Date of Award

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Clouse, Robert G

Abstract

This study looks at the life of Oliver Cromwell,Lord Protector of England in an effort to clarify the diverse and conflicting interpretations resulting from a lack of agreement between those who are biased for and against the Lord Protector.The purpose of the study of this conflicting information is not to settle whether Cromwell was a good figure or bad, but to define more clearly his time.Cromwell, clarified creates a broader understanding of the seventeenth century Englishman.An introduction develops a brief summarization of Pre-Reformation Europe,the forces which brought changes,Reformation Europe and the Post-Reformation era in which Cromwell lived.The non-Cromwellian periods were included to develop a broader picture for the reader of the atmosphere into which Cromwell emerged.The study concentrates on six key points of conflict within the lifetime of Cromwell and discussion of those conflicts through use of periods or roles within his life.Cromwell's changeable nature does not lend itself to a static,one dimensional interpretation, but rather to one that attempts to incorporate the normal fluctuations of human nature and the continuity of change.This study concludes with no-earth shattering developments,but with the assertion that Cromwell's seeming inconsistencies are indicative of a man who illustrates not the static,stiffness which brings frequently disastrous results,but rather his openness to change.He is a prime example of how the only constant in life is change.Finally,the conclusion is a call to other students of history for recognition of the need for further action in defining not only Cromwell, but his time and a thorough investigation and study of the seventeenth century through interpretive works.

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