Henry V - History of a Hero?

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Henry V - History of a Hero?

In act one, scene one of Henry VI Part 1 some of the remaining characters from Henry V stand, following the death of King Henry V, and discuss the nature of their former monarch.

King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!

England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

England ne'er had a king until his time.

Virtue he had, deserving to command.1

Their memories of the young king seem to sit well with some of the opinions of characters in Henry V, "I love the lovely bully", and indeed with history itself, "a military leader with a clear idea of virtue and leadership"2. However other characters in Henry V offer us less favourable opinions, "I'll never trust his word after", "Aye he said so, to make us fight more cheerfully. But when our throats are cut he may be ransomed, and we ne'er the wiser." Audience members are showing executions, foul language and scant regard for human life, promting Gerald Gould to ask

Is it seriously maintained that Shakespeare means us to admire Henry here?3

So what is it about both