Reproduction Of Tudor History And Rhetorical Narrative Strategies In Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantel(1952-)is a renowned contemporary British writer.She became the third British writer to win the Man Booker Prize for her historical fictions Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies in 2009 and 2012 respectively.Wolf Hall is set in the reign of Henry VIII in Tudor England in the 1520 s.From the perspective of Thomas Cromwell,it tells how Cromwell,the son of a blacksmith,rises to the top of power in the complicated political field.In recent years,most domestic research on this novel has focused on the thematical studies.This thesis concentrates on the rhetorical narrative strategies in Wolf Hall,which will also be of significance to understand the connotation of the work.Mantel breaks the traditional narrative mode of historical fictions,deconstructs and reconstructs history with her exquisite narrative strategies,thus reproducing the hidden history from a new perspective.It shows the unique narrative charm of historical fictions.Based on the theory of rhetorical narratology,this thesis explores the application of rhetorical narrative strategies such as narrative progression,rhetorical devices and narrative judgment in Wolf Hall.It deeply interprets the Tudor history and the reconstruction of Cromwell’s image in the novel.Further,this approach provides readers with a new perspective to view history and provokes their introspection on history and national culture.The thesis consists of six parts: Introduction,four chapters of the body and Conclusion.Introduction mainly introduces the life and literary works of Hilary Mantel,summarizes foreign and domestic research on Wolf Hall,and highlights the approach and significance of the study.Chapter One expounds the theoretical basis of this thesis.This chapter introduces the development of the Chicago School of rhetorical narratology as well as the key concepts of rhetorical narrative theory,namely narrative progression and narrative judgment.Rhetorical narratology not only studies the textual form and structure,but also regards fictional narratives as the products of cultural context.It brings the historical significance to the research on the novel.Chapter Two analyzes the narrative progression in Wolf Hall.Firstly,the novel adopts non-linear narrative time,including the fragmentation of historical events and analepsis of Cromwell’s personal history.It subverts the traditional grand narrative mode.Secondly,the instabilities and tensions in the overt progression constantly promote the development of the historical progression.Lastly,the covert progression is a supplement to the historical dimension of the overt progression in the novel.The dual narrative progression not only enriches the plot of the text but also deepens the thematic meaning of the novel.Chapter Three explores the narrative communication and rhetorical devices in Wolf Hall.Mantel skillfully controls the narrative distance from readers by shifting focalizations.Besides,she questions and reconstructs history by choosing Cromwell’s unreliable narration.It embodies her unique historical consciousness,which finds expression in the representation of marginalized history and historical figures.In addition,Mantel uses a variety of rhetorical devices,such as dialogues,inner monologues,metaphors and symbols.It not only makes the grand historical narrative more approachable,but also achieves the ideal communication between the author and the reader.Chapter Four studies the narrative judgment in Wolf Hall.Through the rhetorical analysis of the narrative judgment on Wolf Hall,readers can deeply understand the “Other” status and tragic fate of the women in Tudor Dynasty.The author guides readers to make interpretative and ethical judgments,so as to awaken their female consciousness,to reflect on their female identity and gender equality,and to realize female independence and freedom.In addition,Mantel deftly uses the grammatical techniques such as tense and person to strengthen the readers’ sense of participation and improve their aesthetic judgments on the historical fiction.Conclusion points out that Mantel creates a dynamic narrative progression to represent history and guides readers to make various narrative judgments.In this dynamic reading experience,she adopts assorted rhetorical devices to achieve the multi-leveled author-audience communication,thereby reproducing the hidden history vividly and freshly.Based on the theory of rhetorical narratology,this thesis discusses the narrative progression,narrative communication and rhetorical devices,and narrative judgment in Wolf Hall.It shows Mantel’s understanding of historical fictions,deep thinking on the “Other” status of women as well as reflection on England national culture,politics and history.