Thomas Cromwell - the first English socialist?
There is no denying Thomas Cromwell's positive and progressive impact on English politics, argues STEPHEN ARNELL
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WELL, in truth not really, but there’s certainly something to admire in working-class lad Thomas Cromwell, especially in his empathetic portrayal by Mark Rylance.
Certainly, against the entitled mob of Tudor aristocrats he confronts, he appears as a true “Man of the People.”
This wasn’t really the case (his mother was from the gentry), but Cromwell was looked down upon by the court, who despised his relatively humble origins, legal knowledge, multilingual ability, and formidable intelligence.
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