History Literature / ThePillarsOfTheEarth

* ShoutOut: Rearrange the name Raschid Alharoun, and you should get a very famous character in another story.

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Richard has the tendency to be a ball and chain to his big sis Aliena. He gets better as he gets older

* {{Asexuality}}: WordOfGod has it that Phillip was deliberately created to be a "cheerfully celibate" character, as Follett was sick of the [[SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny outwardly-chaste but inwardly-smouldering-with-lust monk trope]]. Philip mentions his time as a younger man wracked with burning lust. He's grateful that age has cooled his sexual cravings to almost nothing.
* TheAtoner: Brother Johnny, a former outlaw who became a monk after rescuing Jonathan when he was a baby. Later [[spoiler: Brother Remigius]]
* AuthorAvatar: In-universe example - Jack makes up an epic story to tell his love interest, Aliena. The story's protagonist is a young squire who is not strong in battle but is courageous and determined all the same, [[GuileHero using cunning or luck to barely escape from dangerous situations]], and is madly in love with the beautiful princess.

* BigBadWannabe: Alfred Builder and Brother Remigius loathe protagonists Jack Jackson and Prior Philip, devoting their entire lives to ruining them. Though they do their part, they're but small pieces in the schemes of the story's true villains, Waleran Bigod and William Hamleigh. Ultimately their efforts amount to little and they are both dismissed when they are of no further use. Later [[spoiler: Alfred is killed unceremoniously by Richard when the former tries to rape Aliena while Remigius pulls a HeelFaceTurn and later saves Phillip from disgrace.]]

** From a modern perspective, young Aliena is a feisty and fetching noblewoman who wisely rejects the advances of a creep. She suffers very, very horribly for it.

** From the [[DeliberateValuesDissonance perspective of contemporary medieval characters]], young Aliena is a spoiled brat who reacts rudely to William's awkward attempts at wooing her. She suffers very, very horribly for it.

** Deconstructed with William. In the beginning, he is just an idiot who is mocked by almost everyone. However, when he finally snaps, he becomes a nightmare: [[spoiler: raping the woman who despised him, burning Kingsbridge to ashes, generally raping and pillaging all over the place because it's ''fun'']].

* CelibateHero: Prior Philip is one of the few monks who's not sexually deviant in any way. In the novel he talks about his sexual lusts mercifully fading away over time.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Waleran, William Hamleigh, Bishop Henry

* CruelMercy: Jack decides that [[spoiler:forgiving Waleran and pitying him is the worst kind of punishment he can bring on the priest for engineering his father's execution.]]

** Prior Philip, although a benevolent figure for his community, and more compassionate than most of his peers, still has the views of a 12th century monk on subjects like extra-marital sex or the respect due to his own authority.
** [[spoiler: Richard killing Alfred is considered murder, since Aliena is Alfred's wife in the eyes of the Church, making her consent a non-issue.]]

* DidntThinkThisThrough: King Henry sending William as an assassin for Thomas Beckett, a well-loved Archbishop who's remained in good standing with the Catholic Church. The backlash following this leaves Henry at the mercy of the Church and God, and [[spoiler:William at the gallows on the charges of sacrilege.]]
* DirtyCoward: Alfred Builder, who [[spoiler: torments Jack mercilessly since childhood, then comes crawling back for a job, only to use it to backstab Jack.]]

* DomesticAbuse: Alfred beats Aliena because he is impotent. And William's brutal treatment of any female he's even mildly attracted to.

* DumbMuscle: Richard is a good soldier, but is not really good at anything else. It becomes especially obvious [[spoiler: when he becomes the Earl]].
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: William's one good act is to [[spoiler:build a church in his mother's memory, to rescue her soul from Hell, and he's even offended when Waleran takes advantage of it for his own plans. Granted, it's strongly indicated this is more over his fear for his own soul than love for his mother, given he had pretty much no love for her previously and had watched her die.]]

** TheDarkChick: [[spoiler: Brother Remigius]]

* HistoricalFiction / HistoricalDomainCharacter: [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfNormandy Queen Maud]], Kings [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]] and Stephen, and Thomas Becket play significant roles in the book. The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lincoln_%281141%29 Battle of Lincoln]] is a key plot point. King Henry I appears in the television miniseries. Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, also appears in the book, and Robert, Earl of Gloucester, drives much of the early plot by his actions.

* HopeSpringsEternal: However the villains try to stop the construction of the cathedral, they fail. [[spoiler: Even burning the whole town down doesn't help.]] There is one point in the story when Philip gives up all hope, but it only lasts until Jack returns from France and decides to build the cathedral in Gothic style.

* HumiliationConga: Waleran Bigod is put through this at the end of the book. [[spoiler: He ends up a powerless monk]].

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: When Jack works in Toledo, his employer's daughter Aisa falls in love with him, and her father also wants to marry her to Jack. After he leaves, Aliena arrives, Aisa is the only one who is nice with her and tells her to go after him because she realized that Aliena loves him.

** Waleran's role in [[spoiler:framing Jack's father]] doesn't do a thing to his reputation in the Kingsbridge priory, apart from disproving his accusations. He merely walks away when Jack demands answers from him. It takes [[spoiler:a political scandal which involves King Henry, William, and Philip to deliver the punishment of humility.]]

* MamaBear: Ellen leaves Tom when he won't do a thing about Alfred bullying Jack, in addition to being forced to stay away fro a year.

* TheMole: [[spoiler: Remigius is a secret spy to Waleran.]]

* NaughtyNuns: Ellen had shades of this when she was a novice, {{justified}} by the fact she was forced by her father to join the nunnery and she hadn't any religious vocation After having met Jack's father, she leaves the monastery with him.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: William, [[spoiler: Alfred]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Averted. [[spoiler: Both Remigius and Waleran end their time with the book as humble monks]] rather than die.

* RichesToRags: Happens to Aliena twice. She first goes from pampered noblewoman to being homeless. She then becomes a wealthy wool trader but looses everything in a fire thanks to William. Falling from a position of wealth and social prominence to needing financial support to survive.

* SacrificialLamb: In-universe example in the story Jack tells Aliena (see the Author Avatar entry above) - the story initially focuses on the traditional brave, strong, virtuous knight, but he is abruptly killed off very early in the story, revealing the squire as its actual protagonist.
* SadisticChoice: William gives Aliena a choice between [[spoiler:lying still as he rapes her and watching her brother's ear get cut off.]]

* SerialRapist: William, by far the vilest of the characters of the book, is sexually impotent with willing women, and can only get aroused through sexual brutality, either by beating up prostitutes first, or by raping people.

* StalkerWithACrush: [[spoiler: After William Hamleigh seizes the Shiring Earldom]], he is aware that Aliena, Richard and their servant Matthew are still living in the castle. He stalks and watches over Aliena with freakish fascination, still obsessed with her even after she disgustedly rejected him twice. As soon as he gets the chance, [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon he rapes her.]]]]
* StandardFemaleGrabArea: Used against Aliena [[spoiler: during Alfred's attempted rape. Also attempted by William when he raped Aliena, but it fails there; instead, William threatens her brother to force compliance.]]

* TellMeAboutMyFather: One sideplot revolves around Jack wanting to know who his father was, who killed him and why.

* ThanatosGambit: [[spoiler: Thomas Becket doesn't run from his attackers, but lets himself killed (in a church no less) to become a martyr. This makes exactly the opposite effect than the antagonists expected.]]

* TookALevelInDumbass: Don't expect Richard to be much more competent at anything that doesn't involve hitting someone with a sharpened stick.[[spoiler: He's better off fighting and dying in the Crusades than being Earl of Shiring.]]

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Philip telling Waleran about Bartholomew of Shiring's plans to overthrow King Stephen, in an attempt to protect the Church and bestow the responsibility on someone higher in Church standing, starts of chain of events that leads to William's father becoming the new earl, William to raping Bartholomew's daughter Aliena as revenge for her declining his proposal and insulting him, and Tom the Builder losing his first income in ages as well as [[spoiler:his life]] in good time. [[HeelRealization Philip seems to realize this]], since he buys Aliena's wool when no other merchant will buy from a woman and she needs the money.

* WhamEpisode: William and his gang of soldiers attack Kingsbridge, nearly burning it to the ground and killing hundreds, including [[spoiler:Tom Builder.]]

* SpiritedYoungLady: Aliena, and how!

* FiveBadBand:

He followed it up with two sequels many years later: ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', which picks up with the characters' descendants in the same village in 1327, and ''A Column Of Fire'', beginning in 1588. Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by [[Creator/DaedalicEntertainment Daedalic Entertainment]] and were released in 3 parts.

He followed it up with two sequels many years later: ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', which picks up with the characters' ancestors in the same village in 1327, and ''A Column Of Fire'', beginning in 1588. Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by [[Creator/DaedalicEntertainment Daedalic Entertainment]] and were released in 3 parts.

He followed it up with two sequels many years later: ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', which picks up with the characters' ancestors in the same village in 1327, and ''A Column Of Fire'', beginning in 1588. Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by Daedalic Entertainment and were released in 3 parts.

An epic novel, published in 1989 and set in 12th century England, ''The Pillars of the Earth'' is the chronicle of a man, his family, their enemies and the extraordinary dream that consumes them all. It is by far the [[BlackSheepHit most popular]] story Ken Follett, [[GenreAdultery mainly an author of thrillers and various spy novels]], has ever written. He followed it up with a sequel many years later: ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', which takes place several generations later in the same village.

Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by Daedalic Entertainment and were released in 3 parts.

Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by Daedalic Entertainment and are released into three parts (Parts 1 and 2 in 2017, Part 3 in 2018).

Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame, and a VideoGame developed by Daedalic Entertainment and are released into three parts (Parts 1 and 2 in 2017, Part 3 set to release in 2018).

Also adapted, along with ''Literature/WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame.

An epic novel, published in 1989 and set in 12th century England, ''The Pillars of the Earth'' is the chronicle of a man, his family, their enemies and the extraordinary dream that consumes them all. It is by far the [[BlackSheepHit most popular]] story Ken Follett, [[GenreAdultery mainly an author of thrillers and various spy novels]], has ever written. He followed it up with a sequel many years later: ''WorldWithoutEnd'', which takes place several generations later in the same village.

Also adapted, along with ''WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular {{Euro|Game}} BoardGame.

** ''WorldWithoutEnd'' is a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel in this regard, with the guild and feudal manor systems in particular playing a prominent role.

* HistoricalFiction / HistoricalDomainCharacter: [[TheHouseOfNormandy Queen Maud]], Kings [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]] and Stephen, and Thomas Becket play significant roles in the book. The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lincoln_%281141%29 Battle of Lincoln]] is a key plot point. King Henry I appears in the television miniseries. Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, also appears in the book, and Robert, Earl of Gloucester, drives much of the early plot by his actions.

* BigBadDuumvirate: Waleran Bigod and the Hamleighs, particularly William. They're schemes are the main source of problems that the people of Kingsbridge have to contend with.

* HistoricalFiction / HistoricalDomainCharacter: [[TheHouseOfNormandy Queen Maud]], Kings [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]] and Stephen, and Thomas Becket play significant roles in the book. The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lincoln_%281141%29 Battle of Lincoln]] is a key plot point. King Henry I appears in the television miniseries.

* BigBadDuumvirate: Waleran Bigod and the Hamleighs, particularly William. They're schemes are the main source of the problems that the people of Kingsbridge have to contend with.

* BigBadDuumvirate: Waleran Bigod and the Hamleighs, particularly William. They're schemes are the main source of misfortune that the people of Kingsbridge have to contend with.
* BigBadWannabe: Alfred Builder and Brother Remigius loathe protagonists Jack Jackson and Prior Philip respectively, devoting their entire lives to ruining them. Though they do their part, they're but small cogs in the plans of the story's true villains, Waleran Bigod and William Hamleigh. Ultimately their efforts amount to little and they are both dispensed when they are of no further use. Ultimately [[spoiler: Alfred is killed unceremoniously by Richard when the former tries to rape Aliena while Remigius pulls a HeelFaceTurn and later saves Phillip from disgrace.]]

* TheHeavy: Waleran Bigod's position and intellect technically make him the BigBad, but it is William who remains the most immediate threat to the people of Kingsbridge. While Waleran plots from the shadows, William is always active on the scene and driving the plot with his actions.

The Gothic Cathedral at Kingsbridge, it turns out, becomes more important than anyone imagines. Woven throughout this deeply personal drama are the civil wars between [[TheHouseOfNormandy King Stephen and Queen Maud]], and later the machinations of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond King Henry II]] and the priest Thomas Becket.

* VillainsNeverLie: Generally Waleran can't be trusted, and

* AxCrazy: William!

* BreakTheHaughty: From the [[DeliberateValuesDissonance perspective of contemporary medieval characters]], young Aliena is a spoiled brat who reacts rudely to William's awkward attempts at wooing her. She suffers very, very horribly for it.

* CharacterWitness: Remigius, whose gossiping gets Ellen banished from the village.

* DeadGuyJunior: [[spoiler:Tommy, the son of Jack and Aliena. Named after the deceased Tom Builder.]]

* OffWithHisHead: [[spoiler:Robert]] gets his head taken off cleanly.

* RichesToRags: Happens to Aliena twice. She first goes from pampered noblewoman to being homeless. She then becomes a wealthy wool trader but looses everything in a fire. Falling from a position of wealth and social prominence to needing financial support to survive.

* RedheadedHero: Jack!

* {{Badass}}: Richard definitely qualifies. So much so he's knighted by King Stephen, [[spoiler: becomes one of Henry II's trusted battle advisors and fights William and two of his men at the same time!]] Not bad for a kid said to be clumsy with a sword when he was young. Also, William is a pretty competent fighter himself.

* BlondGuysAreEvil: William is blonde and quite a bastard.

* MosesInTheBullrushes: Tom Builder's son, Jonathan. He was abandoned as a newborn and left to die. He was found by monks and raised as Philip's son.

Also adapted, along with ''WorldWithoutEnd'', into a popular EuroGame BoardGame.

[[Series/ThePillarsOfTheEarth A miniseries]] starring Ian [=McShane=], Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, David Oakes, Eddie Redmayne as Jack and the lovely Hayley Atwell as Aliena ran on the Starz network in July and August 2010.