The Crimson Ribbon is a very well written and researched
debut historical novel by Katherine Clements. The supreme test of a
historical novel is how well the author blends fictional characters with real-life
figures and events. The Crimson Ribbons passes that test.
The central character of the book is Ruth Flowers, a very
believable creation of the author's imagination. Flower's life intersects with
the real-life figures of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Poole.
Clements treatment of Cromwell and Poole is very disciplined
and accurate. It is always tempting for a novelist to play fast and loose with
history and historical figures. Cromwell is a very well-known and written about
figure and does not play a too greater part in the book. Poole, on the other
hand, is not well known, and Clements has a bit more space to explore her life
creatively.
The opening chapter of the book is very violent and explores
the treatment of women who stepped out of line with the authorities. The
English revolution brought about a significant politicisation of all sectors of
society none more so than women. In the 17th century, England women were
allowed to be seen but not heard.
While it was dangerous for men to question the existing
political and economic setup, for women at the beginning of the 17th century,
it was nearly impossible. But women of all classes managed to be heard, and
some cases very loudly. The explosion of printing presses enabled women with
little money to spread their ideas and propaganda to a wider audience than ever
before.
But this had a severe price. The ruling elite correctly saw
this radicalisation of women as a direct threat to their power and privileges.
The women who spoke up, formed groups and joined the radical parties such as
the Levellers Fifth Monarchists and even Baptists or Quakers were seen as a
plague and in many cases labelled witches.
According to the writer John Carey "a woman could be
publicly humiliated, ducked or bridled merely for scolding her husband,
neighbours – or government". The book highlights the precarious nature of
women who step outside the bounds of society. The descent into poverty,
prostitution and sometimes death was all too real. Given the growth, today of
young women who for one reason have left their family home and have descended
into poverty and homelessness with little protection from the state shows that
despite the novel being set in the 17th century it has a contemporary feel to
it.
Clements character Ruth is well written and believable. The
fact that real-life characters similar to Flowers existed during the war has
largely passed historians by. Another aspect of the war that has only recently
been addressed is the tremendous growth of printing presses during the
revolution. Clements's book appears to be the first novel to broach the
subject.[1]
Much the way the internet has given a voice to people who would never be heard
so did the illegal printing presses in the 17th century.
Having read her writings, it is clear that Elizabeth Poole was a very political young woman.
She was close to a few of the radical groups that were prevalent at the time
and was close to the Fifth Monarchists.
The story of Ruth Flowers is used by Clements to keep the
novel ticking over. However the most interesting real-life character is
Elizabeth Poole. It is clear from extensive research on Poole that not much is
known about her life; even her birth and death are not agreed. According to the
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, she was born 1622? died in or after
1668.
Poole's main claim to fame was her intervention into the
debate over the fate of Charles 1st. According to Manfred Brod "It was
into this situation that Elizabeth Poole entered towards the end of December as
a kind of consultant prophetess. After some preliminary hearings of which
little is known, she was received in a plenary session of the council of
officers on 29 December. She told of a vision she had had, in which the army,
as a healthy young man, cured the nation, as a sick woman, of its disease. [2]
The power of the army, she explained, came from God and must
not be given away. Several officers, including Ireton, spoke to approve of her
presentation. Immediately afterwards, Lilburne came in with a petition, A Plea
for Common-Right and Freedom, which contained detailed proposals for the
conversion of the council of officers to a national executive body. Poole had
been brought in to play a mediating role between officers and Levellers.
There appears to be no proof that Poole met Lilburne but is
clear that she was very sympathetic towards him and the Levellers and used
their documents in her arguments against Cromwell and Ireton.
"I Have considered the agreement of the people that is
before you, and I am very jealous lest you should betray your trust in it (in
as much as the Kingly Power is faln into your hands) in giving it up to the
people; for thereby you give up the trust committed to you, and in so doing you
will prove your selves more treacherous then they that went before you, they
being no wayes able to improve it without you. You justly blame the King for
betraying his trust, and the Parliament for betraying theirs: This is the great
thing I have to say to you, Betray not you your trust".[3]
She then according to Brod in 1653 "Poole forced her
way into the pulpit of the chapel of Somerset House in London and preached in
favour of Lilburne, then on trial for his life. The congregation was a socially
prominent one, and the action was widely and sensationally reported in the
newsbooks".[4]
Despite being strong on plot and history, there is an
overriding weakness in the book, which is the near absence of politics.
Clements use of real figures such as William Kiffin (1616–1701), while being
historically accurate leaves out his political relationship with figures like
Poole.
Kiffin in Clements book is correctly portrayed as being
extremely hostile to Poole's indiscretions. However his real hostility is her
perceived association with the radical groups, especially the Levellers and
Fifth Monarchists, according to Michael A. G. Haykin "During the late
1640s and 1650s Kiffin emerged as a skilled spokesman for the fledgeling
Baptist movement. In 1646 Kiffin and Knollys were involved in a public debate
in Coventry with two paedobaptists, John Bryan and Obadiah Grew. Kiffin was a
signatory to the dedication in Walwins Wiles (1649), an attack on the Levellers
usually attributed to John Price".[5]
According to Brod "Kiffin also played a prominent role
in the expansion of the movement beyond London. Extant documents from places as
far afield as Wales and Northumberland, Ireland and the Midlands reveal
Kiffin's involvement in planning the establishment of new churches and
associations, then in giving them advice and counsel, and generally in
providing stability to the Baptist cause during these early days of the
movement. One critical moment came in May 1658, when, at the meeting of the
western association of Baptist churches in Dorchester, some individuals who
were sympathetic to the potentially subversive politics of the Fifth Monarchy
movement sought to convince the representatives of the churches in the
association to espouse publicly the ideals and goals of this party. Kiffin, who
was present with other representatives from the churches in London,
successfully persuaded the western association not to commit itself in this
direction. While some of the Fifth Monarchy movement appears to have been
relatively harmless students of the Bible, others had definite revolutionary
tendencies and were convinced that they should take an active, even violent,
role in the fulfilment of the prophecies of Daniel. Open and widespread
adherence to these views by the Particular Baptists would have had harmful and
serious repercussions for the Baptist movement."[6]
Historical novels are notoriously hard to place within the current
historiography of the English revolution. Academic work is easier. While researching
her novel, Clements mentions Christopher Hill as one of her influences. Hill,
despite being an academic historian belonged to a group of Communist Party
historians who pioneered the history from below genre. Clements book is a
historical novel from below.
I liked the book. It works on two levels; it is a very well
written book, and the storyline is plausible. The history is well researched
and accurate up to a point. An examination of the politics of the characters in
the book would have made the book a better read.
Apart from this nitpicking, I would recommend the book to those interested in the subject. The Crimson Ribbon has been extensively reviewed both in the mainstream media and given the number of blogs mentioned in the blurb quite heavily in the blogosphere deserves a wide readership.
Apart from this nitpicking, I would recommend the book to those interested in the subject. The Crimson Ribbon has been extensively reviewed both in the mainstream media and given the number of blogs mentioned in the blurb quite heavily in the blogosphere deserves a wide readership.
[2] http://www.oxforddnb.com
[3] From the writings of
Elizabeth Poole http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebogroup/index.html
[4] http://www.oxforddnb.com
[5] http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/15521-
Michael A. G. Haykin
[6] Kiffin, William
(1616–1701), http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/15521
