High profile Marys abound in the history of the western world. The Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene are revered or condemned in modern Christian and Orthodox religion. The Catholic fanatic Mary 1 was the first crowned queen of England. Mary Surratt was executed as a Confederate spy after the assassination of Lincoln in 1865. Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley created lasting and controversial literary reputations long before the 20th century, while Mary Meyer, one of the many mistresses of John Kennedy died mysteriously in 1964 after his assassination. Mary Astor won the Academy Award for Best Supporting actress 1941 for The Great Lie.

SUGGESTED READING

• H M Prescott, Mary Tudor: The Spanish Tudor, Phoenix, 2003
• The Conspirator, 2011, a film about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, featuring Robin Wright as Mary Surratt, Antonia Fraser as Mary Queen of Scots.
• C R N Routh, Who is Who in Tudor England, Shepheard- Walyn 1990

COURSE OUTLINE
An overview of the life and times of a selection of famous Marys throughout History, including

• Mary I of England 1553-1558 and the bloody politics of the Counter Reformation
• The Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene, contrasting religious icons from the 1st century AD
• Mary Surratt, executed as a confederate spy in 1865 in controversial circumstances
• Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley and their literary legacy
• Mary Pickford and Mary Astor, Hollywood actresses in different eras
• Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne, one of the many mistresses of Henry VIII
• Mary Meyer who many believe was murdered in 1964 after assassination of JFK

PLANNED LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discuss the essential features of the life and times of a wide selection of famous Marys from different periods and cultures.
2. Evaluate the factors which led to their success, failures and notoriety.
3. Account for the variations of different historians and commentators about the Marys.