The Cadfael Chronicles
Encyclopedia
The Cadfael Chronicles is a series of historical murder mysteries written by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter
under the name "Ellis Peters".
In all, Pargeter wrote twenty Cadfael books between 1977 and 1994. Each draws upon the storyline, characters, and developments of previous books in the series. Pargeter apparently planned the 20th instalment as the final book of the series; Brother Cadfael's Penance
brings together the loose story ends into a tidy conclusion. Pargeter herself died shortly after its publication, following a long illness. Many of the books were adapted into both radio episodes in which Glyn Houston
and subsequently Philip Madoc
played the monk, and a television series starring Derek Jacobi
as Cadfael.
, the destructive contest for the crown of England between King Stephen and Empress Maud. Several true historical events are described or referred to in the books. For example, the translation of Saint Winifred
to Shrewsbury Abbey is fictionalised in the first chronicle, A Morbid Taste for Bones
, and One Corpse Too Many
is inspired by the siege of Shrewsbury Castle by Stephen in 1138.
Although the series are fiction, historical people are portrayed in the series. They include (but are not limited to):
. Cadfael is far more successful, with virtually all pairs of lovers in the series getting off to happy consummations, except when one of them turns out to be the wanted murderer. In one case, indeed, the lovers get their happy ending with Cadfael's help, even though one of them is the murderer.
Lovers in the Cadfael books face a whole series of obstacles, which sometimes seem insurmountable (in one book, it seems they are relatives too close to marry) but are invariably overcome. However, the problem is almost never a significant difference in social status between the two. In this series, aristocratic boys usually fall in love with aristocratic girls, artisans fall for the daughters of artisans, and a lowly wandering juggler is charmed beyond measure by a lowly kitchen maid. In St. Peter's Fair, a tradesman's daughter settles for another tradesman's son after her aristocratic first choice turns out to be a cad, calling her a "shopkeeper's girl of no account." In most cases, it seems that Pargeter's characters deliberately curtail their romantic aspirations where class conflict would undermine them. There are some exceptions to this class consciousness; in The Pilgrim of Hate an aristocratic youth marries the daughter of a tradesman, and in The Hermit of Eyton Forest a prosperous woodman's daughter marries a runaway villein.
This is fairly typical of most members of the aristocracy depicted in the series, who are described as fair-minded and just to their underlings, within the context of the hierarchal feudal social system and ideology.
The books do present some manifestly unjust, tyrannical and or outrightly cruel members of the aristocracy, though they are definitely in the minority. Faced with such, peasants can and do resort to the "safety-valve" built within the feudal system itself, by escaping from their lord to a chartered borough where after a stay of one year and one day they become free. On several occasions, Cadfael facilitates and helps such escapes.
Also, cruel and unjust landowners may end up as the victims of the murder which Cadfael needs to solve, in which case the reader is curious to know the solution of the mystery, but is not particularly eager to see the perpetrator punished.
In One Corpse Too Many, the second book in the series, Shrewsbury itself is a battlefield, and the wholesale execution of the defeated garrison by order of King Stephen forms the gruesome background to the book's murder mystery.
Further on, however, Shrewsbury is an island of calm in the raging storm. Refugees as well as spies and conspirators constantly come in, considerably impacting life in the town and setting up the plot for many of the books. Characters occasionally set out to the battlefields, either to take direct part in the fighting or (as in the case of Cadfael himself) to offer some needed aid or rescue. Stories of woe and disaster come in from other locations, such as Worcester
(The Virgin in the Ice) or Winchester
(An Excellent Mystery). Moreover, Shrewsbury is in close proximity to the border of Wales, which has its own troubles and wars - distinct from, though often interconnected with, those of England.
For all that, for most of the series the war happens elsewhere. Hugh Beringar, though in effect assuming the functions of a military governor and civil administrator as well as head of the police, always finds the time and energy to personally work with Cadfael on solving a new mystery. Though living in a war-torn country, Cadfael is often seen sitting contented in his garden and reflecting on the harmonic turn of the year's seasons. An Excellent Mystery concludes:
In general, the war is seen as mainly the concern of the aristocracy. Some of its members take up a staunch and unwavering loyalty to one side or the other, and opposing partisans treat each other with utmost respect, as prescribed by the code of chivalry
. Other aristocrats are utterly opportunistic and seek only to make use of the situation for personal profit and advancement, and are regarded with contempt by the more principled characters (and seemingly by the writer as well).
The lower classes, burghers and peasants, in general have little interest in who would win the war (anyway, in the feudal system they have no share in political power) as long as the death and destruction end, either by one of the contenders winning or by their reaching some kind of compromise (the latter is what the Church is shown as trying to achieve, with little success).
The burghers of Shrewsbury are concerned to repair the damage caused to their city during fighting in which they had little interest (the question who would pay for it is an undercurrent in Saint Peter's Fair). Thereafter, the traders and artisans of the city are well-content to live under the reasonably efficient and honest administration offered on behalf of King Stephen by Prestcote and later by Beringar. Clearly, however, they would have been equally content to live under the Empress Maud, provided only that her local representatives offer them the same possibility of developing undisturbed their trade and commerce.
The series ends with the Civil War still raging and an effort to bring about a peaceful resolution ending in nought. But for the writer's death, the format of the series - chronologically consecutive, with several books per year - might have left room for several dozen additional volumes before the end of the war was reached.
form an important part of the backdrop to the books. There are Cadfael's own memories of his crusading life, which occur in virtually every one of the books, and the circumstances of Olivier's early life. In addition, most of Cadfael's knowledge of herbs and medicine was learned in the East, from more sophisticated sources than he would have found in England. (In the TV version of Virgin in the Ice, when Cadfael is treating a gravely wounded brother, the best remedy another brother can suggest is bleeding, which Cadfael scorns).
Also, several of the books feature returning crusaders who have central roles in the plot, while in others there are characters who depart England on the way eastwards. All of these crusading characters are depicted as sterling, model knights, brave and chivalrous, and the crusading enterprise itself is invariably regarded by all characters as a most noble and worthy cause.
There is occasional mention of acts of cruelty committed in the course of the Crusades. In conversation with a fellow crusader, Cadfael remarks, "After the killing that was done in Jerusalem, of so many who held by the Prophet, I say they deserved better luck against us than they had." In adding that his companion was never accused of brutality, he implicitly passes judgment on the Crusades as a whole (The Leper of Saint Giles). While on various occasions Cadfael makes remarks showing him not pleased with such brutalities, the references are rarely specific. Cadfael (as all other characters) never casts any doubt on the morality of carving out a Christian kingdom in the Muslim East and maintaining it by force; indeed, it would have been anachronistic to have him express such doubts.
However, his experience of the Crusades didn't lead to bigotry. Cadfael remembers Mariam, a Muslim woman as "well worth the loving," and had many other profitable friendships with Arabs and Muslims. His companion from The Leper of Saint Giles, who spent many years as a captive of the Fatimid
Egyptians, agrees, saying he always found his hosts "chivalrous and courteous," who gave him medical help and supported him in his convalescence.
. The sequence of the television episodes differs from the sequence of the novels. Within the individual screenplays, with one major exception, most are reasonably faithful to the books, being modified primarily to minimise the size of the speaking cast, the running time of the script, or the need for extravagant special effects. Only in the books, Cadfael speaks Welsh and translates for several non-English-speaking Welshmen.
The character of Hugh Beringar is markedly different in the series. He and Aline Siward are both introduced in One Corpse Too Many, but she does not appear again. In the books, Hugh marries Aline and they have a son, Giles, named for Aline's dead brother. In Saint Peter's Fair, Aline helps Hugh and Cadfael guard a witness, and even when she does not appear in the books, Hugh speaks of her constantly and fondly. Another major difference in Hugh's treatment in the series is his relationship with Cadfael. In the series, Hugh is the sheriff who sometimes helps, sometimes hinders Cadfael, but does not appear to be on close terms with him. In the books, despite the more than thirty years difference in their ages, Hugh and Cadfael are best friends. Cadfael is the godfather of Hugh's son, and also confides in Hugh that Olivier de Bretagne is his son from a woman Cadfael knew in the Holy Land.
One episode, The Pilgrim of Hate, bears almost no resemblance to the eponymous book save the presence of a few characters sharing the names (but not the actions) of the characters in the book. In The Holy Thief, one of the characters is turned into a villain. In A Morbid Taste For Bones the climax sequence is altered, giving Cadfael more of a speaking role. In the episode Monk's Hood, Hugh has a somewhat larger role than in the book, following Cadfael to the court and suffering a stab wound when he walks in unexpectedly on Cadfael's accusation of the true criminal. In The Rose Rent, Cadfael gives the young wife a potion to ease her terminally ill husband's pain, warning her that too much will kill him. In the next scene, the man is dead, implying a mercy killing. In the book, there is no such implication-the man dies of an illness but without any shadow of doubt that Cadfael or the widow acted to hasten his end.
Many of the novels are also available as audiobooks. Narrators for different editions of these audiobooks include Vanessa Benjamin (The Devil's Novice
from Blackstone Audiobooks
), Sir Derek Jacobi
, Roe Kendall, Stephen Thorne, Patrick Tull and Johanna Ward.
as Cadfael
Produced by Bert Coules
and starring Philip Madoc
as Cadfael and Timothy Bateson
.
for ITV
, 75 minutes per episode. Filmed on location in Hungary
and starring Sir Derek Jacobi
. All thirteen episodes have been released on DVD
.
Series I (1994):
(Acorn Media released audio versions of the above episodes with dialogue and music taken from the actual audio tracks and with linking narration)
Series II (1995–1996):
Series III (1997):
Series IV (1998):
Edith Pargeter
Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM , also known by her nom de plume Ellis Peters, was a British author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both...
under the name "Ellis Peters".
In all, Pargeter wrote twenty Cadfael books between 1977 and 1994. Each draws upon the storyline, characters, and developments of previous books in the series. Pargeter apparently planned the 20th instalment as the final book of the series; Brother Cadfael's Penance
Brother Cadfael's Penance
Brother Cadfael's Penance is a medieval mystery novel set in the autumn of 1145 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1994. It is the last novel in the Cadfael series.-Plot Summary:...
brings together the loose story ends into a tidy conclusion. Pargeter herself died shortly after its publication, following a long illness. Many of the books were adapted into both radio episodes in which Glyn Houston
Glyn Houston
Glyn Houston , is an actor best known for his television work. He is the brother of the late film actor Donald Houston.-Early life:...
and subsequently Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc is a Welsh actor who has had many television and film roles.One prominent role was the title character in the BBC Wales drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George...
played the monk, and a television series starring Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
as Cadfael.
Brother Cadfael
As a character, Cadfael is an unusual monk, only entering the cloister in his forties after being both a soldier and a sailor; this experience gives him an array of talents and skills useful in monastic life. He is a skilful observer of human nature, a talented herbalist, which skill he learned in the Holy Lands and while a prisoner of the Muslims. He is also inquisitive by nature, energetic, and has an innate, although modern, sense of justice and fair-play. Abbots call upon him as a medical examiner, detective, doctor, and diplomat. His worldly knowledge, although useful, gets him in trouble with the more doctrinaire characters of the series, and the seeming contradiction between the secular and the spiritual worlds forms a central and continuing theme of the stories.Historical background
The stories are set between about 1135 and about 1150, during The AnarchyThe Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
, the destructive contest for the crown of England between King Stephen and Empress Maud. Several true historical events are described or referred to in the books. For example, the translation of Saint Winifred
Winefride
thumb|right|300px|St Winifred's Well, [[Woolston, north Shropshire|Woolston]], ShropshireSaint Winefride was a legendary 7th-century Welsh noblewoman who was canonized after dying for the sake of her chastity...
to Shrewsbury Abbey is fictionalised in the first chronicle, A Morbid Taste for Bones
A Morbid Taste for Bones
A Morbid Taste for Bones is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1977. It was adapted for television in 1996 by Central for ITV. It is the first novel in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
, and One Corpse Too Many
One Corpse Too Many
One Corpse Too Many is a medieval mystery novel set in the summer of 1138 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1979. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV...
is inspired by the siege of Shrewsbury Castle by Stephen in 1138.
Although the series are fiction, historical people are portrayed in the series. They include (but are not limited to):
- King StephenStephen of EnglandStephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
- Empress MaudEmpress MatildaEmpress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
- Robert of GloucesterRobert, 1st Earl of GloucesterRobert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was called "Rufus" and occasionally "de Caen", he is also known as Robert "the Consul"...
and his son Philip - Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of EssexGeoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of EssexGeoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
- Robert of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester was Justiciar of England 1155–1168.The surname "de Beaumont" is given him by genealogists. The only known contemporary surname applied to him is "Robert son of Count Robert"...
- Owain GwyneddOwain GwyneddOwain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
, his brother Cadwaladr ap GruffyddCadwaladr ap GruffyddCadwaladr ap Gruffydd was the third son of Gruffydd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd, Wales and younger brother of Owain Gwynedd.-Appearance in history:...
, and his son HywelHywel ab Owain GwyneddHywel ab Owain Gwynedd Wales Prince of Gwynedd in 1170, a Welsh poet and military leader. Hywel was the son of Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd, and an Irishwoman named Pyfog. In recognition of this, he was also known as Hywel ap Gwyddeles... - William of YpresWilliam of YpresWilliam of Ypres , styled count of Flanders, was King Stephen of England's chief lieutenant during the English civil wars of 1139–54...
- Bishop Henry of BloisHenry of BloisHenry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
- Bishop Roger de ClintonRoger de ClintonRoger de Clinton was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. He was responsible for organising a new grid street plan for the town of Lichfield in the 12th century which survives to this day.-Life:...
- Abbots Heribert (1128–1138), Radolfus (1138–1148) and Prior Robert Pennant (?1150, 1159–1168)
- Henry I of EnglandHenry I of EnglandHenry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
(1068/9–1135)
Cadfael and Love
A distinctive feature of the series is a pair of star-crossed lovers in nearly every book, who invariably get the full sympathy of Brother Cadfael (and the reader). Typically, Cadfael bends his full energy and ingenuity to the double task of solving the mystery and bringing the lovers to a happy union. In this latter, he seems the literary descendant of Shakespeare's Friar Laurence who made great (though ultimately futile) efforts to help Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. Cadfael is far more successful, with virtually all pairs of lovers in the series getting off to happy consummations, except when one of them turns out to be the wanted murderer. In one case, indeed, the lovers get their happy ending with Cadfael's help, even though one of them is the murderer.
Lovers in the Cadfael books face a whole series of obstacles, which sometimes seem insurmountable (in one book, it seems they are relatives too close to marry) but are invariably overcome. However, the problem is almost never a significant difference in social status between the two. In this series, aristocratic boys usually fall in love with aristocratic girls, artisans fall for the daughters of artisans, and a lowly wandering juggler is charmed beyond measure by a lowly kitchen maid. In St. Peter's Fair, a tradesman's daughter settles for another tradesman's son after her aristocratic first choice turns out to be a cad, calling her a "shopkeeper's girl of no account." In most cases, it seems that Pargeter's characters deliberately curtail their romantic aspirations where class conflict would undermine them. There are some exceptions to this class consciousness; in The Pilgrim of Hate an aristocratic youth marries the daughter of a tradesman, and in The Hermit of Eyton Forest a prosperous woodman's daughter marries a runaway villein.
The Aristocracy
A passage in The Confession of Brother Haluin introduces a nobleman whom the reader (and Cadfael) had not met before:Here he came, Audemar de Clary, on a tall chestnut horse, a big man in dark, plain, workmanlike riding clothes, without ornament, and needing none to mark him as having authority here. (...) Not a man to be crossed lightly, but no one feared him. They approached him cheerfully and spoke with him boldly. His anger, when justified, might be withering, even perilous – but it would be just.
This is fairly typical of most members of the aristocracy depicted in the series, who are described as fair-minded and just to their underlings, within the context of the hierarchal feudal social system and ideology.
The books do present some manifestly unjust, tyrannical and or outrightly cruel members of the aristocracy, though they are definitely in the minority. Faced with such, peasants can and do resort to the "safety-valve" built within the feudal system itself, by escaping from their lord to a chartered borough where after a stay of one year and one day they become free. On several occasions, Cadfael facilitates and helps such escapes.
Also, cruel and unjust landowners may end up as the victims of the murder which Cadfael needs to solve, in which case the reader is curious to know the solution of the mystery, but is not particularly eager to see the perpetrator punished.
The Civil War
The civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud is a constant background to the series. Despite the lack of newspapers and other mass news media, the inhabitants of Shrewsbury are kept well informed of the latest developments as the town is a major centre of commerce, constantly getting visitors from all over the country.In One Corpse Too Many, the second book in the series, Shrewsbury itself is a battlefield, and the wholesale execution of the defeated garrison by order of King Stephen forms the gruesome background to the book's murder mystery.
Further on, however, Shrewsbury is an island of calm in the raging storm. Refugees as well as spies and conspirators constantly come in, considerably impacting life in the town and setting up the plot for many of the books. Characters occasionally set out to the battlefields, either to take direct part in the fighting or (as in the case of Cadfael himself) to offer some needed aid or rescue. Stories of woe and disaster come in from other locations, such as Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
(The Virgin in the Ice) or Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
(An Excellent Mystery). Moreover, Shrewsbury is in close proximity to the border of Wales, which has its own troubles and wars - distinct from, though often interconnected with, those of England.
For all that, for most of the series the war happens elsewhere. Hugh Beringar, though in effect assuming the functions of a military governor and civil administrator as well as head of the police, always finds the time and energy to personally work with Cadfael on solving a new mystery. Though living in a war-torn country, Cadfael is often seen sitting contented in his garden and reflecting on the harmonic turn of the year's seasons. An Excellent Mystery concludes:
September was again September, mellowed and fruitful after the summer heat and drought. After every extreme the seasons righted themselves, and won back the half at least of what was lost.
In general, the war is seen as mainly the concern of the aristocracy. Some of its members take up a staunch and unwavering loyalty to one side or the other, and opposing partisans treat each other with utmost respect, as prescribed by the code of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
. Other aristocrats are utterly opportunistic and seek only to make use of the situation for personal profit and advancement, and are regarded with contempt by the more principled characters (and seemingly by the writer as well).
The lower classes, burghers and peasants, in general have little interest in who would win the war (anyway, in the feudal system they have no share in political power) as long as the death and destruction end, either by one of the contenders winning or by their reaching some kind of compromise (the latter is what the Church is shown as trying to achieve, with little success).
The burghers of Shrewsbury are concerned to repair the damage caused to their city during fighting in which they had little interest (the question who would pay for it is an undercurrent in Saint Peter's Fair). Thereafter, the traders and artisans of the city are well-content to live under the reasonably efficient and honest administration offered on behalf of King Stephen by Prestcote and later by Beringar. Clearly, however, they would have been equally content to live under the Empress Maud, provided only that her local representatives offer them the same possibility of developing undisturbed their trade and commerce.
The series ends with the Civil War still raging and an effort to bring about a peaceful resolution ending in nought. But for the writer's death, the format of the series - chronologically consecutive, with several books per year - might have left room for several dozen additional volumes before the end of the war was reached.
Crusades in the background
The CrusadesCrusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
form an important part of the backdrop to the books. There are Cadfael's own memories of his crusading life, which occur in virtually every one of the books, and the circumstances of Olivier's early life. In addition, most of Cadfael's knowledge of herbs and medicine was learned in the East, from more sophisticated sources than he would have found in England. (In the TV version of Virgin in the Ice, when Cadfael is treating a gravely wounded brother, the best remedy another brother can suggest is bleeding, which Cadfael scorns).
Also, several of the books feature returning crusaders who have central roles in the plot, while in others there are characters who depart England on the way eastwards. All of these crusading characters are depicted as sterling, model knights, brave and chivalrous, and the crusading enterprise itself is invariably regarded by all characters as a most noble and worthy cause.
There is occasional mention of acts of cruelty committed in the course of the Crusades. In conversation with a fellow crusader, Cadfael remarks, "After the killing that was done in Jerusalem, of so many who held by the Prophet, I say they deserved better luck against us than they had." In adding that his companion was never accused of brutality, he implicitly passes judgment on the Crusades as a whole (The Leper of Saint Giles). While on various occasions Cadfael makes remarks showing him not pleased with such brutalities, the references are rarely specific. Cadfael (as all other characters) never casts any doubt on the morality of carving out a Christian kingdom in the Muslim East and maintaining it by force; indeed, it would have been anachronistic to have him express such doubts.
However, his experience of the Crusades didn't lead to bigotry. Cadfael remembers Mariam, a Muslim woman as "well worth the loving," and had many other profitable friendships with Arabs and Muslims. His companion from The Leper of Saint Giles, who spent many years as a captive of the Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
Egyptians, agrees, saying he always found his hosts "chivalrous and courteous," who gave him medical help and supported him in his convalescence.
Differences between books and films
Thirteen of the books were adapted for television. They starred Derek JacobiDerek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
. The sequence of the television episodes differs from the sequence of the novels. Within the individual screenplays, with one major exception, most are reasonably faithful to the books, being modified primarily to minimise the size of the speaking cast, the running time of the script, or the need for extravagant special effects. Only in the books, Cadfael speaks Welsh and translates for several non-English-speaking Welshmen.
The character of Hugh Beringar is markedly different in the series. He and Aline Siward are both introduced in One Corpse Too Many, but she does not appear again. In the books, Hugh marries Aline and they have a son, Giles, named for Aline's dead brother. In Saint Peter's Fair, Aline helps Hugh and Cadfael guard a witness, and even when she does not appear in the books, Hugh speaks of her constantly and fondly. Another major difference in Hugh's treatment in the series is his relationship with Cadfael. In the series, Hugh is the sheriff who sometimes helps, sometimes hinders Cadfael, but does not appear to be on close terms with him. In the books, despite the more than thirty years difference in their ages, Hugh and Cadfael are best friends. Cadfael is the godfather of Hugh's son, and also confides in Hugh that Olivier de Bretagne is his son from a woman Cadfael knew in the Holy Land.
One episode, The Pilgrim of Hate, bears almost no resemblance to the eponymous book save the presence of a few characters sharing the names (but not the actions) of the characters in the book. In The Holy Thief, one of the characters is turned into a villain. In A Morbid Taste For Bones the climax sequence is altered, giving Cadfael more of a speaking role. In the episode Monk's Hood, Hugh has a somewhat larger role than in the book, following Cadfael to the court and suffering a stab wound when he walks in unexpectedly on Cadfael's accusation of the true criminal. In The Rose Rent, Cadfael gives the young wife a potion to ease her terminally ill husband's pain, warning her that too much will kill him. In the next scene, the man is dead, implying a mercy killing. In the book, there is no such implication-the man dies of an illness but without any shadow of doubt that Cadfael or the widow acted to hasten his end.
Cadfael novels
These are numbered in order of the time in which the novel was set, as well as the order in which the books were published:- A Morbid Taste for BonesA Morbid Taste for BonesA Morbid Taste for Bones is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1977. It was adapted for television in 1996 by Central for ITV. It is the first novel in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
(written in 1977, set in 1137) - One Corpse Too ManyOne Corpse Too ManyOne Corpse Too Many is a medieval mystery novel set in the summer of 1138 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1979. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV...
(1979, set in August 1138) - Monk's HoodMonk's HoodMonk's Hood is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1980. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV. It is the third novel in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
(1980, set in December 1138) - Saint Peter's FairSaint Peter's FairSaint Peter's Fair is a Historical whodunnit by Ellis Peters. It is the fourth novel in the Brother Cadfael series of mysteries. The story is set between July and September of the year 1139, during The Anarchy, in the English town of Shrewsbury....
(1981, set in July 1139) - The Leper of Saint GilesThe Leper of Saint GilesThe Leper of Saint Giles is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1981. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV. It is the fifth novel in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
(1981, set in October 1139) - The Virgin in the IceThe Virgin in the IceThe Virgin in the Ice is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1982. It was adapted for television in 1995 by Central for ITV. It is the sixth novel in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
(1982, set in November 1139) - The Sanctuary SparrowThe Sanctuary SparrowThe Sanctuary Sparrow is a medieval mystery novel set in the spring of 1140 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1983. It was adapted for television in 1994 by Central for ITV...
(1983, set in the Spring of 1140) - The Devil's NoviceThe Devil's NoviceThe Devil's Novice is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the eighth in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:Meriet Aspley, the younger son of country nobleman Leoric Aspley, petitions Shrewsbury Abbey to become a monk...
(1983, set in September 1140) - Dead Man's RansomDead Man's RansomDead Man's Ransom is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the ninth in the Brother Cadfael series, and was first published in 1984.-Plot summary:...
(1984, set in February 1141) - The Pilgrim of HateThe Pilgrim of HateThe Pilgrim of Hate is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the tenth in the Brother Cadfael series, and was first published in 1984.- Plot Summary :...
(1984, set in May 1141) - An Excellent MysteryAn Excellent Mystery (novel)-Plot introduction:August 1141, and two monks arrive at Shrewsbury with news of the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud. The Abbey of Hyde Mead at Winchester has been burned to the ground. From the moment he meets them Cadfael recognises a bond between the two refugees that goes...
(1985, set in August 1141) - The Raven in the ForegateThe Raven in the ForegateThe Raven in the Foregate is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1986, and set in December 1141.-Plot summary:Father Ailnoth, the new priest of the parish, follows the laws of the church to the letter, frequently alienating or endangering the people under his guidance...
(1986, set in December 1141) - The Rose RentThe Rose RentThe Rose Rent is a medieval mystery novel set in the summer of 1142 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1986. This is the thirteenth novel in the Brother Cadfael series...
(1986, set in June 1142) - The Hermit of Eyton ForestThe Hermit of Eyton ForestThe Hermit of Eyton Forest is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1988, and set in October 1142....
(1988, set in October 1142) - The Confession of Brother HaluinThe Confession of Brother HaluinThe Confession of Brother Haluin is a medieval mystery novel set in the winter of 1142-1143 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1988. It is the fifteenth novel in the Cadfael series.-Plot summary:...
(1988, set in December 1142) - The Heretic's ApprenticeThe Heretic's ApprenticeThe Heretic's Apprentice is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, first published in 1990, and set in June 1143. It features Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine monk of the Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Shrewsbury. Bishop Roger de Clinton appears as a character....
(1990, set in June 1143) - The Potter's Field (1990, set in August 1143)
- The Summer of the DanesThe Summer of the DanesThe Summer of the Danes is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the eighteenth in the Brother Cadfael series, and was first published in 1991.-Plot summary:...
(1991, set in April 1144) - The Holy ThiefThe Holy ThiefThe Holy Thief is a Historical whodunnit by Ellis Peters. It is the 19th and penultimate volume of the Brother Cadfael series, and, like the others, is set in England during The Anarchy.-Plot:...
(1992, set in August 1144) - Brother Cadfael's PenanceBrother Cadfael's PenanceBrother Cadfael's Penance is a medieval mystery novel set in the autumn of 1145 by Ellis Peters, first published in 1994. It is the last novel in the Cadfael series.-Plot Summary:...
(1994, set in November 1145)
Many of the novels are also available as audiobooks. Narrators for different editions of these audiobooks include Vanessa Benjamin (The Devil's Novice
The Devil's Novice
The Devil's Novice is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the eighth in the Brother Cadfael series.-Plot summary:Meriet Aspley, the younger son of country nobleman Leoric Aspley, petitions Shrewsbury Abbey to become a monk...
from Blackstone Audiobooks
Blackstone Audiobooks
Blackstone Audio is the largest independent audiobook publisher in the United States, offering over 4,500 audiobooks. The company is based in Ashland, Oregon with five in-house recording studios. It is the official publisher of audio plays by the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the...
), Sir Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
, Roe Kendall, Stephen Thorne, Patrick Tull and Johanna Ward.
Short stories
- Published in A Rare Benedictine: The Advent of Brother CadfaelA Rare Benedictine: The Advent of Brother CadfaelA Rare Benedictine: The Advent of Brother Cadfael is a collection of three short stories by Ellis Peters, featuring her medieval detective, Brother Cadfael, first published in 1988....
(1988):- A Light on the Road to Woodstock (set in Autumn, 1120)
- The Price of Light (set at Christmas, 1135)
- Eye Witness (set in 1139)
BBC Radio 4 adaptations
Starring Glyn HoustonGlyn Houston
Glyn Houston , is an actor best known for his television work. He is the brother of the late film actor Donald Houston.-Early life:...
as Cadfael
- 1 – A Morbid Taste for Bones
- 2 – One Corpse Too Many with Geoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey Whitehead is an English actor. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St...
as "Adam Courcelles"
Produced by Bert Coules
Bert Coules
Bert Coules is an English writer, mainly for the BBC, who has produced a number of adaptations and original works. He works mainly in radio drama but also writes for TV and the stage.-Early years:...
and starring Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc
Philip Madoc is a Welsh actor who has had many television and film roles.One prominent role was the title character in the BBC Wales drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George...
as Cadfael and Timothy Bateson
Timothy Bateson
Timothy Dingwall Bateson was a British actor. The son of Dingwall Bateson, a solicitor later knighted, he was educated at Uppingham School and Wadham College, Oxford....
.
- 3 – Monk's Hood, with Sir Michael Hordern as "The Narrator" and Geoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey Whitehead is an English actor. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St...
as "Prior Robert" - 6 – The Virgin in the Ice (1993) with Sir Michael Hordern as "The Narrator" and Douglas HodgeDouglas HodgeDouglas Hodge is an English actor, director, and musician who trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Hodge is a council member of the National Youth Theatre for whom, in 1989, he co-wrote Pacha Mama's Blessing about the Amazon rain forests staged at the Almeida...
as "Hugh Beringar" - 9 – Dead Man's Ransom (1995) with Michael KitchenMichael KitchenMichael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:...
as "The Narrator"
Television dramas
Produced in Britain by CentralCentral Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, 75 minutes per episode. Filmed on location in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and starring Sir Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
. All thirteen episodes have been released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
Series I (1994):
- One Corpse Too Many (Episode 101 – Book 2)
- The Sanctuary Sparrow (Episode 102 – Book 7)
- The Leper of Saint Giles (Episode 103 – Book 5)
- Monk's Hood (Episode 104 – Book 3)
(Acorn Media released audio versions of the above episodes with dialogue and music taken from the actual audio tracks and with linking narration)
Series II (1995–1996):
- The Virgin in the Ice (Episode 201 – Book 6)
- The Devil's Novice (Episode 202 – Book 8)
- A Morbid Taste for Bones (Episode 203 – Book 1)
Series III (1997):
- The Rose Rent (Episode 301 – Book 13)
- St. Peter's Fair (Episode 302 – Book 4)
- The Raven in the Foregate (Episode 303 – Book 12)
Series IV (1998):
- The Holy Thief (Episode 401 – Book 19)
- The Potter's Field (Episode 402 – Book 17)
- The Pilgrim of Hate (Episode 403 – Book 10)
Printed references
- Green, Judith A. Henry I : King of England and Duke of Normandy. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006.
- Howard, H. Wendell, "The World of Brother Cadfael", Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, Volume 11, Number 1, Winter 2008, pp. 149-162