| Introduction | | | | necessary when very few sources exist, but, |
| | | | for me, it casts doubts on the validity of |
| In this critique of 1066: The Year of the | | | | his assertions. |
| Conquest, I will identify Howarth's purpose | | | | |
| in writing this book and discuss how well he | | | | Howarth's writing style is the popular style, |
| fulfilled his purpose. Also I will evaluate | | | | not scholarly. The portrait he paints of |
| the merits and shortcomings of this book in | | | | medieval England is very vividly done. |
| relation to the themes, sources used, and the | | | | Through his words, an image springs to the |
| author's writing style. | | | | mind of exactly how the country looked at |
| | | | this time. Besides the image of England, |
| Author's Theme | | | | Howarth also is very successful in giving us |
| | | | insights into the characters of the men |
| Howarth's 1066 was a description of the | | | | involved in the battle, from the villagers |
| "tremendous drama [in England] that began on | | | | turned soldiers to the rulers they fought |
| January 6 with the burial of King Edward in | | | | for. For example, it is very easy for the |
| Westminster Abbey, and ended on Christmas Day | | | | reader to see the disillusionment and |
| in the same place with the coronation of King | | | | indecision in Duke William's face after |
| William" (7). Howarth balances his book by | | | | hearing that King Edward was dead and that |
| offering insights into the lives and | | | | Harold had been crowned the new king. |
| characters of all people in England, from the | | | | |
| peasants to the ruling classes, before and | | | | I enjoyed very much the way Howarth included |
| after the conquest. | | | | the customs of the people involved. I believe |
| | | | customs determine why people act as they do, |
| Author's Purpose | | | | and so it is important to consider that when |
| | | | reading history. For this reason, I find the |
| Howarth states that was "not meant to be | | | | first chapter that details the lives of the |
| read as a work of scholarship, only as an | | | | average Englishman and Englishwoman very |
| evocation of the excitement, pleasures, and | | | | informative and entertaining. |
| miseries of that year" (7). Howarth | | | | |
| acknowledges the difficulty of ascertaining a | | | | I also appreciate how Howarth included prior |
| strictly factual account of a time in which | | | | political and social events that influenced |
| sources were scarce and/or biased. Because of | | | | how people acted before, during, and after |
| this, Howarth necessarily had to make some | | | | the Battle of Hastings. For example, |
| assumptions and conclusions in his account of | | | | William's invasion would have seemed baffling |
| the conquest. | | | | if Howarth had not informed us about King |
| | | | Edward's promise to him and the meeting |
| Author's Writing Style | | | | between William and Harold in Normandy. |
| | | | |
| When reading Howarth's book, it was very easy | | | | Author's Sources |
| for one to forget that this is an historical | | | | |
| account of the Norman Invasion. His writing | | | | Howarth used mainly primary sources for this |
| is very descriptive and colorful. Howarth | | | | book. He states that of the twenty sources he |
| succeeded magnificently in keeping the reader | | | | used, "twelve were written within living |
| engrossed in the book. The book reads so much | | | | memory of 1066, and all but two within a |
| like a historical novel, that one wonders how | | | | hundred years" of the Battle at Hastings ( |
| much is factual. Howarth admittedly added his | | | | 7). Howarth also varied his sources to |
| own opinions and advanced his own conclusions | | | | present the different versions of what |
| to the account to fill in the gaps that there | | | | happened; the different versions belonged to |
| are no sources for. For example, Howarth | | | | the English, Normans, and Scandinavians. |
| believes the change in King Harold's behavior | | | | |
| between the Battle at Stamford Bridge and the | | | | Conclusion |
| Battle at Hastings is due to his learning | | | | |
| that William had papal blessing. This | | | | Taken as a whole, I believe this was a good |
| conclusion may be correct, but Howarth offers | | | | text on the Norman Conquest. Even though I |
| no evidence to support it. He never mentions | | | | find some of his conclusions suspect, the |
| that someone specifically told King Harold of | | | | book is written in a manner to entertain, |
| that fact, he only says that someone must | | | | while also offering valuable information |
| have. Therefore, Howarth is not basing his | | | | about the lives of medieval peoples during |
| conclusions on factual evidence, but on what | | | | one of the most important dates in Western |
| he surmises must have happened. This may be | | | | history. |