ESTP 7w8 Characters
King Henry VIII is one of history’s most notorious monarchs, famous for his tempestuous personality, multiple marriages, and seismic impact on England’s religious and political landscape. This personality analysis explores Henry VIII’s character in Wolf Hall through the lens of MBTI and Enneagram, as played by Damien Lewis. We’ll also delve into his Enneagram 7w8 traits, revealing the complex mix of charm, ruthlessness, and relentless drive that defined his reign.
Extraverted Sensing
When Anne begs her husband not to compete in another joust lest he get hurt, Henry angrily tells her she might as well castrate him in front of the entire court. He lives to “do” things. Henry is always hunting, shooting, jousting, dancing, drinking, eating, riding, and entertaining himself. He wanted to go off to war in France and remembers how Cromwell opposed it. Anne drives him insane with lust; he admits he has tried a dozen other women, but cannot do it with them, because Anne occupies his thoughts. He wants her, now, and demands that Cromwell make it possible for them to marry. Henry becomes increasingly impatient with her, not giving her much time to recover from childbirth or miscarriages before he wants more children.
Introverted Thinking
Though he accuses Cromwell of treasonous actions in not wanting him to go to war in France, Henry listens to his explanation, which involves financing and a lack of resources to fund an army, and sees the logic in it. When trying to divorce Catherine, he comes up with a potential loophole that he wants his lawyers to exploit—his uncertainty about whether she lied about being a virgin when they married, and linking it to an obscure text in the Bible that forbids a man to take his brother’s wife (while conveniently ignoring contradictory verses that tell a man to do just that; “if the widow is childless, let her dead husband’s brother lie with her, so that his brother has heirs…”). He has a great deal of respect for those who can articulate a fierce and logical argument without becoming emotionally engaged, even though…
Extraverted Feeling
… Henry is prone to emotional outbursts and public tantrums when he doesn’t get what he wants. He escalates into screaming matches with Anne Boleyn. He often calls Cromwell to his side to confide his emotions in him—his frustration, anxiety, or anger. Henry loses his temper easily and does not like it when he believes others think poorly of him. He sometimes takes a placating role in trying to soothe Anne or prevent an argument, and has no strong inner moral code he abides by, but how others treat him or see him affects him. After he yells at Cromwell in public, and Cromwell handles it calmly before he withdraws, it shakes Henry up by how he has made a fool of himself, and seeks later to make peace with his former friend.
Introverted Intuition
He senses the worth in Cromwell when they first meet and Cromwell handles himself well under pressure; Henry looks to leave a “greater legacy” behind, but trusts others to think of the long-term benefits and perils of his decisions. He did not stop to think about the financial difficulties and long-term consequences of wanting to invade France.
The Enneagram 7
Henry wants things to be pleasant, so he can have a good time and fulfill all of his desires. He is impatient, but good-natured, often making jokes, trading insults, and teasing those around him. But he is not used to waiting, to being told no, and expects others to do the work involved in getting him whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. He instantly loses his fascination with Anne when the golden world she promised him (a son) doesn’t materialize; his former idealization of her turns into contempt, suspicion, and paranoia, and he wants her “gone” so he can marry Jane Seymour the next day. Henry doesn’t mourn his first wife, but cheerfully plans for his future the day of her funeral. He shows no remorse in his actions, and always thinks of himself in the highest possible regard with a rose-colored tint toward how noble a king he is, despite all evidence to the contrary.
The 8 Wing
Henry puts up with and placates Anne to a point, then explodes with rage, makes demands, and issues threats against those who fail him. He turns on Anne and winds up shouting at her, scorning her, and refusing to play nice with her once she has fallen from his favor. Henry often loses his temper in front of his court, causing him to look weak, but he doesn’t realize it at the time because he’s too hot under the collar. He doesn’t care how Cromwell gets rid of people, he just wants anyone dead who displeases him or refuses to bow to his authority—including his former friend, Thomas More. He even refuses to let his daughter Mary come to court, until she admits he is right, her mother is wrong, and bows to his authority.
Ruthless and Charming
Henry VIII’s personality in Wolf Hall reveals a volatile blend of bold action, sharp logic, emotional impulsivity, and occasional blindness to long-term consequences. His ESTP dominant Extroverted Sensing fuels his desire to live fully in the moment, while his auxiliary Introverted Thinking drives him to seek legal loopholes and justifications for his actions. Despite a sometimes clumsy Extroverted Feeling, he deeply craves approval and fears humiliation. His inferior Introverted Intuition hints at a yearning for legacy but often leaves him vulnerable to short-sighted decisions. Coupled with the high-energy, pleasure-seeking traits of the Enneagram 7w8 and the fierce, ruthless assertiveness of the 8 wing, Henry is a complex monarch whose personality shaped history as much as his policies.
