ISFJ 9w1 Characters
Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Mary Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl presents a character vastly different from her ambitious sister Anne. Where Anne is fiery, manipulative, and determined to carve her own path, Mary is depicted as kind, demure, and peace-loving; qualities that make her stand out in the treacherous Tudor court. This MBTI and Enneagram analysis of Mary Boleyn explores her gentle temperament, her tendency to yield to others, and her desire for a simple, stable life away from the scheming world of politics. Through Mary, the film shows us the contrast between ambition and contentment, between Anne’s hunger for power and her sister’s longing for peace.
A Dutiful Daughter: Introverted Sensing
Mary’s father calls her a “simple and uncomplicated girl,” saying she is kinder and gentler than her sister and has less ambition. It’s true. Mary respects how things are done and how life works. Rather than trying to carve her own destiny like her sister, she allows her parents to marry her off to William Carey, who provides her financial stability and a decent life.
She has no expectations of what her life will be like other than her desire to live a quiet life, and is surprised when it’s not how she thought it would be. Anne’s ambitions and plans for the future shock her, and drive her away from the court, but she returns there to beg for her sister’s life, assuming that her previous relationship with the king will cause him to show them both mercy. (It worked before, why would it be any different now?)
The film has her marching into the palace and carrying out her niece, to raise her alongside of her own children in the country. This shows her domestic nature, her awareness of the need for family attachments, and her motherly inclinations.
The Gentle Heart: Extraverted Feeling
Mary prioritizes how others feel above her own feelings; when a man proposes to her, even though she likes him, she says it would disappoint her family, so she cannot do it. She has no expectation that she will marry for love, but easily falls for the king and is devastated when he abandons her for her sister.
It shocks her that Anne would betray her, and ruin her happiness, and she tries numerous times to reassure Anne that she never intended to steal her limelight. She does not want Anne to think that she in any way intentionally did anything to hurt her; she cannot bear the idea that her sister would think her that cruel. Because she is so kind and considerate of others, it shocks her to her core that Anne cuts into her relationship, undermines her, and separates her from the man she loves.
Mary doesn’t approve of Anne’s actions, her desire to replace the queen, her scheme with their brother to conceal her miscarriage, or any of her moral choices, but still defends her and speaks on her behalf to Henry, in the hope that she can persuade him to show Anne mercy.
Mary expresses her feelings when asked, but reluctantly goes along with her family to keep them happy.
A Voice of Reason: Introverted Thinking
Her analytical side shows in her questioning of her sister’s motives (“Why does she do this?”) and her ability to think about the consequences of their actions.
Unlike Anne, she knows that to buck social tradition will cause them both trouble. She sees how overturning the rules will threaten the stability of their lives. When her husband does not object to her becoming the king’s mistress, she is surprised and questions it. She assumes she can convince the king to show her sister mercy, if she pleads for him and subtly reminds him that she is the father of his child.
Mary is not above recognizing her sister is in the wrong and that her ideas are radical.
Fear of the Future: Extraverted Intuition
Like her mother, Mary worries about the future and the unknown consequences of her sisters’ actions. She flees the castle in the middle of the night when Anne determines a course of action Mary fears will lead to her downfall, so she is not caught in the middle of it. But she has no interest in politics, theorizing for its own sake, or the Reform sweeping through England.
A Kind & Gentle Mistress: Enneagram 9
Mary is over-adjusted to her plight in life; she marries the man her parents choose for her, and hopes that they will live quietly in the country. When the king asks her why she has not come to court, she says she requested a life away from the business of London. Though she doesn’t want to become the king’s mistress, she easily adapts to him and falls in love with him, because he is tender and generous with her.
Even though it upsets her that Anne sabotages her and intends to take the king, whom she loves, away from her, Mary still forgives her, offers to help her out of a “peace offering,” and stays at court when asked, to provide her moral support.
She is naïve and idealistic, sweet and temperate in her manners, and stands out vividly against Anne in her quiet, demure nature. Her father calls her the kinder of the two Boleyn girls.
The Moral Conscience: The 1 Wing
Mary also has strong, forceful opinions—she doesn’t want any part of her family’s wicked behaviors and feels guilt for the things she does wrong. It pains her to betray the queen. Initially, she is incredulous that her husband is going along with the king’s plans to seduce her, and accepting gifts and high positions in “payment” for her being a “whore.” It seems wrong to her that he would not mind this or have a moral objection to it.
Mary wants to believe the best of her loved ones, and see them do good things rather than be self-serving. She is fearless in her desire to stand up for her sister at the end, but also idealistic in her hope Henry will spare Anne’s life.
The Quiet Boleyn Girl
Scarlett plays a lovely Mary. Likable, temperate, sweet, demure, and kind, it hurts me to see her thrown aside and ignored while her sister schemes her way to the throne. The real Mary was probably less innocent, the older of the two, and had other lovers than just the king. But then, Anne never plotted to snatch the throne from Catherine of Aragon, either. It’s a shame the movie stinks and is fairly hideous to watch with that nasty orange filter on it, because the performances are lovely.
