Irony as a means of characterization in Wolf hall by Hilary Mantel

But ironically it is Anne Cromwell who is to die during an epidemic of the sweating sickness in London.

Cromwell is presented as a complex character capable of almost any deed. Pleading for her husband Thomas More’s wife gives the following account of Thomas Cromwell stressing his power to accomplish anything.

my husband used to say, lock Cromwell in a deep dungeon in the morning, and when you come back that night he’ll be sitting on a plush cushion eating larks’ tongues, and all the jailers will owe him money (Mantel 2010: 605).

In spite of his indispensable services to the king at court Cromwell seems to be surrounded by enemies, the long list of which includes Queen Katherine, Thomas More, Lord Chancellor, and Stephen Gardiner, Master Secretary to Henry VIII, as well as Anne Boleyn and her relatives. Although Thomas Cromwell assisted in getting the king the divorce, his relations with Anne are strained to say the least. Neither seems to trust the other and waits to be stabbed in the back.

At New Year's he had given Anne a present of silver forks with handles of rock crystal. He hopes she will use them to eat with, not to stick in people [Mantel 2010:296].

Are her teeth good?’ Mercy says. ‘For God’s sake, woman: when she sinks them into me, I’ll let you know’ (Mantel 2010: 208).

The rivalry with Stephen Gardiner stems from the difference in their views, Cromwell considers his service to the king defecting and hates both him and Thomas More for ruining the cardinal. He is set to crush his bitter enemies and their meetings are characterized by mutual taunting.

The silence lasts till Westminster. But on the whole, not too bad a trip. As he mentions, disembarking, neither of them has thrown the other in to the water. Tm waiting till the water’s colder,’ Gardiner says, ‘and till I can tie weights to you. You have a trick of resurfacing, don’t you?’ (Mantel, 2010: 23)

His attitude towards Thomas More is even more unrelenting as Cromwell blames him for mercilessly torturing anyone even suspected of being involved with Protestants so he thinks, almost triumphantly, during More’s trial T remembered you, Thomas More, but you didn't remember me. You never even saw me coming’ (Mantel, 2010: 640).

On a more personal level Hilary Mantel portrays a person who has his own regrets from the past, the chief of which is his brutal father. The man who cares deeply for his family and mourns the loss of them and in an attempt to overcome the grief surrounds himself with all kinds of people creating a “community”, a better household than the one he left in childhood.

..I shall be as tender to you as my father was not to me.

For what's the point of breeding children, if each generation does not improve on who went before? (Mantel 2010: 43-44).

The death of his wife and daughters is a blow that he cannot fully recover from, remembering them while reading the book that his wife left and copybooks of his daughter and looking at the Christmas costume’s wings for his youngest daughter.

He remembers the morning: the damp sheets, her damp forehead. Liz, he thinks, didn’t you fight? If I had seen your death coming, I would have taken him and beaten in his death’s head; I would have crucified him against the wall (Mantel 2010: 102).

This personality, desire to go all lengths to protect his loved ones, is a striking contrast to the public image of Cromwell , a person with ‘a hard Cromwelliam stare - the equivalent of a kick’ (Mantel 2010: 167). Unknown facts of his biography, made-up stories of the late cardinal and rumours create the image of a murderer which comes as a surprise to the character himself so the effect of the dramatic irony is manifest.

He turns to the painting. T fear Mark was right.’

Who is Mark?’

‘A silly little boy who runs after George Boleyn. I once heard him say I looked like a murderer.’

Gregory says, ‘Did you not know?’ (Mantel 2010: 527).

Verbal irony used by the character draws forth the flaws of the others, it lets us take a peek behind the masks of kings and dukes and earls and ladies of the court. It presents a court full of people, with their flaws and petty emotions. Thanks to the candid tale that is spun by the protagonist, the reader can see the world of Henry VIII for what it’s worth.

Dramatic irony of the trilogy is the most vicious one. Being cognizant of the fate of the protagonist, his endeavours seem even more desperate to the reader.

Poetic irony, as defined above, is the leading trope. No matter how it is used, either to amuse the reader or make them raise their eyebrow incredulously at the insolence of the main character, the main point will remain the same: poetic irony unites the work of Hilary Mantel, making it a comprehensive whole. It lets the author and the reader reconcile with the fact that the actions of Thomas Cromwell are ultimately a failure, and compels the reader to feel pity and compassion towards the man that lived, not the fictional character. This might be the biggest achievement and the highest praise for any author.