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