The Three Lives of
WILLIAM WALLACE.
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday 4th of February at 9.30am EST / NZ
This program explores the ‘myth’ of Scots ‘hero’ William Wallace. It traces the history
of the Wallace myth from 1297 to 2005. The program considers the impact of
reporting the myth in the media from epic ballads to the Internet.
This program would be useful in any course considering the use of film as History. It
would be ideal for courses discussing the nature of History and the role of historians.
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural
materials presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to
share and discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the implications of the opening narration and its context.
Note the various verdicts on William Wallace.
Note the media in which Wallace has been reported.
Act 1.
Note the sources from which historians have ‘pieced together’ Wallace’s life.
Note the period in which Wallace was ‘active’.
What appears to be one reason why Wallace is still ‘studied’?
Note the major events in Wallace’s life.
What appears to be the origin of the myth of Wallace?
Note what we know absolutely about Wallace. Result?
Note Dr Michael Penman’s explanation of Wallace’s appeal.
Note James Coleman’s explanation of Wallace’s appeal.
Note when Wallace was first ‘remembered’. By whom? Result?
Note the description of Wallace from the poetry of Blind Harry.
Note Dr Graeme Morton’s verdict on Blind Harry’s image of Wallace.
What constitutes the official ‘history’ of this period? Note Wallace’s coverage here.
Act 2.
Note details of Blind Harry’s poem about Wallace.
Note how Wallace is portrayed by Blind Harry.
What was Blind Harry’s source? What was his intention?
What can actually be considered certain about Wallace?
What evidence corroborates Blind Harry’s account?
Note Blind Harry’s explanation of the origin of Wallace’s opposition to England.
Note Dr Fiona Watson’s explanation of Scottish opposition to England.
Note the details of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Result?
How did the Scots break the rules of war at Stirling Bridge? Result?
Note the role of Wallace in this battle?
What was the impact of the Scottish victory? For Scotland? For England?
Act 3.
How did Blind Harry use the victory at Stirling Bridge? Result?
Who was Sir Andrew Murray?
Note details of other leaders and revolts? Implications?
How did Blind Harry ‘focus’ the various elements in Scotland’s revolt? Why? Result?
How is Blind Harry’s ‘distortion’ of history explained?
Note Professor Richard Finlay’s views on historians.
Note details the context of Blind Harry’s of writing his epic poem. Result?
What was Blind Harry’s message? To whom? Result?
Act 4.
Note the result of modernising the language and publishing Blind Harry’s poems in
1722.
Note other media by which the Wallace story was ‘popularised’.
How was the Wallace story modified for the nineteenth century? Why?
How did Miss Jane Porter modify the Wallace story?
How was Wallace made accessible to children?
Note the effect of this ‘popularity’ on Scottish ideas of identity.
How did Robbie Burns enshrine Wallace as a Scots hero?
Note how Wallace is remembered in Scottish monuments.
Why was there a public outcry in 1856 when the design of the national Wallace
memorial was announced? Result? Implications?
Note the explanation of nineteenth century attitudes to Wallace.
What does the image of Wallace ‘overseas’ imply?
Note the details of the audience for the dedication of the Wallace monument.
Note the explanation of Wallace’s appeal to these ‘Victorian’ crowds.
Note how historians interpret the little that is known of Wallace’s background.
When did Wallace become ‘Sir William’?
Note what we know of Wallace’s actions after the victory at Stirling Bridge.
What are the implications of this three dimensional view of Wallace?
Act 5.
Note the public reaction to the film BraveHeart.
Note the historians’ reactions.
What is the essential reason for Wallace’s defeat at Falkirk in BraveHeart?
Note the historians’ explanations of, and verdicts on, this.
Why has the view that the ‘nobility’ betrayed Wallace been consistent over time?
Note how the Wallace legend has affected the reputation of Robert Bruce.
Why had Wallace become a nuisance in 1305? Result?
How do historians view Wallace’s betrayal by his countrymen?
What was the reaction in Scotland to Wallace’s brutal death in London?
What is implied by historians from the popularity of BraveHeart?
Note the result of the 1997 referendum.
What other impact did BraveHeart have for Scotland?
Why has Wallace’s sword become so potent?
What is the historian’s verdict on this icon?
Who is the model for the contemporary image of Wallace? Implications?
What impact has the Internet had on the Wallace ‘myth’. Implications?
What is the historian’s final verdict on the place of Wallace myth in Scottish history?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to
supplement and complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Scottish Chronicles:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotland/history4s.pdf
Edward 1:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England
http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/plantagenet_5.htm
John Balliol:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_of_Scotland#House_of_Balliol_.2812921296.29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Scotland
William Wallace:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace
www.highlanderweb.co.uk/wallace/
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/wallace.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/independence/features_independence_wallace.s
html
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/vwxy/williamwallace.html
Blind Harry:
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/people/famousfirst1079.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Harry
Battle of Stirling Bridge:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stirling_Bridge
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/battles/stirling.htm
Sir Andrew Murray:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Andrew_Murray
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/mno/sirandrewmurray.html
Wallace Monument:
http://www.nationalwallacemonument.com/
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/stirling/wallace/
Robert Bruce:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_of_Scotland#House_of_Balliol_.2812921296.29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_I_of_Scotland
Scottish Nationalism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_independence
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of
information and begin to explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary
exercises that will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher
direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events discussed in this
program.
2. Note details of the Scottish revolt against Edward 1’s rule.
3. Note details of the career of William Wallace.
4. List the media and the context in which Wallace’s career has been reported.
5. List the events and qualities that have been claimed as part of Wallace’s
legacy?
6. Note the impact of the film BraveHeart.
7. Note details of Wallace’s contribution to Scottish nationalism.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this
stage for discussion and research.
1. Describe and explain the context of Blind Harry’s poem.
2. Describe and explain the context of the building of the Wallace Monument.
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented
in the video program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. Describe the image that Blind Harry created of William Wallace.
2. Explain how the Victorians could use the same events as Blind Harry to arrive
at opposite conclusions of significance.
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing,
reports, historical recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
2. DEBATE the proposition that
“The real William Wallace is no longer able to be identified.”
3. Explain how the image of William Wallace has been forged and changed by
historians in the last 500 years.