• De:versify – New Poetry
  • Welcome
  • About
  • Blog
  • Reviews and Comments
  • BORVO
  • Denagerie of Poems
  • The Reunion
  • Contact

Denny Bradbury Books

Denny Bradbury Books

Tag Archives: history

Lest We Forget…

11 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by dennybradburybooks in History, Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

First World War, history, John McCrae, Poetry, Wilfred Owen

Earlier today people up and down the country as well as various locations around the world bowed their heads in respect.  We remember….

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month: 1918 the Great War was over.  Now the date and time is used to reflect on fallen comrades, those soldiers serving today, and the sacrifice which many have had to make and are still making today.

It is important to remember the past.  Many voices from the Great War still speak to us today through the written word.  Poetry enabled soldiers to express themselves.  People far from the trenches gained a small insight into the lives of service personnel.

The detail, the emotion is at times harrowing.  Poetry, more than any other form of literature, can stir up so many different feelings.

Sometimes poetry can be factual:

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
(Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum est)

Other times it gives us an insight into the mental attitudes of serving soldiers:

This is no case of petty right or wrong
That politicians or philosophers
Can judge.  I hate not Germans, nor grow hot
With love of Englishmen, to please newspapers.
(Edward Thomas, This Is No Case of Petty Right or Wrong)

When reading First World War poetry, you can find a common idea – we do not hate those we fight but we do love our country.  That in itself is the reason we go to war:

But with the best and meanest Englishmen
I am one in crying, God save England, lest
We lose what never slaves and cattle blessed.
The ages made her that made us from dust:
She is all we know and live by, and we trust
She is good and must endure, loving her so:
And as we love ourselves we hate her foe.
(Edward Thomas, This Is No Case of Petty Right or Wrong)

Here dead we lie
Because we did not choose
To live and shame the land
From which we sprung.
(A E Housman, Here Dead We Lie)

And yet others convey the simplicity of reality – we live, we fight, we die, we return back to the earth:

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
(John McCrae, In Flanders Field)

We have not explored the horrors of war or gone into any great detail of the poetry: this is a very personal era of poetry and one which should be left to the individual to explore.

What we should acknowledge is the impact that poetry can have.

Never forget the sacrifices; never forget the individuals; never forget.

Herbal Plants and Medicines

11 Monday Jul 2011

Posted by dennybradburybooks in History

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Borvo, Denny Bradbury, herbalism, herbs, history, King Arthur, medicine

Herbal Plants and Medicines

During the middle ages, herbal plants and medicines were a hugely important part of life. Much more than an add or a supplement like today, herbs and plants were all the medicine they had. In the 5th and 6th centuries, every house would have its own herb garden, full of lots of different plants to help a variety of ailments.

These home grown medicines were the only available and therefore a necessary part of family life. Generally, the ‘art’ of knowing which herbs cured what would be passed down through family lines, a mother would tell her daughter and she in turn would tell her own child.

Particular women in villages who had an extensive knowledge of herbal medicine would become known as ‘wise women’. This eventually led to their downfall hundreds of years later when they would be accused of being witches. But during the early 5th and 6th centuries, their knowledge was respected and they were thought to be the village equivalent of a doctor or nurse.

The use of herbal medicine dates back thousands of years at least to the ancient Egyptians who were known to use garlic and opium for medicinal purposes. The ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates, known as the father of western medicine advocated the use of herbs.

These preserved ancient writings mean that in the middle ages it was often monasteries that had the best herbal gardens and were the experts in using them for medicinal purposes.

In Denny Bradbury’s new novel ‘Borvo’ she explores how a young peasant boy uses his knowledge of herbal plants and medicines to come to the aid of the great King Arthur.

Denny Bradbury’s latest novel ‘Borvo‘ will be available in both print and as an e-book.

To purchase one of Denny’s books please click on the images below or contact Denny directly at email denisebradbury@btinternet.com.
The Reunion Denagerie of Poems by Denny Bradbury

Weapons of the Era

27 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by dennybradburybooks in History

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

9th century, Beowulf, gunpowder, history, King Alfred, swords, weapons

Weapons of the Era

Weaponry at the time of King Alfred, in the late 9th century focused on swords. The influx of civilisations and their cultures changed the face of Britain and the weapons and tools used there.

Swords

In a time structured by battles, weapons were a symbol of status. Looking at the literature at the time battles were central, such as in Beowulf. In the epic poem, the protagonist Beowulf takes art in three great battles stretched over time. The battles are the pillars of the tale with the story fabricated around them.

In her new novel Borvo, Denny Bradbury depicts the struggle of a pagan boy who comes to the aid of King Alfred. Instead of using weapons he uses healing to help him – rather than force.

In Winchester, the statue of King Alfred shows him holding a sword aloft. The status of a powerful war king was important during his era. With his sword held in the air he looks heroic and strong.

Elsewhere, in China Taoist monks had stumbled across an early form of gunpowder, which would later become infamous in Britain. The monks were supposedly trying to create the exilir of eternal youth when they created the formation for saltpetre, one of the components for gunpowder.

The phrase ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ is suggested to come originally from the 9th century – possibly by King Arthur himself. So perhaps the allure and status of weaponry was losing its power.

Sarah Hogan

To purchase one of Denny’s books please click on the images below or contact Denny directly at email denisebradbury@btinternet.com.

The Reunion Denagerie of Poems by Denny Bradbury

Wantage

15 Wednesday Jun 2011

Posted by dennybradburybooks in History

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Borvo, Denny Bradbury, historical significance, history, Oxfordshire, pagan, Vale of Whitehorse, Wantage

Wantage

 

The statue of King Alfred in Wantage - by Colin Smith

Wantage is a small market town in Oxfordshire – best known for being the birth place of King Alfred.

Its history can be traced back to Roman times, there was a small settlement there.

King Alfred was born in the royal palace in the 9th century, around the year 849. In 1877 a statue of King Alfred was commissioned by Lord Wantage. It was created by Count Gleichen, a famous sculptor at the time. The marble statue still stands in the market place. King Alfred’s legacy remains in the town with schools and pubs bearing his name.

Wantage and King Alfred appear in a new book from Denny Bradbury. Combining the rich history of Wantage and the legend of King Alfred, Denny has created a story of a peasant boy who comes to the aid of the king. Borvo looks out how a great King can ever be helped by a young boy.

Wantage is situated in the Vale of White Horse, considered to be a prime area for horse racing. Many of its village’s house stables and gallops can be found at Black Bushes.

Wantage also appears in the Doomsday book, with its value stated as £61. At the time it was owned by the monarch, but it’s thought it was given to the Earl of Albemarle in 1140.

In Borvo Denny Bradbury explores the relationship between a great King and a young pagan healer. The historical significance of towns like Wantage play a huge part in the novel.

To purchase one of Denny’s books please click on the images below or contact Denny directly at email denisebradbury@btinternet.com.
The Reunion Denagerie of Poems by Denny Bradbury

The History of Fictional Prose – Part 2: The printing press and entertainment

09 Monday May 2011

Posted by dennybradburybooks in Fiction

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Denny Bradbury, fiction, history, History of Poetry, Poetry, William Shakespeare

History of Fictional Prose

We have been exploring the emergence of literature, and fictional prose in particular.  How ‘symbols’ and ‘pictograms’ changed to words which recorded ‘fact’ in part 1.

Tales and myths, previously handed down through generations by word of mouth, became documented.  Then civilisations started to experiment with different writing styles and we left it last time with the introduction of a writing ‘frame’ as seen in One Thousand and One Nights.

What was still lacking, however, was the first true written work of a single piece of prose fiction.

A boost was made to prose-writing in 1455 with the introduction of the printing press to Europe.  Other forms of printing had already come to existence around the world but this introduced mass printing and ensured printed material became available to a larger population, not just the privileged few.

Unlike poetry, which had rhythm and rhyme to assist in its’ recount, prose was not easily remembered and therefore needed to be written down.  The printing press ensured prose a future and more people started to experiment in the longer-style of writing, with little or no ‘structure’ as seen in verse.

William Caxton was the first to publish a book in English in the late 15th century – this was not a work of fiction but the translation of a History of Troy.  Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur are included in the works he published in England.  Again, these are collections of tales, not a single piece of continuous prose.

During the early modern period we see the likes of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe writing plays for entertainment rather than education, so fiction as we understand it nowadays was starting to take shape.

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes had ‘The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha’ published in two parts 1605 and 1615.  It is widely regarded as turning point in fictitious writing.  Again, it is written around several ‘stories’ of his exploits but these have no relation to historical figures – genuine fiction.

Early English novelists include John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift, all born in the 17th century.  Indeed, in many circles, Daniel Defoe is credited as being the first true English fiction novelist with his work ‘Robinson Crusoe’ (published in 1719) – a fictional autobiography.

The history of fictional prose has been a difficult one to trace.  Works we now find ‘laughable’ were believed at the time.  Imagination was not encouraged in the early years – most written material was historical or religious.  It took a few brave authors to step out of the shadow; include emotions in their work.

Then we have the second obstacle of actually writing prose.  Poetry was in existence in oral form for millennia.  This slowly became documented and verse was formed.  An extended piece of writing was a long way off when written word was first introduced.

Tales were written, then collections of stories.  Gradually the expression of writing grew.  It was not a quick process.  One thing is widely accepted – we would not have experienced the joy of novels without the invention of the printing press.

Denny Bradbury is a modern-day fiction author and poet.  ‘The Reunion’ is a fictitious novel exploring a year in the lives and emotions of five friends. She is also promoting her new novel, Borvo, which is an extraordinary historical-fiction novel around King Alfred.

To read part 1 of my article on the History of Fictional Prose click here

Laura Scott

To purchase one of Denny’s books please click on the images below or contact Denny directly at email denisebradbury@btinternet.com.
The Reunion Denagerie of Poems by Denny Bradbury

← Older posts

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • February 2019
  • September 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011

Categories

  • Denny's Diary
  • fairytales
  • Fiction
  • History
  • Literacy News
  • Misc
  • Poetry
  • Polls
  • Reviews

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Latest Tweets from Denny Bradbury Books

  • Rumi on Spring dennybradburybooks.com/2021/03/25/rum… 1 year ago
  • Happy New Year dennybradburybooks.com/2021/01/01/hap… 1 year ago
  • Freedom Lost – Freedom Gained dennybradburybooks.com/2020/04/20/fre… 2 years ago

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Denny Bradbury Books
    • Join 143 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Denny Bradbury Books
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...