How Historical is Historical Fiction? An Interview with Bernard Cornwell
Taking a look at the relationship between research and storytelling.
In the summer of 2017, I had the distinct privilege to partake in a vibrant roundtable discussion at the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds. With esteemed scholars Melissa Venebles and Katrina Wilkins from the University of Nottingham, we delved into the essence of historical fiction and its responsibility in shaping our understanding of the past. Yet, amidst this rich dialogue, an influential voice in our genre was absent: Bernard Cornwell, the best-selling author renowned for his vivid Viking narratives.
Cornwell's prior commitments had unfortunately kept him from attending the conference, but I was fortunate enough to sit down with him afterward. Known for his masterful storytelling and meticulous research, Cornwell has been a tour de force in the historical fiction genre, transporting readers to the tumultuous era of the Vikings through his 'The Last Kingdom' series. His characters, particularly the resilient Uhtred of Bebbanburg, are complex and compelling, bringing a distant past to life with remarkable realism and detail.
Our conversation, although held in 2017, finds renewed relevance today. With the recent release of the film 'Seven Kings Must Die,' based on Cornwell's books and featuring Uhtred as the central character, interest in his work and the world he so vividly portrays has never been greater. The question of how historical historical fiction should be is more poignant still as Mr. Cornwell prepares to release a non-fiction history book on the Anglo-Saxons to accompany his work.
In the following interview, you will discover his perspective on historical fiction, the process of creating his complex characters, and his thoughts on seeing his work adapted for the big screen. I invite you to join us in this fascinating journey into the heart of historical storytelling.
How historical is historical fiction? What does the term historical fiction mean to you?
It’s really a circular answer! If the novel isn’t historical then it isn’t historical fiction! What it means to me is that any historical novel tries to offer the reader a picture of another era, and tries to make that picture as accurate as possible. Writers create worlds, and the world of an historical novelist is the past! I’m sure we don’t get it right much of the time, but still the background to the story should evoke a long-gone era to the reader . . . what it looked like, smelt like, was like! So the background world has to be as accurate as possible, regardless of what is happening in the story.
What is the relationship between research and storytelling?
I can’t say there’s a huge relationship, though very often the research will suggest a story idea? You certainly can’t write an historical novel without doing vast amounts of research, but the first rule of writing the book is to leave out all the irrelevant research (about 90%).
What is historical ‘accuracy?’ Can authenticity exist in fiction writing?
You tell me! No one will probably ever know what it was truly like to live in a long-gone past, so we all make educated guesses and we hope we get it right! Plainly the more research a novelist does then the greater the chance that his guesses are accurate, and the more detail he amasses of the period then the greater the authenticity! And yes, authenticity certainly exists in fiction, it’s the authentic detail that creates the fictional world. Is it fully authentic? I doubt it, but we try!
How do you balance accuracy, authenticity, and creativity?
By remembering that I’m not an historian. I’m not here to teach Anglo-Saxon history or any other history. I’m a story-teller, so my first responsibility is to tell a story! That story is fiction, even if it’s based on a well-known episode of history. So accuracy and authenticity must take second place to the story. There’s obviously a limit to that; a fiction writer can’t get away with letting the French win the battle of Waterloo . . . . if he or she does than it ceases to be an historical novel and becomes a fantasy novel. But we do all make changes. In Sharpe’s Company I have Richard Sharpe fighting his way through the breaches of Badajoz, and that never happened. But the drama of that night was in the dreadful breaches, not in the second assault (which worked), and if the book was to convey the full horror then Sharpe had to be where the fighting was at its worst. So I changed history to make a better story, but then confessed what I had done in the book’s historical note.
How do you access research materials? Does academia hold a monopoly on the information necessary for historical fiction writing?
I read books! I visit the places! I buy books! I read more! No, academia doesn’t hold a monopoly, but plainly it’s a great place to start! I’m hugely grateful to all the wonderful academics who do the original research which I use, but there are vast areas of life which are not covered by academia . . . the small details of life. Some of the best material comes from the weirdest places and some come entirely from the imagination!
What is the responsibility of the historical fiction writer?
To entertain! To give the reader a compelling story. Not to be dull. And to create a background which is as convincing as possible and, so far as it is possible, true to what we know about the past!
Concluding Thoughts
I thank Mr. Cornwell for his willingness to explore this subject with me. While each author’s opinion will vary, the conclusion I am left with given my own answers to these questions at the conference is that historical fiction is, at the end of the day, fiction. As an author and a historian, I feel I have a responsibility to clearly communicate the line in the sand between what is historical fact and what is fiction. However, the reason I write fiction is that I believe in the power of storytelling to create interest in history, which can only benefit our society. After all, not knowing the past is like living with amnesia—without the context of our memory, the world would not make any sense to us.