Edward in Popular Culture
Edward II of England has been portrayed in popular culture a number of times. The most famous fictional account of Edward II's reign is Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II (c. 1592). It depicts Edward's reign as a single narrative, and does not include Bannockburn.
In 1991 English filmmaker Derek Jarman adapted the Christopher Marlowe play into a film featuring Tilda Swinton, Steven Waddington, Andrew Tiernan, Nigel Terry, and Annie Lennox. The film specifically portrays a homosexual relationship between Edward II and Piers Gaveston.
French novelist Maurice Druon's saga The Accursed Kings depicts Edward II and the Despensers' fall in its fifth novel, La Louve de France (The She-Wolfe of France). In this novel (whose title refers to Queen Isabelle's historic nickname) it is assumed as historic the homosexuality of the king (and his special relationship with Hugh Despenser) and his secret murdering in prison by red-iron impalement.
Edward II was portrayed as an effeminate homosexual in Braveheart.
Edward II's death and sexuality are mentioned a number of times in Michael Crichton's novel Timeline.
Edward II's supposed escape from prison and obscure life in exile conforms the main secret plot of Ken Follett's novel World Without End, and the subsequent TV miniseries of the same name.
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Famous quotes containing the words popular culture, edward, popular and/or culture:
“Like other secret lovers, many speak mockingly about popular culture to conceal their passion for it.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“It’s an old axiom of mine: marry your enemies and behead your friends.”
—Robert N. Lee. Rowland V. Lee. King Edward IV (Ian Hunter)
“The popular colleges of the United States are turning out more educated people with less originality and fewer geniuses than any other country.”
—Caroline Nichols Churchill (1833–?)
“Nobody seriously questions the principle that it is the function of mass culture to maintain public morale, and certainly nobody in the mass audience objects to having his morale maintained.”
—Robert Warshow (1917–1955)