Consider the different ways in which war is presented in Henry V.

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Lydia Smith

Corfe K

Mrs Kerr-Dineen

Consider the different ways in which war is presented in Henry V.

        Henry V is a very efficient play for looking at the different ways war could be portrayed. Shakespeare effectively uses language in particular to show the audience that war can represent many different things, all in the space of a play. A connection between an Elizabethan audience, to which the play is directed, and the situation being portrayed in Shakespeare’s Henry V is also shown in this piece of theatrical writing.

         The first, and possibly most effective, way of looking at different ways war is shown is through the use of language. Shakespeare uses language to show many different perspectives on war. The first perspective is war as a mighty force. Shakespeare compares the English advance into France with a natural, aggressive disaster. He says the English “came pouring like the tide into a breach” (1.2.149), likening it to an unpredictable and unstoppable force of nature. This shows war to be a great force to be feared.  Another quotation to support this comment of the English being unstoppable and a force of nature is the phrase said by the French King, "rush on his host as doth the melted snow" (3.6.50). This phrase helps the audience watching the play see England as a threat, because even the French, patriotic, King is admitting that not only England, but also Henry, is a force of nature.  The next perspective of war is war as a monster. This perspective is used to show, once again, that war is something frightening and intimidating. We are told to imagine a monster, “now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide” (3.1.15). We also hear the war being described as a “hungry war” which “opens his vasty jaws” (2.4.105). Hearing war being described as hungry makes the audience imagine it as war trying to get what it was made for – blood. The third perspective is war as dogs. Shakespeare uses many references to dogs in the play. In Act One, Scene Two, line

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143, Henry says "we do not mean the coursing snatchers only", referring not only to the predator of France – which is an animal that is trying to overpower England – but it is also referring to the whole situation. Henry shows his angst to the Scots in this line, possibly calling them the “coursing snatchers.” Henry also comments about dogs when he is making his famous war speech to his men, “I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start. The game's afoot." This is very inspiring to hear, because by calling them greyhounds, he ...

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