Jump to content

Cultural depictions of Edward II of England

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fictional portrait of King Edward II of England. The scene on the lower part shows the king being murdered. Ca. 1700 AD

Edward II of England has been portrayed in popular culture a number of times.

Theatre and music

[edit]

Literature

[edit]
  • Margaret Campbell Barnes' Isabel the Fair focuses on Queen Isabella.[citation needed]
  • John Crowley's first novel, The Deep (1975), features (in part) a fantasy version of the story of Edward II and his Wars as seen by a strangely sexless visitor from outside the world.
  • Medieval mystery novelist P. C. Doherty has set a number of his books against the backdrop of Edward II's reign.
  • Maurice Druon traces the life and death of Edward II in his historical magnum opus Les Rois maudits (The Accursed Kings).
  • Part of the plot of Ken Follett's novel World Without End (2007) revolves around a secret letter that proved Edward II had survived and escaped imprisonment, which letter was potentially embarrassing to both Isabella and Edward III.
  • British novelist Robert Goddard's novel Name to a Face (2007) discusses the theories and circumstances of Edward II's survival. Within a fictionalized setting, it is speculated that an older Edward II may be the identity of a semi-legendary medieval figure known as the Grey Man of Ennor, who traveled England mysteriously curing sufferers of the Black Death in the mid-14th century.
  • Susan Higginbotham, in The Traitor's Wife: A Novel of the Reign of Edward II (2005), looks at the reign and its aftermath through the eyes of Hugh le Despenser's wife, Eleanor de Clare. [1]
  • Brenda Honeyman's The Queen and Mortimer focuses on Queen Isabella.[citation needed]
  • Chris Hunt's novel, Gaveston (1992), published by the Gay Men's Press, is based on Edward's life, in particular his relationship with Piers Gaveston, as well as Edward's subsequent relationships.
  • Medieval mystery novelist Michael Jecks has set a number of his books against the backdrop of Edward II's reign.
  • Hilda Lewis' Harlot Queen (1970) focuses on Queen Isabella and her relationship with Edward II. [2]
  • Maureen Peters' Isabella, the She-Wolf focuses on Queen Isabella.[citation needed]
  • Eve Trevaskis' King's Wake starts shortly after the fall of the Despensers and ends with the fall of Roger Mortimer.[citation needed]

Film and television

[edit]

Onscreen, Edward has been portrayed by:

Radio

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Review: "The Traitor's Wife: A Novel of the Reign of Edward II" by Susan Higginbotham Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  2. ^ Lynda G. Adamson, World Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults and Young Adults. Phoenix, AZ; Oryx Press ISBN 9781573560665 (pp. 169)
  3. ^ "Outlaw King review: You can't help but admire the scale of this Scottish epic". The Independent. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.