Subversion and Containment: Metahistorical Trauma in Ken Follett’s The Armour of Light

Historical narratives are records of subversion, revolution, and containment. The subversion of power and authority is a direct result of centuries of oppression, the dramatic entrances of rebel-heroes, the glory of revolution, and the establishment of states that promise equality and freedom. But beyond these deceptive markers lie the truth - the rebel-heroes are hanged in public, the revolution results in slavery and worse conditions than before, and the heroes’ families endure centuries of trauma. Ken Follett’s The Armour of Light is a metahistorical narrative that undermines the truths behind the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution, trade unions, and the end of feudalism.


This article aims to research centuries of historical trauma endured by the labour class through the lens of metahistorical approaches. The narrative of Follett has been examined with the theories of Stephen Greenblatt, Hayden White, Karl Marx, and Cathy Caruth. Commencing with Greenblatt’s concepts of subversion and containment, the paper establishes the origin and results of centuries of feudal oppression that ease into hard labour in factories and jails. Marx’s theories of the Infrastructure and the Superstructure prove that the oppressed labourers are essential for the existence of society, but they must remain poor so that others can enjoy their wealth. Finally, Caruth’s theory on historical trauma concludes the paper, revealing the secrets behind hard labour, poverty, and unemployment, and how the people managed to cope with trauma.