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Name: Professor: Course Title: Date Due: Analysis of the Illuminator Introduction Brenda Rickman’s Illuminator is a glowing novel that covers an extraordinary time in the history of England, 14th Century; a time of plague and political unrest. In this point in history, Vantrease utilizes historical fiction to bring out the chronicles of the earliest strings of reformation as well as the themes of love, choice, greed, treachery, politics, and religion among many other critical issues of the time. The book is authored at a time when the feudal order is that to take shape but still the Lord and Bishops still have the power to decide one’s fate. Moreover, at this time, there are no printing presses hence books are a rare to find commodity. Analysis Vantrease explores the realities of the Middle Ages as she portrays what it was like to lead a day in the 14th century England. The novel covers the effects of feudalism alongside religious expression. Under John of Gaunt’s protection, John Wycliffe enjoys his duty to implement the ‘much needed’ church reforms. However, this is not the case for his followers like Lady Kathryn of Blacking ham Manor. Lady Kathryn is a widow who is striving to protect her children’s inheritance (Vantrease, 256). Therefore, she chooses to allow an illuminator and his daughter to stay in her house so that she gains the favor of the local abbot. Lady Kathryn is a victim of her choices like any individual in life. As portrayed in the four choices, topping that list is the choice of who we hang around with. Lady Kathryn’s choice to accommodate the master illuminator, Fin, leads her to trouble. For example, a priest’s body is
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