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Queen's Gambit


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Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Created: 08/22/13

Replies: 13

Posted Aug. 22, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Both Katherine and Dot "had married for love. A daft thing to do really". Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?


Posted Sep. 02, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terri

Join Date: 04/11/12

Posts: 102

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

This is a very easy question and oh so obvious. The king has his choice of whoever he wants to marry. The poor woman doesn't even have a say in the matter. Then he can marry off his children to whoever he wants. Even those around him have to have his permission to marry. Love is not even a consideration.


Posted Sep. 02, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
elizabethl

Join Date: 06/19/13

Posts: 19

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

I actually think the problem is more that 1) loves make you vulnerable and makes it harder to sacrifice others to save (or advance) yourself and 2) that you you might love someone who does not feel the same way and who would betray you. Elizabeth learned the first lesson and Katherine the latter.


Posted Sep. 02, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
estherl

Join Date: 09/02/13

Posts: 10

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Marriage was meant to be for strategic positioning not for love.


Posted Sep. 02, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lisag

Join Date: 01/12/12

Posts: 298

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Agree with estherl. Marriage was made solely for the purpose of enlarging lands and advancing power. The concept of marriage for love didn't come along 'til around the 1900s. It's a relatively new concept.


Posted Sep. 03, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lynnw

Join Date: 09/01/11

Posts: 166

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

If you were to marry for love, how would that benefit your family, your future children or yourself. Most often it seems the woman, or girl, was simply a pawn to be used by her family to their best advantage.


Posted Sep. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
irisf

Join Date: 01/16/12

Posts: 136

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Esther1 has it exactly right.


Posted Sep. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Retired Reader, NE

Join Date: 09/16/11

Posts: 165

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Marriage is not about love. For Henry it was often about lust. Marriage was about achieving an advantage--power, property, and political advantage. Not getting married seems the best option.


Posted Sep. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorothygo

Join Date: 03/27/13

Posts: 23

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

I agree with Esther, as well. It seems as if every move that was made had to be well thought out and planned. Marriage was probably one of the most important steps and it could take you higher or drag you down in placement. Love seemed an option that few could afford.


Posted Sep. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliae

Join Date: 08/23/11

Posts: 12

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

It was seen as a folly not only in the Tudor court but throughout the whole society. It was an economic decision for the family.( Indeed, this holds true in many cultures today.) The stakes were that much larger the further you got up the social ladder, hence the importance in the Tudor Court


Posted Sep. 09, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alycet

Join Date: 04/23/12

Posts: 182

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

I agree with lisag and julise. That's the way marriage was among the royal courts. Love did not enter the picture. Choices were primarily made by men.


Posted Sep. 09, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jww

Join Date: 05/31/11

Posts: 166

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Marriage was a tool. A tool for manipulation, for producing heirs, for gain of power or lands and titles, but not normally for love. Only occasionally were the marriages mutually satisfying for the participants. The woman was a pawn in the game. The Tudor Court played this game to its ultimate extremes.


Posted Sep. 15, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terri

Join Date: 04/11/12

Posts: 102

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Bottom line is love was never in the picture.


Posted Sep. 15, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
sylviaj

Join Date: 09/14/11

Posts: 30

RE: Why is marrying for love seen as folly in the Tudor Court?

Love in essence was folly since love could blind one to other people's true feelings, desires and blind one to where they really stood in terms of social position of actually marrying for love. Katherine's love for Thomas blinded her to his selfish ambition that was really behind their secret marriage and to what was really going on between him and Elizabeth. Marrying for love was folly for Dot because the man she really loved was above her station, without the Queen's approval she could never have been with William Savage.


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