Screenplay: Cromwell

Overview
Robert Bolt's 1970 screenplay "Cromwell" dramatizes the turbulent rise of Oliver Cromwell from country squire to the central figure of a revolution that toppled a monarchy. The narrative moves through parliamentary struggle, civil war, the capture and trial of King Charles I, and the uneasy consolidation of power that follows. Bolt frames these events as a collision between conviction and compromise, portraying historical upheaval as both political theater and moral crucible.

Plot
The story opens with Cromwell reluctantly drawn into national affairs as tensions between King Charles I and Parliament escalate. As royal intransigence and religious conflict intensify, Cromwell becomes a military leader, forging the New Model Army and achieving decisive victories that shift the balance of power. Battles such as Marston Moor and Naseby are presented not merely as military triumphs but as turning points that expose the costs of civil war.
When Charles is captured and negotiations collapse, the drama moves to the fraught question of authority and accountability. Parliament's divisions, royal stubbornness, and the army's impatience culminate in the unprecedented decision to put a king on trial. The execution scene marks the point of no return, after which Cromwell must steer a fragile republic while confronting the compromises that power demands. The final act follows his attempts to govern, the dissolution of the Rump Parliament, and the lonely burdens of leadership that culminate in his declining health and ambiguous legacy.

Main Characters
Oliver Cromwell is drawn as a deeply pious and driven leader whose rise is propelled by faith, fury at injustice, and practical skill. King Charles I is depicted as dignified yet obdurate, a monarch whose sense of divine right puts him on a collision course with forces he cannot control. Supporting figures, Parliamentarian leaders, army officers, and royal courtiers, populate the drama and underline the competing visions for England's future, from republican experiment to authoritarian restoration.

Themes
A central theme is the conflict between principle and pragmatism: ideals of liberty, justice, and divine mandate clash with the messy necessities of war and governance. Bolt probes the moral paradox that a revolution fought to secure liberty can produce concentration of power and moral ambiguity in its leaders. The screenplay also examines leadership under crisis, the corrosive effects of political compromise, and the personal costs borne by those who reshape history.

Style and Tone
Bolt's writing balances epic sweep with intimate moral interrogation. Large-scale battle scenes and parliamentary confrontations are intercut with quieter moments that reveal Cromwell's inward conflict, lending the screenplay a classical, theatrical gravitas. Dialogues are crafted to highlight ideological stakes, and the tone shifts from righteous fury to weary introspection as the cost of victory becomes clearer.

Legacy
"Cromwell" presents a dramatic, human-centered interpretation of a complex period, inviting viewers to grapple with enduring questions about revolution, legitimacy, and the price of political change. The screenplay's focus on moral ambiguity and the burdens of command ensures its continued relevance as both historical drama and meditation on power.