Shakespeare's Henry V

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Jack Howard                January 2003

Henry V Essay

William Shakespeare is one of the most famous and influential writers of all time. His plays not only portray the past, but also aspects of love and hate, humour and tragedy.

Henry V, written by Shakespeare, using Raphael Holinshed’s historical chronicles, appealed to many of the citizens of that time, as it presented an insight into their country’s past, as well as ‘feel-good’ nationalism. It would have been performed on stage at a time when Henry VIII had secluded the country of all contact with the Church of Rome. Providing the audience with its country’s past glories and triumphs, the play counter-acts this feeling of seclusion and loss of identity with glorified achievement and renewal of patriotism.

Henry V continues Shakespeare’s series of historic plays; it follows Henry IV and is the predecessor to Henry VI. In Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, the audience is introduced to Henry V. Henry is young and considered ‘wild’ as his days were spent in the ‘Boars Head’ among the likes of his dear friend, and father-figure, Sir John Falstaff, and the other members of the ‘Eastcheap Mob’ (Henry’s ‘greener days’ are later referred to and mocked at by the French Dauphin). Once crowned King, these days, as well as the people who shared them with Henry, are quickly forgotten, and Falstaff soon dies of a ‘broken heart’, due to the disownment his ‘son-figure’ has pursued. We soon see the change, and it is evidential that it is for the better, later on in the play when we witness Henry go to war with France. Not only is Henry filled with confidence and fuelled by ambition; he has also gained the ability to grasp the essence of war and the ability to persuade with an evocative manner, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.”

The chorus eloquently suggests that Henry is ‘the star of England’ and ‘the mirror of all Christian kings’. Are they correct in their assumption: is Henry a great king, or does William Shakespeare merely include this as a biased opinion to enforce onto the audience, so as to prosper the basis of patriotism already built earlier?

The play begins with the chorus’ prologue to the play. Naturally, Shakespeare provides the chorus with words so descriptive and elegant that the apology for lack of realism is forgotten, as is the stage and theatre, and, instead, the open planes of Agincourt are forcefully seen in one’s ‘minds eye’. No more are we an audience, but a witness.

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Shakespeare portrays Henry as a very religious king; whether this is to promote Henry or to express his own opinions as to what principles a King should have, especially whilst Henry VIII was on the thrown at that time, and the Roman Church had been cut off from England, indicating that religion wasn’t too high on Henry VIII’s agenda. There is evidence throughout the play that Henry was a religious king, “a true lover of the holy church.” From Shakespeare’s view a good king always appreciates his creator and knows that it is God who will guide and look ...

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