Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Literature / Katherine

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Trope was cut/disambiguated due to cleanup


* HeroesWantRedheads: The Duke of Lancaster, Hugh Swynford, and Roger de Cheyne (all of them skilled warriors) have a thing for the redheaded Katherine. On the other hand, Creator/GeoffreyChaucer the poet isn't really interested, as he is in love with the blonde Blanche and married to the brunette Philippa.

Added: 338

Changed: 609

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
TRS disambig


* AllPsychologyIsFreudian: John of Gaunt is first drawn to Katherine because she reminds of him of a beloved childhood nurse. He is also haunted by her son's (his childhood playmate) accusation that he is a foundling.
** Teenage Blanchette has a lot of FreudianExcuse that come to a head when an older boy she has a crush on clearly prefers Katherine... and then she overhears a friar accuse her mother of murdering her father. [[spoiler: Katherine and Duke John didn't know till that moment that Hugh, her husband was murdered by a PoisonousFriend of the Duke's]].

to:

* AllPsychologyIsFreudian: AllPsychologyIsFreudian:
**
John of Gaunt is first drawn to Katherine because she reminds of him of a beloved childhood nurse. He is also haunted by her son's (his childhood playmate) accusation that he is a foundling.
** Teenage Blanchette has a lot of FreudianExcuse that come to a head when an older boy she has a crush on clearly prefers Katherine... and then she overhears a friar accuse her mother of murdering her father. [[spoiler: Katherine [[spoiler:Katherine and Duke John didn't know till that moment that Hugh, her husband husband, was murdered by a PoisonousFriend friend of the Duke's]].Duke's.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:


* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Plenty of this since the novel is set in the 14th century.
** Most of the characters are of the opinion that marriage is about securing alliances and producing heirs, not love.
** Nearly everyone thinks that Katherine is an UngratefulBastard for not jumping at the chance to marry a landed knight like Hugh Swynford.
** The example most likely to bother modern readers is Katherine's willingness to force her shy 14-year-old daughter to marry a much older man she can't stand, even though Katherine herself was coerced into an arranged marriage at age 16. (She does of course call off the betrothal once Blanchette [[spoiler:contracts scarlet fever]].)
** John openly expresses the opinion that it doesn't matter whether Pedro the Cruel was a tyrant or not because he was still an anointed king.
** No one has a good word to say about the Basques or the French, and opinions of the Flemish decline after Queen Philippa's death (she was a Hainaulter and universally beloved) as the economy dives and the English begin to blame Flemish immigrants for their poverty, resulting in the murder of several Flemings during the 1381 Peasants' Revolt.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* DeadlyDecadentCourt: The English royal court. It only gets more deadly and decadent after Richard II comes of age.

to:

* DeadlyDecadentCourt: DecadentCourt: The English royal court. It only gets more deadly and decadent after Richard II comes of age.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Renamed to Head Turning Beauty per TRS; this lacks context


* IAmNotPretty: Early on in the novel, Katherine bemoans her reddish-blonde hair and small breasts. [[HelloNurse The men she meets don't seem to share the same view.]]

to:

* IAmNotPretty: Early on in the novel, Katherine bemoans her reddish-blonde hair and small breasts. [[HelloNurse The men she meets don't seem to share the same view.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* PurpleEyes: Joan Beaufort, John and Katherine's only daughter, has dark purple eyes.

Added: 198

Changed: 251

Removed: 125

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Gray Eyes — no longer a trope; What Beautiful Eyes probably applies, but it needs more context


** John uses the French pronunciation of Katherine (Katrine) with Katherine as well as calling her "lovedy."

to:

** John uses the French pronunciation of Katherine (Katrine) with Katherine as well as calling her "lovedy.""lovedy".



** Katherine and Hugh Swynford, ''de facto'' if not ''de jure''

to:

** Katherine and Hugh Swynford, ''de facto'' if not ''de jure''jure''.



** Averted with [[spoiler: Blanchette]], who avoided her unwanted arranged marriage by [[spoiler: catching scarlett fever]] and then [[spoiler: running away deliriously and joining a convent]].

to:

** Averted with [[spoiler: Blanchette]], who Blanchette]] avoided her unwanted arranged marriage by [[spoiler: catching scarlett scarlet fever]] and then [[spoiler: running away deliriously and joining a convent]].



* GreyEyes: Katherine's grey eyes are often commented upon, and Blanchette is the only one of her children who inherits them.



* WhenSheSmiles: Katherine thought Blanche was plain-looking when she first saw her at a royal dinner, but when Blanche smiled, she thought Blanche was the most beautiful person she'd ever seen.

to:

%% * WhatBeautifulEyes: Katherine's grey eyes are often commented upon, and Blanchette is the only one of her children who inherits them.
* WhenSheSmiles: Katherine thought Blanche was plain-looking when she first saw her at a royal dinner, but when Blanche smiled, she thought Blanche was the most beautiful person she'd ever seen.seen.
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/33609.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280:''Foi Vanquera.'']]

Added: 151

Changed: 175

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AffectionateNickname: Geoffrey Chaucer calls his wife "Pica" (as does Queen Philippa) to save them confusion in a royal household filled with women named after the queen.

to:

* AffectionateNickname: AffectionateNickname:
**
Geoffrey Chaucer calls his wife "Pica" (as does Queen Philippa) to save them confusion in a royal household filled with women named after the queen.



* [[CluelessChickMagnet Clueless Dude Magnet]]: Katherine has a lot of men enchanted by her beauty, but she only has eyes for the Duke.

to:

* [[CluelessChickMagnet Clueless Dude Magnet]]: CluelessChickMagnet: Katherine has a lot of men enchanted by her beauty, but she only has eyes for the Duke.



* DomesticAbuser: Hugh Swynford's late father physically abused his second wife, Nichola.

to:

* DomesticAbuser: DomesticAbuse: Hugh Swynford's late father physically abused his second wife, Nichola.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
zce


* SpiritedYoungLady: Katherine.

Added: 266

Changed: 92

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* IdenticalGrandson: Henry of Lancaster is said to greatly resemble his maternal grandfather, Henry de Grosmont.

to:

* IdenticalGrandson: IdenticalGrandson:
**
Henry of Lancaster is said to greatly resemble his maternal grandfather, Henry de Grosmont.Grosmont.
** Joan Beaufort greatly resembles her dark-haired grandmother, Philippa of Hainault.



* NeatFreak: Again, Katherine's sister Phillipa de Roet.

to:

* NeatFreak: Again, Katherine's sister sister, Phillipa de Roet.


Added DiffLines:

* PurpleEyes: Joan Beaufort, John and Katherine's only daughter, has dark purple eyes.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** [[spoiler:The Infanta Costanza, John of Gaunt's second wife, daughter of the deposed King of Castile, but not until after John has spent nearly twenty years 'making her as happy as it was her nature to be'.]]

to:

** [[spoiler:The Infanta Costanza, Constanza, John of Gaunt's second wife, daughter of the deposed King of Castile, but not until after John has spent nearly twenty years 'making her as happy as it was her nature to be'.]]



* TheFairFolk: Lady Nichola claims that they talk to her and tell her of the future. Most of the other characters write her off as TalkativeLoon, though.

to:

* TheFairFolk: Lady Nichola claims that they talk to her and tell her of the future. Most of the other characters write her off as a TalkativeLoon, though.



* SmallNameBigEgo: Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, has a high opinion of his own importance because he was the husband of Edward III's granddaughter, Philippa, countess of Ulster. Much to his annoyance, however, everyone treats him like a BrattyHalfPint instead.

to:

* SmallNameBigEgo: Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, has a high opinion of his own importance because he was is the husband of Edward III's granddaughter, Philippa, countess of Ulster. Much to his annoyance, however, everyone treats him like a BrattyHalfPint instead.

Changed: 251

Removed: 1102

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Katherine de Roet didn't live in a convent during her adolescence, both she and her sister Philippa seem to have spent their entire youth in Queen Philippa's household after they were placed in her care in c. 1352. Also she probably married Hugh Swynford in c. 1362 (based on the likely ages of her Swynford children) and was therefore born several years before 1350. This would make her the elder sister and Philippa the younger sister, which seems more likely than not considering Katherine's son claimed the de Roet lands in Hainault, not Philippa's.
** It is now believed that Philippa Chaucer, Philippa Pan, and Philippa Picard were three separate women.
** Several family members were left out of the story, perhaps intentionally to streamline the narrative. Katherine and Philippa had two older siblings, Elizabeth and Walter; Katherine had one or two more daughters with Hugh Swynford (Margaret and possibly Dorothy); Philippa and Geoffrey Chaucer had at least one more child, a daughter named Elizabeth; Joan Beaufort had two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, with her short-lived first husband.



* HeroesWantRedheads: The Duke of Lancaster, Hugh Swynford, and Roger de Cheyne, all skilled warriors, have a thing for the redheaded Katherine. On the other hand, Creator/GeoffreyChaucer the poet isn't really interested, as he was in love with Blanche.

to:

* HeroesWantRedheads: The Duke of Lancaster, Hugh Swynford, and Roger de Cheyne, all Cheyne (all of them skilled warriors, warriors) have a thing for the redheaded Katherine. On the other hand, Creator/GeoffreyChaucer the poet isn't really interested, as he was is in love with Blanche.the blonde Blanche and married to the brunette Philippa.



* {{Jerkass}} Hugh Swynford and Thomas of Woodstock.
** John of Gaunt behaves like one too, especially towards his unwanted second wife and their child. After Katherine gives him the brush off he recognizes what a cad he's been and spends the next twenty years making it up to them both.
** Philippa de Roet is also a strict and rather insensitive woman.

to:

* {{Jerkass}} {{Jerkass}}: Hugh Swynford and Thomas of Woodstock.
** John of Gaunt behaves like one a jerkass occasionally too, especially towards his unwanted second wife and their child. After Katherine gives him the brush off he recognizes what a cad he's been and spends the next twenty years making it up to them both.
** Philippa de Roet is also a strict and rather insensitive woman.Chaucer's court-inspired pragmatism mixed with her sharp tongue can make her come off this way when her sister or her husband aren't behaving the way Philippa thinks they should.

Added: 1275

Changed: 222

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AffectionateNickname: Geoffrey Chaucer calls his wife 'Pica', mostly to save on confusion.
** John's pet name for Katherine is Katrine.
* AllPsychologyIsFreudian: John of Gaunt is first drawn to Katherine because she reminds of him of a beloved childhood nurse. He is also haunted by the accusation of a childhood companion that he is a foundling.

to:

* AffectionateNickname: Geoffrey Chaucer calls his wife 'Pica', mostly "Pica" (as does Queen Philippa) to save on confusion.
them confusion in a royal household filled with women named after the queen.
** John's pet name for John uses the French pronunciation of Katherine is Katrine.
(Katrine) with Katherine as well as calling her "lovedy."
* AllPsychologyIsFreudian: John of Gaunt is first drawn to Katherine because she reminds of him of a beloved childhood nurse. He is also haunted by the her son's (his childhood playmate) accusation of a childhood companion that he is a foundling.


Added DiffLines:

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Anya Seton tried to keep as close to the facts as she knew them, but new research has come out since that proves several aspects of the book wrong.
** Katherine de Roet didn't live in a convent during her adolescence, both she and her sister Philippa seem to have spent their entire youth in Queen Philippa's household after they were placed in her care in c. 1352. Also she probably married Hugh Swynford in c. 1362 (based on the likely ages of her Swynford children) and was therefore born several years before 1350. This would make her the elder sister and Philippa the younger sister, which seems more likely than not considering Katherine's son claimed the de Roet lands in Hainault, not Philippa's.
** It is now believed that Philippa Chaucer, Philippa Pan, and Philippa Picard were three separate women.
** Several family members were left out of the story, perhaps intentionally to streamline the narrative. Katherine and Philippa had two older siblings, Elizabeth and Walter; Katherine had one or two more daughters with Hugh Swynford (Margaret and possibly Dorothy); Philippa and Geoffrey Chaucer had at least one more child, a daughter named Elizabeth; Joan Beaufort had two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, with her short-lived first husband.

Added: 57

Changed: 3

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** [[spoiler: Isolda Neumann, John of Gaunt's foster mother till age eight]], died during TheBlackDeath.
** [[spoiler: Blanche, the Duchess of Lancaster]]
** [[spoiler: Katherine]], but [[spoiler:she caught it as a child and survived]].

to:

** [[spoiler: Isolda [[spoiler:Isolda Neumann, John of Gaunt's foster mother till age eight]], died during TheBlackDeath.
** [[spoiler: Blanche, [[spoiler:Blanche, the Duchess of Lancaster]]
** [[spoiler: Katherine]], [[spoiler:Katherine]], but [[spoiler:she caught it as a child and survived]].


Added DiffLines:

* RedheadInGreen: Katherine frequently wears green gowns.

Changed: 83

Removed: 83

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* TheFairFolk: Lady Nichola claims that they talk to her and tell her
of the future. Most of the other characters write her off as TalkativeLoon, though.

to:

* TheFairFolk: Lady Nichola claims that they talk to her and tell her
her of the future. Most of the other characters write her off as TalkativeLoon, though.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


of the future.

to:

of the future. Most of the other characters write her off as TalkativeLoon, though.

Added: 85

Changed: 37

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* CharacterWitness: Katherine saves a serf, Cob, from the stockades when she returns to Hugh's manor. When the Savoy Palace is set on fire by rebels, Cob rescues a near-unconscious Katherine from the building and takes her to the nearby village. Katherine later returns the favor by saving Cob from being Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered by Richard II and Thomas of Woodstock after the rebellion is suppressed end frees him from serfdom.

to:

* CharacterWitness: Katherine saves a serf, Cob, from the stockades when she returns to Hugh's manor. When the Savoy Palace is set on fire by rebels, Cob rescues a near-unconscious Katherine from the building and takes her to the nearby village. Katherine later returns the favor by saving Cob from being [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered Quartered]] by Richard II and Thomas of Woodstock after the rebellion is suppressed end and frees him from serfdom.



* CrazyCatLady: Mentally fragile Lady Nichola who lives in isolation at Kettlethorpe with only a kitten for company.

to:

* CrazyCatLady: Mentally The mentally fragile Lady Nichola who lives in isolation at Kettlethorpe with only a kitten for company.


Added DiffLines:

* TheFairFolk: Lady Nichola claims that they talk to her and tell her
of the future.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** This eventually becomes the case for [[RoyalBrat Elizabeth of Lancaster]] and [[TheCasanova John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter]].

Top