But ...
To what does the title refer? I understand their history very well; I am descended from them and have researched them in detail. It's just that I don't understand the inspiration for the title.
shareWhich school grade have you reached then?
The "Lion" is obviously Henry! The film is set in the Loire valley in France, and yes, you guessed, it was winter! Bingo!
Winter in the title refers to the story's being set in the later years of Henry's life.
shareIt's both, really. That is, it is both literal winter and the winter of Henry's life. In the same way, Henry is both 'a lion of a man' and a man with lions - which still are the Royal Arms of England - on his shield.
shareAnd the Lion Rampant of Scotland! :))
"Winter" of the king's life? Wasn't he only very early 50's then? I hope that is only autumn of one's life these days! :)
Actually, you are probably correct here. It is deliberate ambiguity.
No accident too I suppose that Richard became "Coeur de Lion"?
I never heard there was a link between the Lion Rampant as adopted by William the Lion, and the Angevin lions? What's the connection?
In the film, and the play it was based on, Henry is definitely presented as old: 'I'm the oldest man I know. I've got a decade on the Pope'. In fact in the 12th century 'early 50s' wasn't particularly old, but a playwright isn't on oath.
No direct connexion, only making a point that many ancient knights or Houses adopted a lion as emblem.
I thought 50's was old in the 12thC., but glad it wasn't! Relieved too playwrights are not on oath. ;)
I thought 50's was old in the 12thC., but glad it wasn't!No (as a 50-year-old, myself)! I wonder if Goldman made the common mistake a lot of people do, looking at "average life expectancy" for the period, which was dragged down (as in present-day developing countries) by very high infant mortality? If someone reached adulthood, life expectancy went up considerably, though the main risk for women was childbirth.
Eleanor of Aquitaine was an active political player into her early 80s, and William the Elder of Montferrat (Philippe's great-uncle) was captured in battle at Hattin in 1187 – when he was about 76.
"Active but Odd" share
- and FWIW, as this film must be supposed to take place somewhere between 1183 (the death of the Young King) and early 1185 (Richard finally hands over the Aquitaine), Henry would have been 30 or more years younger than the current Pope, Lucius III!
shareYes: the notably young Pope (late 30s when he got the job) of the late 12C-early 13C, Innocent III, hadn't yet been elected.
"Active but Odd"