“Freedom is best, I tell thee true, of all things to be won. Then never live
within the bond of slavery, my son.”
BRAVEHEART:
Many of the characters portrayed in the film Braveheart -- William
Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Edward I, Princess Isabella, Prince
Edward, the Sheriff of Lanark -- were true historical figures. While
Braveheart gives a detailed look into the life of William Wallace,
much of it is fictional, for we do not know a great deal about
Wallace.
William Wallace 1272-1305
William Wallace is a hero to the Scots, to be sure, but much of him seems
to be borne in legends, now. There is not a great deal to be known about
him. He was born at Elderslie, in Paisley Parish. His father was a vassal of
the High Steward of Scotland, James Stewart. It is possible that Wallace
received some education at Paisley Abbey, for it does appear that he knew
Latin and French. He had uncles who were priests, and it is likely that they
taught him. He married Marian Braidfoot around 1297 in the church of St.
Kentigern in Lanark. Marian (or Murron) was killed because Wallace had
done more than protect her from a previous assault by English soldiers. It
seems that he had already risen against the English when they killed Marian
in reprisal.
Wallace's huge act of rebellion attracted the attention of common folk and
Scots nobles alike, all of whom were unwilling to bear Edward I's bonds.
These, including James Stewart, to whom William Wallace's father had
been a vassal, Sir James Douglas, and Robert the Bruce allied with
Wallace and, under the tutelage of the Bishop of Glasgow, Robert Wishart,
they prepared to throw off the shackles of the English.
Wallace and Murray were aghast when the nobles who had allied with
them surrendered to the English on July 9, 1297 at Irvine. In response, the
two men began to take control of the rebel forces which had become
scattered about the country. By August they had consolidated the rebels
into one army at Stirling.
The Battle of Stirling happened on September 11, 1297, the English forces
were arrayed around Stirling Castle, while the Scots were opposite them
across the Forth, which wound through a valley there. All that separated
them was a bridge across the Forth. Because of poor commanding by the
English leaders, the English were trapped as they crossed the bridge and
were slaughtered by the Scots. It was an incredible victory for Wallace and
Murray.
Unfortunately, Murray was mortally wounded during the battle and died
shortly thereafter. Wallace assumed control of the rebels himself, then, but
it is acknowledged that he had lost an irreplaceable partner in Murray.
Still, Wallace lead his men on a deadly raid all the way to County Durham,
England, in October. In November, he and his men returned to Scotland to
wait out the bitter winter. During that time, he reconsolidated his forces.
In March of 1298 Wallace was knighted, possibly by Robert the Bruce
himself, in Tor Wood, and he was appointed Guardian of Scotland. The
fact that a man of his means was appointed to such a potentially powerful
position indicates how revered he was by the nobles for his role in trying to
free Scotland, and how dear to the Scots nobles freedom was.
Wallace remained steadfast and did not waiver from his goal of freedom
for Scotland.
Though we know nothing of the actual capture of Wallace near Glasgow
aside from the fact that it was accomplished by Scotsman John Mentieth
(or, as some sources say, by Mentieth's servant), we do know that Wallace
was immediately taken to London, and he arrived there on August 22. He
was lead through the streets of Fenchurch the next morning, where the
crowds, much as they did in the film, jeered him and pelted him with
rotten food and bread. The English had been lead to believe that Wallace
was a merciless outlaw who had killed innocent Englishmen and who
should be punished.
At Westminster Hall Wallace was forced to stand on a platform and wear
what some believe was a crown of thorns. He went before a magisterial
panel appointed by Edward.
The sentence was immediately carried out: Wallace was wrapped in oxhide
and dragged several miles to Smithfield.
Then, he was hanged until almost unconscious, taken down, tied to a table,
disemboweled, and his entrails were set afire while still attached to him. He
was possibly castrated, as well. He was finally put out of his unimaginable
misery by being beheaded. His body was quartered, the pieces being sent
to Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, and Berwick, Perth, and Stirling in
Scotland, and his head was placed on a pike on London Bridge for all to
see, all as a warning to other would-be traitors
JOT NOTES:
1 As you watch the movie Braveheart, take note of aspects of the film that
appear to be contradictory to the facts listed above.
2 Note how this film can be considered ‘epic’ what aspects of it fall into that
category?
3 Note the music, lighting+colour techniques and zoom/camera angles. They
are used to great effect at highly emotional/intense moments in this film.
4 Watch for the ‘panoramic’ scenes mentioned in the ‘epic’ handout – when do
they occur- how do they affect your understanding of the film? The emotion?
The plot itself?