How, do you believe, did Shakespeare want his audience to respond to the eponymous hero in Henry Vth? Your essay should include references to the differing critical responses the play has engendered.

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How, do you believe, did Shakespeare want his audience to respond to the eponymous hero in Henry Vth? Your essay should include references to the differing critical responses the play has engendered.

When writing "Henry Vth," Shakespeare was trying to achieve a number of responses to the character of Henry. He portrayed Henry as an eponymous hero, but this hero had faults, what needs to be discussed is whether these faults effect the audiences response to Henry and whether they are either inexcusable or unavoidable.

One view of an 'eponymous hero' would require Henry to fill a number of criteria. He would have to be the basic epitome of hero, somebody that is automatically thought of when the word hero is mentioned. He must be the ideal leader and gentleman that people can look up to and be inspired by. Another approach would be that of Machiavelli. He put forward the idea that a good leader and hero may still be so even with flaws and faults. To have control and stability the leader must be capable of using cruelty and deceit as well as honesty and generosity1, it is true to say we see all of