What is it about?
This article examines how Philippa Gregory depicts Catherine of Aragon, analysing whether her novels show a strong, empowered woman with real historical agency. It places Gregory within Britain’s tradition of historical fiction and looks at three of her novels to see if they challenge or replicate common genre themes like romance and eroticism. The analysis suggests that Gregory’s books often resemble popular genre clichés more than they challenge them. While some believe her work is postfeminist, the article argues that her portrayal of Catherine is more about her effort to follow her dramatic, controversy-driven style than genuine feminist rewriting.
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Why is it important?
This article is important because it critically investigates whether Gregory’s enormously influential historical fiction genuinely promotes feminist ideals or simply operates within commercial, genre-driven expectations. It raises questions about authenticity and the real political or social impact of her portrayals, encouraging a deeper reflection on the relationship between historical accuracy, genre conventions, and feminist activism in popular literature.
Perspectives
This article contributes to the critical examination of Philippa Gregory's fiction, which has been largely ignored by scholars despite its enormous popularity and influence.
Dr José Igor Prieto-Arranz
University of the Balearic Islands
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Feminist Historical Fiction or Commercial Entertainment? (In)authenticity in Philippa Gregory’s Portrayal of Catherine of Aragon, Atlantis Journal of the Spanish Association for Anglo-American Studies, June 2025, AEDEAN (Asociacion Espanola de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos),
DOI: 10.28914/atlantis-2025-47.1.7.
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