Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Character development

In the world of historical fiction, the portrayal of characters is a captivating art form. Historical figures, just like people today. So based on the condition that this holds true for both men and women, authors need to build intricate layers of complexity, encompassing their thoughts, emotions, desires, and beliefs.

However, the first thing to remember when it comes to creating strong and compelling female characters in historical fiction is that writers, regardless of their gender, often find it difficult to depict characters of the opposite sex with authenticity and nuance. But, don’t let this put you off. Men can write with authenticity about women and women can write authentically about men. To truly bring historical female characters to life, it is essential to delve deep into their psyche and imbue them with the richness and depth they deserve. This blog post aims to explore effective techniques for developing multidimensional and well-rounded female characters within the historical fiction genre.

One crucial aspect of character development is ensuring that your characters possess the same level of complexity as people in contemporary society. They should think, feel, and possess a compelling backstory, desires, and beliefs. By doing so, readers can relate to them on a profound and genuine level, transcending the barriers of time and culture.

The Big Five – Writing Strong Female Characters

Category:Big five personality traits - Wikimedia Commons

As you embark on the journey of crafting authentic female characters, consider examining where they stand on the Big Five Personality Traits – a model widely used in psychology to assess human personality. These traits include:

  1. Openness: How receptive is your character to new experiences, ideas, and perspectives? Are they curious and intellectually adventurous? Weaving these traits into their narrative can make them relatable and engaging.
  2. Conscientiousness: Does your character display traits of being organized, responsible, and self-disciplined? Are they meticulous in their actions and possess a strong sense of duty? Exploring the impact of conscientiousness on their decisions and interactions can add depth to their portrayal.
  3. Extraversion: Is your character outgoing, sociable, and energized by social interactions? Or do they lean towards introversion, finding solace in introspection and personal reflection? By understanding their position on this spectrum, you can create realistic dynamics within their relationships and social environments.
  4. Agreeableness: How compassionate, cooperative, and empathetic is your character? Are they inclined towards altruism and forming harmonious connections with others? Delving into their agreeableness can reveal their motivations, conflicts, and potential for growth.
  5. Neuroticism: Does your character experience emotional instability, anxiety, or mood swings? Alternatively, are they characterized by emotional stability and resilience? Exploring their emotional landscape can provide a profound insight into their reactions to adversity and their overall character development.

By thoughtfully considering these personality traits, you can infuse your historical female characters with authenticity, allowing them to resonate with readers on a deep and meaningful level. Remember, just as people today, historical figures deserve to be portrayed as complex individuals with their own hopes, fears, and aspirations.

On the whole, it must be said that writing historical fiction is an opportunity to breathe life into the past, bridging the gap between eras and cultures. By creating compelling and well-rounded female characters, you can offer readers a captivating journey through time while showcasing the strength, resilience, and complexity of women throughout history. So, embrace the challenge, dive into research, and let your characters shine as vibrant testaments to the enduring spirit of humanity.

Where would your characters fit in the Myres Briggs range of personality types?

Authenticity in Fiction & Realistic Portrayals

As an author venturing into the realm of historical fiction, my goal is to create believable characters that resonate with readers. To achieve this, I strive to develop multi-dimensional and well-rounded individuals who undergo significant growth and transformation throughout the course of the narrative. The challenges they face shape their reactions, choices, and dialogue, ultimately driving the story forward. See also: 10 Things That Turn Characters Bad.

True Essence

To effectively portray characters, it is essential to reveal their true essence to the reader. This requires a deep understanding of the characters themselves, as well as the dynamics at play within their relationships. While the characters may be unaware of certain aspects of their own personalities, the people around them often possess insights that shed light on these hidden traits. As the story unfolds, the characters embark on a journey of self-discovery, unearthing new aspects of themselves that influence their actions and words.

Self-Awareness

To truly show the reader who the characters are, it is crucial for the actors (the characters themselves) to possess self-awareness. They must grapple with their own strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears, allowing these elements to shape their behaviour and decision-making. By delving into the depths of their psyches, I can present characters that feel authentic and relatable.

Character Arcs

In order to bring these multi-dimensional characters to life, I believe in the power of character arcs. Over the course of the story, the obstacles I place before them serve as catalysts for change. As they confront and overcome these challenges, they evolve and grow, ultimately transforming into individuals with newfound wisdom and resilience. These arcs allow readers to witness the characters’ development and connect with their journey on a profound level.

By staying true to their personalities and giving them room to grow organically, I can craft narratives that resonate with readers, offering a compelling and immersive experience.

Bring the Past to Life

In the realm of historical fiction, the characters become conduits through which the past comes alive. By revealing their complexities, vulnerabilities, and self-discovery, I hope to captivate readers and provide them with a window into the human condition. The journey of self-understanding, both for the characters and the readers, becomes an enthralling exploration of the intricate web of humanity.


Using a Johari Window – Nuanced Character Development

Writing Multidimensional Characters

When it comes to developing authentic and relatable characters in historical fiction, the Johari Window can serve as a valuable tool. This psychological concept illustrates the different aspects of self-awareness and knowledge that characters possess throughout their journey. By understanding this framework, we can effectively showcase character growth and create engaging narratives.

The Open Pane

In the open pane of the Johari Window, we find the aspects known to both the character and others. These elements are the foundation of the character’s personality and are typically evident in their actions, thoughts, and interactions. By establishing this shared knowledge, we provide readers with a clear understanding of the character’s motivations, strengths, and weaknesses.

The Closed Panes

However, there are also aspects known only to the character themselves. These hidden traits, desires, and fears shape the character’s internal world. Exploring these facets of their personality allows for deeper character development and creates opportunities for self-discovery as the story progresses.

Conversely, there are elements known by others but not yet realized by the character. These insights held by secondary characters or even the reader can add depth and complexity to the narrative. They can act as mirrors, reflecting aspects of the character’s personality that they may be blind to, thereby facilitating growth and self-awareness.

Lastly, there are aspects that remain unknown to both the character and others. These represent the mysteries and revelations that the character will encounter on their journey. As they strive to achieve their desires and confront obstacles, they will unravel these hidden aspects, creating a compelling arc of self-discovery and transformation.

Establishing a Profound Desire or Goal

Mystery Man on Film: Character Goals

To give the character a strong starting point, it is essential to establish a profound desire or goal. This driving force will shape their actions and decisions throughout the story. Whether it’s Jane seeking love or Belle yearning for freedom, the character’s pursuit of their heart’s desires becomes a central focus. However, the path they choose and the choices they make are heavily influenced by the groundwork set in their characterization.

Moral Complexity & Personal Growth

Morally Grey Characters in Books // Why do they make such interesting characters+ book recommendations with such characters – BOOKATHON

It is true that contemporary women’s fiction, including historical and modern literary fiction, often features morally complex characters. These complex characters provide an avenue for extraordinary and unexpected actions, adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. However, it is important to remember that moral complexity should be balanced with authenticity and genuine character development. Your character’s choices should stem from their unique motivations and experiences, rather than being contrived for shock value alone.

That doesn’t mean you can’t develop a morally ‘grey’ character. Morally grey or morally ambiguous characters are those who are not like traditional heroes. They do or have done some morally questionable things whose consequences can make for fascinating reading.

By utilizing the Johari Window and understanding the character’s known and unknown aspects, we can delve into their psyche, emotions, and desires. This framework enables us to create characters who undergo transformative journeys, evolving in response to their challenges and self-discovery. Through thoughtful and nuanced storytelling, we can breathe life into historical figures, allowing readers to connect with their struggles, triumphs, and personal growth.


Memorable Female Characters

What sets apart beloved female characters in literature is their ability to overcome the hurdles society and their families place in their paths. By establishing clear goals and presenting formidable opposition, authors can create compelling narratives that resonate with readers. It is important to note that an attractive female character does not necessarily require a “bad-ass” attitude towards the law, but rather a tenacious spirit and the strength to face adversity head-on.

Strong Female Characters

Elizabeth Bennett

Take Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an example. Her goal is to secure a marriage with the richest and most handsome man in town. However, her journey is packed with societal expectations, familial pressures, and her own personal biases. To achieve her goal, Elizabeth must challenge her own preconceived notions and navigate the complexities of relationships, ultimately finding love and happiness on her own terms.

Emma Harte

In Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance, Emma Harte is driven by the ambition to build a business empire and achieve financial independence. Throughout her romantic ups and downs, she encounters numerous obstacles, including gender bias, societal norms, and personal sacrifices. Emma’s determination and resilience allow her to triumph over adversity, establishing a legacy that transcends societal expectations.

Jo March

Similarly, Louisa May Alcott’s Jo March in Little Women aspires to become a teacher and fulfil her writing ambitions. Jo faces challenges such as societal expectations for women, financial constraints, and personal growth. Through her perseverance and determination, Jo not only becomes a successful writer but also finds fulfilment in her personal life.

What makes these characters so well-loved?

What makes these characters so well-loved is their ability to confront and conquer the obstacles placed before them. Their goals are not easily achieved, requiring them to challenge societal norms, familial expectations, and their own limitations. These characters exhibit resilience, adaptability, and the courage to pursue their dreams despite the barriers they encounter.

In creating attractive female characters, it is important to develop well-defined goals that resonate with readers. These goals should be significant, reflecting the character’s desires, passions, or ambitions. By providing strong opposition, whether from society, family, or internal conflicts, authors can generate tension and engage readers in the character’s journey.

Rebel Without a Cause?

However, it is crucial to note that an attractive female character does not necessarily require a rebellious or “bad-ass” attitude towards the law. What truly captivates readers is a character’s depth, authenticity, and relatability. Their strength lies not only in their defiance of societal norms but also in their vulnerability, growth, and the complexity of their emotions.

So, as writers, let us craft female characters with compelling goals and formidable opposition. Let us explore the depths of their resilience, determination, and inner strength as they navigate a world that seeks to confine them. By depicting their journeys with authenticity and nuance, we can create memorable characters that inspire and resonate with readers for generations to come.


Angels are for heaven, not this earthly realm.

Embracing the Flaws: Crafting Complex and Human Characters

In the realm of storytelling, it is the imperfections and flaws that truly make characters come alive. Whether they are angelic or mortal, male or female, the strengths and weaknesses inherent in being human are what shape their narratives and make them intriguingly flawed. It is through these imperfections that characters find their relatability, growth, and ultimately, their memorable qualities.

While angels may symbolize purity and perfection in the heavenly realm, it is the flaws and complexities of human characters that captivate readers on this earthly plane. By embracing and exploring these imperfections, we breathe authenticity and depth into our characters, making them relatable and compelling.

Balancing Flaws and Strengths

Every human, regardless of gender, possesses a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses. These attributes define their character and shape their actions and decisions. However, it is important to remember that relying too heavily on strengths can lead to downfall, just as weaknesses can be a source of growth and resilience.

Crafting interestingly flawed characters involves balancing their strengths and weaknesses, allowing both to shape their journey. Characters who solely rely on their strengths may encounter situations that expose their vulnerabilities, forcing them to confront their limitations and reevaluate their choices. Conversely, characters who begin with apparent weaknesses can find unexpected reserves of strength and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Opportunities for Growth

Flawed characters offer opportunities for growth, transformation, and compelling storylines. Their imperfections create internal and external conflicts, driving the narrative forward and providing readers with a genuine and relatable experience. As writers, we can explore the intricate interplay between strengths and weaknesses, showcasing the complexities of the human condition.

By giving our characters space to evolve and learn from their mistakes, we create narratives that reflect the real-world journey of self-discovery. Characters who acknowledge and address their flaws can experience profound growth, connecting with readers who see aspects of themselves within these struggles and triumphs.

So, as we embark on the task of crafting engaging characters, let us embrace their imperfections. Let us delve into their strengths and weaknesses, exploring the intricate dance between these qualities. By presenting characters who are flawed, yet compelling, we offer readers a mirror to their own human experiences, encouraging empathy, introspection, and an enduring connection to the story being told.

Fears and Weaknesses

Overcoming weaknesses could be the making of a remarkable historical character, so don’t think to create a sassy heroine she has to be macho or fearless.

The most common fears for women are pretty much the same as they have always been. Which of these fears are you going to challenge your female historical characters with?

  • not getting married or finding a life partner,
  • not having kids or losing a child,
  • getting old, maimed, or scarred,
  • being killed or raped,
  • being trapped in a loveless relationship,
  • being abandoned
  • ending up in poverty or dying alone.

Unveiling the Stakes: Empowering Historical Heroines

In the realm of historical fiction, the fate that awaits our heroines adds an element of intrigue and urgency to their narratives. As skilled writers, we have the power to create mesmerizing characters who utilize their strengths, weaknesses, and ingenuity to save themselves from their impending and often dire destinies.

It’s a High Stakes Game

One crucial aspect of storytelling is ensuring that the reader is aware of the high stakes faced by our historical heroines. By clearly communicating the potential consequences of failure, we heighten the tension and engage the reader on a profound emotional level. Whether it is the threat of societal ruin, loss of loved ones, or personal tragedy, the weight of their fate hangs in the balance.

Mesmerizing historical characters understand the gravity of their situations and use every tool at their disposal to overcome the challenges they encounter. They tap into their strengths, leveraging their unique abilities, talents, and resilience to navigate treacherous paths. Simultaneously, they acknowledge their weaknesses, recognizing areas where they must grow or seek assistance.

Ingenuity becomes a valuable ally in their journey.

Ingenuity becomes a valuable ally in their journey. These characters think creatively, seeking unconventional solutions to seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Their resourcefulness, adaptability, and strategic thinking enable them to outmanoeuvre their adversaries and alter their destinies.

By portraying heroines who actively shape their own narratives, we empower readers with a sense of agency and inspire them to face their own challenges with determination and courage. Witnessing the transformation of historical heroines as they defy their horrible fates instils hope and fuels a deep connection between the reader and the character.

Getting the Balance Right

However, it is essential to strike a delicate balance in portraying their struggles. While the stakes may be high, it is equally important to depict moments of vulnerability and emotional resonance. Readers are captivated by the multifaceted nature of characters who showcase a range of emotions, as it mirrors their own humanity. These authentic portrayals add depth and relatability, fostering a stronger connection between the reader and the heroine.

In the realm of historical fiction, we have the power to breathe life into captivating heroines who defy their predetermined fates. By clearly establishing the stakes, showcasing their strengths and weaknesses, and highlighting their ingenuity, we create narratives that grip readers and transport them to the past. These heroines inspire, empower, and ignite the imagination, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who embark on their extraordinary journeys.


Not the Prettiest Girl in Town

Characters we come to love are not the prettiest girls in town or the girls who never lose their temper.

Embracing Imperfections:

Complex and Resilient Historical Heroines

A point often overlooked is that the most beloved characters in literature are not always the prettiest or the ones who never lose their temper. Instead, it is their complexity, unique traits, and relatable flaws that captivate readers and make them truly unforgettable.

Take J.K. Rowling’s Hermione Granger, for example. She is a know-it-all, fiercely intelligent, and unafraid to showcase her vast knowledge. Rowling said the character of Hermione has several autobiographical influences: “I did not set out to make Hermione like me but she is a bit like me. She is an exaggeration of how I was when I was younger.” She recalled being called a “little know-it-all” in her youth. And she says that not unlike herself, “there is a lot of insecurity and a great fear of failure” beneath Hermione’s swottiness. Finally, according to Rowling, next to Albus Dumbledore, Hermione is the perfect expository character; because of her encyclopedic knowledge, she can always be used as a plot dump to explain the Harry Potter universe. Rowling also states that her feminist conscience is rescued by Hermione, “who’s the brightest witch of her age” and a “very strong female character.”

Dorothy L. Sayers’ Harriet Vane, a gawky and unorthodox bluestocking, faces false accusations of murder, demonstrating her resilience and determination. Vane, a mystery writer, initially meets Lord Peter Wimsey while she is on trial for poisoning her lover (Strong Poison).

Louisa May Alcott’s Jo March possesses a fearful temper. Second oldest of the four sisters, Jo is boy-like, the smartest, most creative one in the family; her father has referred to her as his “son Jo,” and her best friend and neighbour, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, sometimes calls her “my dear fellow.”

On balance, historical women, much like their fictional counterparts, were multifaceted individuals with their own pride, intellect, ambitions, and flaws. They experienced pain, harboured hatred towards certain individuals, and were susceptible to the wounds inflicted upon them by society.

Incorporating these authentic emotions and qualities into your historical female characters brings them to life. They become relatable, tangible figures who bleed when pricked, figuratively speaking. These heroines, despite their imperfections, possess strength, resilience, and an indomitable spirit that allow them to navigate the challenges of their time.

Getting the Right Male Protagonist

If your historical female character finds herself as the sidekick to an all-conquering male protagonist, it is entirely valid for her to feel peeved and occasionally disrupt the narrative. These moments of rebellion and disruption can add depth to her character, highlighting her desires for autonomy and recognition.

By embracing the complexities of historical heroines, we pay homage to the diverse experiences and struggles faced by women throughout history. We acknowledge their desires, dreams, and ambitions, while also recognizing the obstacles and limitations imposed upon them.

So, as writers, let us celebrate the imperfections and complexities of our historical heroines. Let us create multidimensional characters who embody pride, intellect, and ambition, while also allowing them to experience a range of emotions and confront the injustices of their time. By doing so, we empower these characters and offer readers a rich tapestry of resilience, determination, and the indomitable spirit of women throughout history.


Unleashing the Unexpected: Surprising Character Journeys

As writers, one of the joys of storytelling is allowing our characters to surprise us and, in turn, surprise themselves. By turning the tables, flipping expectations, and making the seemingly impossible possible, we create narratives that captivate and engage readers.

In the creative process, it is essential to give our characters the space to grow, evolve, and challenge their own limits. We can achieve this by presenting them with unexpected situations, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones and explore uncharted territory.

By letting our characters find their courage, they can overcome obstacles they never thought possible. This growth may emerge from fortuitous mistakes or taking advice that seems questionable at first. These moments of experimentation and risk-taking can lead to new perspectives, personal growth, and surprising triumphs.

However, on the negative side, growth often comes hand in hand with painful lessons. Our characters may be confronted by their own hypocrisy or face the consequences of their own actions. These moments of reckoning provide opportunities for introspection, self-reflection, and character development.

As the narrative unfolds, characters may stumble upon secrets that grant them power over others. This newfound knowledge can test their morality, leading them into temptation and challenging their integrity. How they handle these temptations reveals aspects of their character and provides rich opportunities for exploration.

By allowing our characters to surprise themselves, we create a sense of authenticity and depth. Just like real people, they are complex beings who navigate their own journeys of self-discovery. Through their choices and actions, they reveal their true nature and uncover hidden strengths and vulnerabilities.

As writers, we are guides and witnesses to these character transformations. We set the stage, present the challenges, and watch as our characters navigate their paths. By relinquishing control to some extent and allowing the characters to surprise us, we create narratives that are dynamic, unpredictable, and resonate deeply with readers.

So, let us embrace the unexpected in our storytelling. Lead our characters into uncharted territory, challenge their beliefs, and watch as they evolve and surprise themselves. By doing so, we create narratives that are vibrant, authentic, and reflect the rich tapestry of the human experience.


About the Author

Julia Herdman’s historical fiction novel, Sinclair is a captivating story set in the late 18th century, with strong female leads and themes of love, loss, redemption, and personal growth. The backdrop of 18th-century London, with its stark contrasts between the rich and the poor, adds depth and richness to the narrative. The book immerses readers in a world where compassion and kindness coexist with ambition, conflict, and temptation.

Through the experiences of the prodigal son, James Sinclair, who undergoes a transformative journey after a shipwreck, the novel explores themes of remorse, restitution, and recovery. The twists and tragedies encountered by the characters further enhance the depth of the story.

Sinclair offers readers a glimpse into the society and challenges of the 18th century while leaving them with a sense of fulfilment and positivity. It is a testament to the human spirit and the possibilities for growth and redemption that exist within us all.

Sinclair by Julia Herdman is available on Amazon.

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For more tips on writing see:

Six Rules for Writing Historical Fiction

The Present Past – Writing History

10 Things That Turn a Character Bad

About

How to Write Historical Fiction

Princess Dorothea von Lieven and Metternich – The Prince and the Swan

Princess Dorothea von Lieven and Metternich – The Prince and the Swan

Princess Dorothea von Lieven (1785 – 1857) was the lover of Klemens von Metternich. She was the wife of Prince Khristofor Andreyevich Lieven, Russian ambassador to London from 1812 to 1834.

Considered cold and snobbish by London Society Dorothea was not an instant success when she arrived fresh from the Russian court. Her destiny was however to become the lover of one of greatest men in European history.

Her long elegant neck earned her the nickname, “the swan” by those who loved. She was called“the giraffe” by those who did not. Reputation did not bother her. Dorothea was not after friendship she was after power and she used all her intelligence, charisma, and social skills to get it. Her aim was to influence others to support the Tsar and the Holy Alliance. She was passionate about defeating Napoleon and reestablishment of absolutist monarchy in Europe. Not only did she become the Austrian Chancellor, Prince Metternich’s lover she was also reputed to have had affairs or at least very close friendships with Lord Palmerston, Lord Castlereagh and Lord Grey while she was in London.

Her hard work paid off and soon invitations to Dorothea’s home became the most sought after in capital. She was the first foreigner to be elected a patroness of Almack’s where she is said to have introduced the waltz in 1814. The waltz was a dance considered riotous and indecent. It was first danced when Tsar Alexander came to town in 1814. This was when Dorothea first met Metternich. It seems they took an instant dislike to one another. She thought he was cold and intimidating and far too self- important. He dismissed her as just a pretty woman travelling in the Tsar’s wake and treated her with complete indifference.

Some four years later, the pair met again at the Dutch Ambassador’s party at Aix-La-Chappelle. Sitting next to each other they found they had much in common – they both hated Napoleon. Their notorious liaison began a few days later when Dorothea entered the Prince’s apartment incognito.

Metternich

Prince of Metternich-Winneburg-Beilstein; (1773 – 1859)

In Metternich, Dorothea had found her equal. The Prince was a man who could satisfy her physically, emotionally and intellectually. She wrote, “Good God! My love, I know how to rejoice in so few things, do you understand what makes me feel true happiness, it is you, only you! My Clement, if you cease to love me what will become of me? … My dear friend promise to love me as much as I love you; our lives are pledged in this promise.”

In Dorothea, Metternich had met the woman of his dreams; she could match his intellect and his passion. He wrote, “My happiness today is you. Your soul is full of common sense your heart is full of warmth … You are as a woman what I am as a man.”

Their heated, clandestine affair soon succumbed to the requirements state. They met occasionally but corresponded frequently. Like many illicit lovers, they were tortured by their separation and the knowledge they could never be together.

Dorothea was well aware of Metternich’s reputation as a libertine seducer. She knew he had a string of women following him and in his bed. She continued the relationship for eight years. Finally, she heard that he had thrown her over for a younger woman. Desolate, she broke off their relationship in 1826. By the end, references to Metternich in her letters were cold and spiteful. Time did not heal her broken heart. She had nothing good to say about him or his third wife when she saw him in Brighton in 1849. she describes him as “slow and tedious” and his wife as “stout and well-mannered.”

She ended her days in Paris as the ‘wife’ of the French politician Guizot. It was said that although she was a widow she refused to marry Guizot because it would mean giving up her title ‘Serene Highness’. This was something the proud and regal woman was never going to do. Like her former lover, she was ancient regime through and through.

Dorothea died peacefully at her home in Paris, aged 71, in January 1857. She is a recurring minor figure in many historical novels, notably those of Georgette Heyer. Heyer portrays her as a haughty, formidable, and unapproachable leader of society. In The Grand Sophy she is described as “clever and amusing”, and there is a passing reference in that book to her role in political intrigues. Metternich died in Vienna two years later aged 86. He was the last guardian of the ancient regime, which had long since passed into history.

Dorothea

Princess Dorothea von Lieven (1785 – 1857)

Sources:
Dorothea Lieven: A Russian Princess in London and Paris, 1785-1857 By Judith Lissauer Cromwell
The Congress of Vienna: Power and Politics After Napoleon By Brian E. Vick
1815: The Roads to Waterloo By Gregor Dallas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klemens_von_Metternich
http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2015-01-28-sluga-en.html

The Present Past – Writing History

The Present Past – Writing History

Using the Present Tense to Write About the Past

Writing about the past in the present tense is hot with publishers but does it work for readers?

In writing and rhetoric, the historical present or narrative present is the employment of the present tense when narrating past events.

Dickens – David Copperfield

Dickens used it to give immediacy: ‘If the funeral had been yesterday, I could not recollect it better. The very air of the best parlour, when I went in at the door, the bright condition of the fire, the shining of the wine in the decanters, the patterns of the glasses and plates, the faint sweet smell of cake, the odour of Miss Murdstone’s dress, and our black clothes. Mr. Chillip is in the room and comes to speak to me.

“And how is Master David?” he says, kindly.

I cannot tell him very well. I give him my hand, which he holds in his.

— Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Chapter IX

Recent Writing

Sarah Dunant

More recently, analysts of its use in conversation have argued that it functions by foregrounding events that is, signaling that one event is particularly important than others. Historical novelist Sarah Dunant is one of the ace exponents of this style of writing. She uses the present tense to bring the past to life. The elegance of her prose can be seen in this quote from her latest book, In the Name of the Family, Virago, 2017.

“He leaves for work each day at dawn. In the beginning, she had hoped that her nest-ripe body might tempt him to linger awhile. Florence is rife with stories of married men who use early risings of excuses to visit their mistresses, and he had come with a reputation for enjoying life. That even if that were the case, there’s nothing she can do about it, not least because where ever he is going, this husband of hers has already gone from her long before he gets out of the door.

In fact, Niccolo Machiavelli doesn’t leave the warmth of his marriage bed for any other woman (he can do that easily enough on his way home), but because the days dispatches arrived at the Pallazzo della Signoria early and it is his greatest pleasure as well as his duty to be among the first to read them.

His journey takes him down the street on the south side of the city and across the river Arno via the Ponte Vecchio. A maverick winter snowfall has turned into grimy frost and the ground cracks like small animal bones under his feet. On the bridge, fresh carcasses are being unloaded into the butcher’s shops. Through the open shutters, he catches glimpses of the river, its surface a silvery apricot under the rising sun. A feral dog streaks across his path, going for a goblet of offal near the wheel of a cart. It earns him a kick in the ribs of his daring but his jaws remain firmly clenched over the prize. Scavenging opportunist Niccolo thinks, not without a certain admiration.”

Dunant describes her inspiration in an interview with Meredith K. Ray.

She said, “I became interested in a very simple idea, which was, “What would it have been like to be in the middle of the cauldron [Florence] of the shock of the new that they must have felt when it was happening around them?”
I just kept thinking “Dear God, everywhere you go in this city, it must have been vibrating!” I wondered whether or not it would be possible to write a book that would capture that sense of exploding modernity within the past.

Then of course what happened is when I went back to look at the history, I realized that there had been a quiet but persuasive revolution going on within the discipline. When I was doing history [at Cambridge] . . . people studying [gender and race] had yet to move into doing their post-graduate work and become professors and start producing the literature which was starting to fill in the missing spaces or at least make a gesture towards the colour.

I really often think of [history] as a pointillist painting, which is made up of a thousand dots. It’s just bits of paint, but as you walk away, each one of them gives you more of a sense of internal life and dynamic. I really began to feel that that was true about some of the history that I’d studied: blocks of primary colour, but there was stuff missing and it was very important stuff. It was like, “What was it like to be half the population?”

Dunnant’s story proceeds through a succession of tremendous set pieces, including a sea storm, a plague, the delivery of a child and various skirmishes as the pope and his children seek to tighten the “Borgia belt” around Italy. The focus is on the immediacy of the experience in a similar way to Hilary Mantel’s Tudor novels. Like Mantel Dunant’s project is a sympathetic presentation. The villains are human beings with families and needs – power being the first among many. Dunant has made the Borgia’s completely her own in this way. How the use of the present tense fits this aim is unclear as it used in all her writing.

 

Hilary Mantel

Mantel’s prose is sparse and more visceral by comparison;”The blood from the gash on his head – which is his father’s first effort – is trickling across his face. Add to this, his left eye is blinded, but if he squints sideways with his right eye he can see that the stitching of his father’s boot is unravelling. The twine has sprung loose from the leather, and a hard knot in it has caught his eyebrow and opened another cut.“So now get up!” Walter is roaring down at him, working out where to kick him next. He lifts his head an inch or two, and moves forward, on his belly, trying to do it without exposing his hands, on which Walter enjoys stamping. “What are you an eel?” his parent asks. He trots backwards, and aims another kick.” Woolf Hall, Harper Collins, 2009.

Mantel said, “My concern as a writer is with memory, personal and collective: with the restless dead asserting their claim.” Perhaps that is why she uses the present tense in her work.

She goes on to say that when we memorialise the dead we are sometimes desperate for the truth or for a comforting illusion. As a nation, we need to reach into the past for foundation myths of our tribe. We find them in past glories and past grievance, but we seldom find them in cold facts. Nations she says are built on wishful versions of their origins: stories in which our ancestors were giants, of one kind or another.

According to Mantel, we live in a world of romance. Once the romance was about aristocratic connections and secret status, the fantasy of being part of an elite. Now the romance is about deprivation, dislocation, about the distance covered between there and here. The facts have less traction, less influence on what we are and what we do, than the self-built fictions.

Novelists she says are interested in driving new ideas but readers are touchingly loyal to the first history they learn. However, if you’re looking for safety and authority, history is the wrong place to look say Mantel. Any worthwhile history is in a constant state of self-questioning, just as any worthwhile fiction is. If the reader asks the writer, “Have you evidence to back your story?” the answer should be yes: but you hope the reader will be wise to the many kinds of evidence there are, and how they can be used.”

Does writing about the past in the present tense work?  As much as I admire both writers I shall be sticking to the past tense in my writing with a bit of present tense thrown in for immediacy when required. As a reader, I find it much easier to read and hold onto the story when it’s written that way. Too much present tense, in my opinion, can end up like listening to the audio-description while you’re watching TV even if the prose is elegant.

Julia Herdman’s debut novel ‘Sinclair‘ is available on Amazon worldwide.

 

Julia Herdman

Maria Cosway the Artist who Captured the Heart of Thomas Jefferson

Maria Cosway the Artist who Captured the Heart of Thomas Jefferson

 

Maria Hadfield Cosway, Repelling the Spirit of Melancholy

Maria Cosway was born Luisa Caterina Cecilia Hadfield was born on 11 June 1760 in Florence, Italy to Charles Hadfield, who was a native of Shrewsbury, England, and an Italian mother.

Her father was a successful innkeeper at Livorno, where he had become very wealthy. The Hadfields operated three inns in Tuscany, all frequented by British aristocrats taking the Grand Tour.

One of eight children Maria was born into a comfortable and happy family. Her life should have been a tranquil one. Unbeknown to the family tragedy would overtake them when four of the Hadfield children were killed by their  mentally ill nursemaid who claimed she was sending the children to heaven. Luckily she was caught and imprisoned before she could kill Maria.

While still in Florence, Maria Hadfield  studied art and painting under Violante Cerroti and Johann Zoffany.

The Florentine Violante Beatrice Siries (1709–1783) was an Italian painter of repute. She studied under Hyacinthe Rigaud and François Boucher in Paris from 1726. When she returned to Florence she married Giuseppe Cerroti. She was talented in several genres, but established herself as a famous portraitist She gained the patronage of the Medici family in 1731 and travelled to Rome and Vienna to paint various members of the family .Her most ambitious work was a fourteen figure family group of the emperor Charles VI, the father of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa in 1735. Three of her self-portraits are preserved in the Uffizi Gallery.

Johann Zoffany (1733 -1810) was a German neoclassical painter, active mainly in England, Italy and India. His works appear in many prominent British collections such as the National Gallery, London, the Tate Gallery and in the Royal Collection, as well as institutions in Europe, India, the United States and Australia.  While Zoffany was painting The Tribuna of the Uffizi  in 1773 Hadfield copied Old Masters at the Uffizi Gallery. She continued copying for another five years and experimenting until 1778 when she was elected to the Academia del Disegno in Florence in 1778. She also went to Rome, where she studied art under Pompeo Batoni, Anton Raphael Mengs, Henry Fuseli, and Joseph Wright of Derby.

Self Portrait With Arms Folded

On 18 January 1781, Maria Hadfield married a fellow artist, the celebrated miniature portrait painter Richard Cosway, in what is thought to have been a marriage of convenience.

Richard was born in Tiverton, Devon, the son of a schoolmaster. He was initially educated at Blundell’s School but at the age of twelve he was allowed to travel to London to take lessons in painting. He won a prize from the Society of Artists in 1754 and by 1760 had established his own business. He exhibited his first works at the age of 20 in 1762 and was soon in demand.

Maria’s husband was one of the first group of associate members of the Royal Academy, elected in August 1770, and was elected a full member the following March, on the casting vote of the academy’s president, Sir Joshua Reynolds.  He was 20 years Maria’s senior, known as a libertine, and was repeatedly unfaithful to her.

Richard Cosway was “commonly described as resembling a monkey.” Her Italian manners were so foreign that her husband kept Maria secluded until she fully mastered the English language. Cosway also forbade his wife from painting, possibly out of fear of the gossip which surrounded women painters.

Her Self-Portrait with Arms Folded is seen as a response his command. The reprobate Cosway, realised his wife was his best financial asset and changed his mind.

More than 30 of her works were displayed at the Royal Academy of Art from 1781 until 1801. She soon enhanced her reputation as an artist, especially when her portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire in the character of Cynthia was exhibited.

Rather than being a social embarrassment she could claim the Hon. Mrs. Darner, the Countess of Aylesbury; Lady Cecilia Johnston; and the Marchioness of Townshend among her acquaintances.

In 1784, the Cosways moved into Schomberg House, Pall Mall, and developed a fashionable salon for London society. Richard was Principal Painter of the Prince of Wales, and Maria served as hostess to artists, members of royalty including the Prince, and politicians including Horace Walpole, Gouverneur Morris and James Boswell all attended the couples soirees. Maria who could speak several languages and had an international circle of friends.

The man who would be the American President Thomas Jefferson met the Cosways in August 1786 at the Halle aux Bleds in Paris, through the American artist John Trumbull. According to Trumbull, the President’s entourage “was occupied with the same industry in examining whatever relates to the arts …. Mr. Jefferson joined our party almost daily.” Their excursions included sites such as Versailles, the Louvre, Louis XIV’s retreat Marly, the Palais Royal, St. Germain, and the Column at the Désert de Retz.

Jefferson was enchanted by Maria, and her departure from Paris in October 1786 compelled him to write the only existing love letter in the vast collection of his correspondence.

In ‘The dialogue between my Head and my Heart,” dated October 12th and 13th, 1786. Jefferson poured out the contents of both. The bulk of the letter is a dialogue between Jefferson’s calculating reason (for which he is well known) and his spontaneous emotions (for which he is lesser known). Jefferson describes his emotional state after she has left saying he is “the most wretched of all earthly beings” and his reason responds by admonishing him for his attachment. His heart defends itself saying that no one will care for him who cares for nobody.

Their marriage was never a happy one. Richard and Maria had one child together, Louisa Paolina Angelica. The couple eventually separated. Maria took herself back to the continent. On one occasion accompanied by Luigi Marchesi, a famous Italian castrato. Marchesi was reputed to have been the handsomest castrato of all time and was said to have been adored by the whole female population of Rome. Maria, was a beautiful woman who attracted the most gifted and handsome of men.

Whether she ever had a relationship with Jefferson remains a mystery. Though her husband’s extramarital affairs were no secret, Cosway was  a married woman and a devout Catholic when she met him so it is unlikely she entered into sexual relationship with him. The pair did however engage in correspondence.

After returning to America in 1789, Jefferson’s letters to her grew less frequent; partly due to the fact that he was increasingly preoccupied by his position as President George Washington’s secretary of state. She, however, continued to write to him. In her letters she vented her frustration at his growing aloofness. She clearly wanted a some passion to pass between them even if it was only in writing.  In his last letters, he spoke more of his scientific studies than of his love and desire for her. Finally he admitted that his love for her had been relegated to fond memories of when their relationship had been “pure.” Whatever that meant.

Their relationship was fictionalised in ‘Jefferson in Paris‘ a 1995 Franco-American historical drama film, directed by James Ivory, which had previously entitled Head and Heart. The screenplay, by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, is a semi-fictional account of Thomas Jefferson’s tenure as the Ambassador of the United States to France before his Presidency and of his alleged relationships with British artist Maria Cosway and his slave, Sally Hemings.

Maria Cosway eventually moved to Lodi, in Italy, where  she established a convent school for girls. Cosway and Jefferson wrote to one another occasionally, with letters coming first from Cosway.

At her home in Lodi, Cosway kept the portrait of Jefferson by John Trumbull that is now at the White House. It was presented to the United States by the Italian government on the occasion of the 1976 Bicentennial of the American Revolution.

Today, Cosway’s paintings and engravings are held by the British Museum, the New York Public Library and the British Library. Her work was included in recent exhibits at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 1995–96 and the Tate Britain in 2006.

Julia Herdman writes history ad historical fiction. Her latest book Sinclair, Tales of Tooley Street Vol. 1. is  Available on Amazon – Paperback £10.99 and Kindle  Also available on:

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See Also:

The History of the Love Letter

How to Write a Good Love Letter

Women, Crime and Punishment

Women, Crime and Punishment

Through most of history, men were thought of as the stronger sex. Men were and in many cases still are considered to be the more violent, more intelligent, more courageous, and the more determined sex.

Women were considered more placid and at worst governed by their unpredictable emotions. The ideal woman was expected to be passive, chaste, modest, compassionate, and pious.

Historians claim that the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries witnessed a significant separation of the sexes in society. For example, at that time women and men to started to develop separate social lives. Women took tea at home, while men frequented the coffee shops in town. Women started to withdraw from the dining table after a meal to let the men smoke and talk politics while they concerned themselves with more domestic topics of conversation, played cards and drank tea. These social changes were in part due to increased wealth and to some extent, the growing influence of evangelical Christianity, which placed a high moral value on female domesticity, virtue, and religiosity. The women of the comfortably off were not expected to want for anything and if they did they were expected to keep their desires to themselves.

Rope, Model, Hands, Bondage, Freedom, Passion, FictionThose girls and women of the lower classes who broke society’s rules were treated with a mixture of cruelty and disdain. When it came to crime, women were accused of fewer, and different, crimes to men. At the Old Bailey women accounted for only 21% of the defendants tried between 1674 and 1913. This  figure masks a significant chronological change, however. While women accounted for around 40% of the defendants from the 1690s to the 1740s (and, highly unusually, over half the defendants in the first decade of the eighteenth century), over the course of the period this proportion declined significantly.

The shadow of Newgate Prison looms over the book Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe just as the real building must have loomed over surrounding London. Moll starts her life in that cold place, and she comes pretty close to ending it there, too. The prison is mentioned nearly forty times over the course of the book, more than any other place or even any other character’s name. Moll enters the prison as a thief and says looked around upon all the horrors of that dismal place.

‘I looked on myself as lost, and that I had nothing to think of but of going out of the world, and that with the utmost infamy: the hellish noise, the roaring, swearing, and clamour, the stench and nastiness, and all the dreadful crowd of afflicting things that I saw there, joined together to make the place seem an emblem of hell itself, and a kind of an entrance into it.'(Moll Flanders, Daniel Defoe.)

By the early nineteenth century only 22% of defendants were women, and as the twentieth century dawned that percentage had dropped to 9%. By the early twentieth century serious crime had become a mainly male problem and female deviance was viewed as a consequence of sexual immorality and mental defectiveness and was addressed through other agencies such as the asylum. Reasons for admission were various and included Egotism, Fever and Jealousy, Immoral Life, Novel Reading, Nymphomania, Shooting a daughter, Greediness and Self Abuse between 1864 and 1889  according to a poster from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the US.Similar practices occurred in the UK.

During the 18th century women tended to be accused of certain kinds of theft – pickpocketing, shoplifting, theft from lodging houses, theft from their masters stores, and for receiving stolen goods. The more serious crimes that women were involved in included coining, kidnapping, keeping a brothel, and offences surrounding childbirth such as infanticide, concealing a birth or illegal abortions. Young women who fell prey to their employers and their employer’s sons often found themselves with an unwanted child and no job.Although prostitution itself was not tried at the Old Bailey, keeping a brothel was, and women account for about a third of those prosecuted for brothel keeping.

Of the 47 infanticide cases Naomi Clifford read researching her book, It is Women and the Gallows: Unfortunate Wretches, 13 ended in the acquittal of the manslaughter or murder charge but the conviction rate for the lesser crime of concealing a birth, for which the defendants were given prison sentences ranging from 14 days to 2 years more commonly brought in a guilty verdict. When convicted of infanticide a woman was usually hanged.

Appearing as a defendant at the Old Bailey must have been a significantly more intimidating experience for women than it was for men. All court personnel, from the judges and jury to lawyers and court officials were men except when a panel of all women was convened. These all female juries were  known as a ‘jury of matrons’ and were called to determine the validity of a convicted woman’s plea that she was pregnant. Pregnant women could not be hanged until they had delivered their unborn child.

There is some evidence that juries treated evidence presented by female witnesses more sceptically than that delivered by men. The testimony of women was more likely to be omitted from court proceedings. At the same time, other evidence suggests that juries may have been more reluctant to convict women because women were perceived to be less of a threat to society. The legal principle of the feme covert, which made women responsible for crimes committed in the presence of their husbands (they were presumed to be following their husbands’ commands) was not often applied. A married man was legally responsible for any debts his wife ran up with or without his knowledge.

The pattern of punishments for convicted women was significantly different from that of men, though when sentences for the same offence are compared, the differences are not so significant.

Before 1691, women convicted of the theft of goods worth more than 10 shillings could not receive the benefit of clergy unlike men and were sentenced to death. In practice, they were often acquitted, convicted on a reduced charge, or pardoned. Juries are usually reluctant to convict when they feel the punishment does not fit the crime.

Women convicted of treason or petty treason were sentenced to death by being burned at the stake until 1790 while men convicted of the same offences were hanged, drawn and quartered. It seems the authorities did not want to expose women to this humiliating fate of being undressed in public when they were being executed. Women sentenced to death who successfully pleaded that they were pregnant had their punishments respited and often remitted entirely. From 1848, reprieves granted to pregnant women were always permanent.

Following the suspension of transportation to America in 1776, a statute authorised judges to sentence male offenders otherwise liable to transportation to hard labour improving the navigation of the Thames (they were incarcerated on the hulks), while women, and those men unfit for working on the river, were to be imprisoned and put to hard labour. Only men could be sentenced to military or naval duty, and fewer women were selected for transportation when transportation to Australia began in 1787. The public whipping of women was abolished in 1817 (having been in decline since the 1770s), while the public flogging of men continued into the 1830s (and was not abolished until 1862).

The perception of women as passive and weak and the types of misdemeanours most frequently committed by them made them seem far less of a threat to society than the crimes committed by men. However, when a woman transgressed into the world of ‘male crime’, her punishment was likely to be more severe because as a woman she had not only committed a crime against society she had transgressed the ideal of womanhood and stepped outside her expected gender role.

Jail, Dublin, Hall, Old, History, Prison, Kilmainham

Source: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Gender.jsp

Julia Herdman writes historical fiction.

Sinclair is available of Amazon. Click here to get your copy.

Sinclair is set in the London Borough of Southward, the Yorkshire town of Beverley and in Paris and Edinburgh in the late 1780s. Strong female leads include the widow Charlotte Leadam and the farmer’s daughter Lucy Leadam. Sinclair is a story of love, loss and redemption. Prodigal son James Sinclair is transformed by his experience of being shipwrecked on the way to India to make his fortune. Obstacles to love and happiness include ambition, conflict with a God, temptation and betrayal. Remorse brings restitution and recovery. Sinclair is an extraordinary book. It will immerse you in the world of 18th century London where the rich and the poor are treated with kindness and compassion by this passionate Scottish doctor and his widowed landlady, the owner of the apothecary shop in Tooley Street.  Sinclair is filled with twists and tragedies, but it will leave you feeling good.

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