Mary Tudor Character Analysis

Mary Tudor is Queen Katherine’s only surviving child. Her diminutive size—Norfolk calls her a “talking shrimp”—contrasts with her dignity and gravity. Katherine had assumed that Mary would inherit the throne, but Henry is fixated on having a male heir. Like her mother, Mary is a devout Catholic and detests Anne Boleyn for turning her father against them. Cromwell is always kind to Mary, and she is fond of him. Since Cromwell is always kind to children and young people, his solicitousness for Mary doesn’t seem unusual. However, he tells his son Gregory that if Henry were to die, Mary would certainly be the next ruler, which shows that Cromwell’s desire to be in her good books is not entirely unselfish. Mary suffers after Anne Boleyn becomes queen. Anne is insecure that Mary might gain power and supporters after Henry’s death and ascend the throne, so she tries to suppress her and keep her out of the court. Anne declares Mary a bastard since her parents’ marriage has been annulled, and she separates her from Katherine. Mary is even denied her own residence and is instead forced to stay in the same household as the baby Princess Elizabeth, Anne’s daughter, and Mary is supposed to serve the child. Mary bears these trials with fortitude, even refusing to eat meals with the household because she will be forced to sit at a station “below” baby Elizabeth’s. Instead, she chooses to waste away in her room, surviving on only the bread that is permitted to be brought to her room for breakfast. When Cromwell sees her, he says he will order a physician to prescribe that she needs a heartier breakfast sent up, and Mary is grateful. He advises Mary to pretend to be friendly to Anne Boleyn since that will bring her many comforts and a possible position back at court, but Mary refuses.