Create a new account

It's simple, and free.

The Pillars of the Earth

This research will discuss The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett, especially the power of the Church of England. The research will give an overview of the church's extensive economic holdings and will focus on the King's power, but show how it was shared with church leaders, who had the weapon of religious authority. The discussion will also include how the characters in the book were affected by the church's influence. The research will show the types of overall influence which the church had on society and politics and how the church helped England avoid anarchy after the heir to King Henry's throne died in 1120.

Follett's book opens in England with a man's hanging (11). The death is cursed by a girl (15-16), who is later introduced as Ellen (the beautiful outlaw who lives in the forest (36)) and becomes Tom Builder's lover. The hanging was caused by church leaders and English royalty, who worked together to control land holdings and precious resources. By the end, three people, including Bigod Waleran, conspired to have the man hung because he was the sole survivor of the shipwreck where King Henry's heir died, and, had he lived, he might have provided clues about tbe plot to kill the heir.

One of the first characters introduced is Tom, discouraged because Lord William had the power to fire him as mason simply because Lord William's bride backed out of her marriage to Lord William (27). The King of England vested considerable power in his underlords: they could hire people to build expensive houses and just as easily send Tom's family (Tom had two young children and a pregnant wife at that point) wandering to look for work and food. Lord William's character had little mercy for Tom and his family (Tom had to trick the Lord into paying him a couple of weeks' severance pay). So the power of the monarchy appears absolute and supreme, but this changes.

After Tom meets Ellen, he finds that, because Ellen was rais...

Page 1 of 8 Next >

More on The Pillars of the Earth...

Loading...
APA     MLA     Chicago
The Pillars of the Earth. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 07:50, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1688470.html