In the historical allegory, a majority--though by no means all--critics favor the
notion that Kirkrapine represents the early-modern monastic orders in England and that
Una's lion represents Henry VIII, and more specifically, his new policy in religion,
including the dissolution of the monastic foundations. When the lion kills Kirkrapine,
the point is that the Crown was ending the practice by which monastic orders "stole"
resources from the parish clergy, receiving a disproportionate part of the wealth from
donations and bequests and using it to further increase the wealth of the foundations
rather than to feed the poor and tend to the secular needs of regular parishes.
If that interpretation is right, then Sansloy in his historical dimension seems to
represent the lawlessness associated with the dissolution of the monasteries--the large
and dangerous set of insurrections called the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, which had
complex causes but which was clearly sparked in part by the dissolutions, and the
lesser (but still widespread) risings against Edward VI, who extended his father's
policy of dissolution from the major monastic foundations to lesser ones, such as
collegiate chapels and chantries. Sansloy seems to represent lawlessness throughout
the period, not just that associated with the dissolutions, but in the Kirkrapine
episode, there is at least a plausible case to be made that his significance in the
historical allegory has to do with these particular incidents.
The death of the lion is, of course, a crux in this reading. Whatever we say about that
incident, however, the royal beast's demise corresponds nicely with the end of the
policy of dissolution that came with the death of Henry and of his son Edward and the
accession of Mary Tudor, who, on coming to the throne, attempted to revive the monastic
foundations. If historical interpretations are your cup of tea, you may have some
success with that line of interpretation.
Donald Stump
Saint Louis University
Consuelo Concepcion wrote:
> I was thinking more in terms of the lion not being so
> much an English or, even a Scottish, symbol (because
> it represents both countries) but a matter of
> displacement. My feeling about the lion is that he is
> not where he should be, that is in the House of Pride
> episode in Canto 4, thus making him disloyal to the
> very treachery he is supposed to represent.
> In traditional beastiaries, the lion represents
> excessive pride. In the Morgan Manuscript,for example,
> he is the first animal in the procession, but this
> changes depending on different interpretations of the
> animals. It could also mean the excessive pride of
> Catholicism that represented preveiously by the
> Angevin/Plantegent dynasty, culminating the Wars of
> the Roses.
> Thus, the lion, atleast in this case, represents a
> realigned "Protestant" loyalty that a "Cathloic"
> Sansloy cannot toerlate and kills him for his
> betrayal. I know this doesn't quite answer your
> question, but I hope it helps you.
>
> --- "Matthew STEGGLE(SCS)" <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > There is a thing about the Lion being a symbol of
> > England, isn't there?
> >
> > According to Brewer's Dict. of Phrase and Fable
> > http://www.bartleby.com/81/10346.html
> > the Lion represents England. See also
> >
> http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/174/1122/14804/1/frameset.html
> >
> http://www.bootlegbooks.com/Reference/PhraseAndFable/data/761.html
> >
> > - and what about that nursery rhyme about the lion
> > and the unicorn, which
> > represent the English and the Scottish monarchies.
> >
> > It's still with us as a national symbol - 3 lions on
> > the chest of the English
> > football team shirt - and a little lion is printed
> > on English hen's eggs -
> > hurrah!
> > see http://www.britegg.co.uk/homepage/index2.htm for
> > details.
> >
> > That's about as far as I can take the idea off the
> > top of my head.
> >
> > All the best,
> >
> > Matt.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -
> >
> >
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Dr Matthew Steggle
> > Lecturer in English, Sheffield Hallam University
> > Montgomery House, 32 Collegiate Crescent, Collegiate
> > Campus
> > Sheffield S10 2BJ - UNITED KINGDOM
> > Tel: (+44) 114 225 4350
> > Home:
> >
> http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/cs/teaching/ms/index.html
> > EMLS: http://purl.oclc.org/emls/emlshome.html
>
> =====
> Consuelo M. Concepcion
> P.O. Box 973
> Annandale, Virginia 22003-9973
> [log in to unmask]
> (703)965-0119
>
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