was born “Bullen,” Anne preferred to spell her name in the French fashion, “Boleyn.” Here, though, Wolsey emphasizes the Englishness of her name, implicitly disdaining her fancy airs.
Does the pope authorize Henry’s divorce?
Historically, the pope denied Henry’s request for a divorce, and when Henry went ahead with it anyway, the pope excommunicated him. But Shakespeare presents this issue in a somewhat foggy way. Much is made in the play of seeking the pope’s authorization for Henry’s desired divorce. The key figure here is Cardinal Campeius, whom the pope sends to the English court to preside over “the unpartial judging of this business” (2.2.127). However, his ability to judge is compromised when Katherine walks out of her trial and subsequently refuses to submit to the church’s judgment. Campeius postpones judgment, which makes the king suspicious. But in the end, the divorce and remarriage both go through, seemingly without a problem, and with no mention of the pope’s disapproval. It’s likely that Shakespeare downplayed the legal, political, and religious implications of Henry’s actions for the sake of emphasizing the joyous arrival of the child Elizabeth.
Why does Cardinal Wolsey accumulate so much material wealth?
The early acts of the play emphasize Wolsey’s political scheming as well as his ruthless seizure of fallen lords’ assets. It isn’t initially clear what his goals are, other than perhaps a general desire for more wealth and power. However, in act 3, scene 2, it’s revealed that Wolsey has been stockpiling wealth so that he can he bribe his way to the papacy. The earl of Surrey makes the accusation: “you have sent innumerable substance . . . / To furnish Rome and to prepare the ways / You have for dignities” (3.2.392–95). Thus, in addition to encroaching on the king of England’s authority, Wolsey also has his sights set on what is perhaps the most powerful role in Christendom: that of the pope.
How do Wolsey and Katherine die?
Whereas Buckingham is executed, both Wolsey and Katherine die from unexplained illnesses. In Wolsey’s case, after Henry strips him of his title and possessions, he’s taken to a monastery. Along the way, he gets so sick and weak that, it’s reported, he has great difficulty remaining upright on the mule that carries him. He dies in bed the day after arriving at the monastery. The audience learns these details from one of Katherine’s attendants, named Griffith, who relates them to his mistress. At this point in the play, Katherine also appears ill and weak, though it isn’t clear what the source of her affliction is—other than, perhaps, a symbolic sickness resulting from her humiliating downfall. Her death is never announced during the play, but her final scene in clearly shows her preparing for death.
