Does Shakespeare successfully present Henry V as a hero to his audience?

My interpretation of a hero is somebody who is sincere and caring. They must be polite and well mannered. Someone who is strong and has a strong will in a tough situation. A person who is heroic, fearless, brave and courageous all rolled into one. A person who isn't afraid to say what they believe in. They must be confident and determined to follow something through to the very end and to fight for what is theirs. A person who is a good speaker and can put their point across to an audience. They must be prepared to make sacrifices as part of their job.

Although all of the above things are important attributes of a hero I think there are two more important attributes. The first is to be loyal. To be loyal to your friends, family and country. Without loyalty there can never be trust. The second is the ability to change. To realise there is something wrong with you or your attitude and to do something about it.

Ely and Canterbury talk about one of these attributes in Act one Scene one of the play. The ability to change. Shakespeare writes about one of the main attributes of a hero in the very first scene. When Canterbury looks back on the prospect of Henry being a King he says that, "The courses of his youth promised it not." Canterbury believes this because as a youth, "His companies unlettered, rude and shallow, His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports, And never noted him any study." As Henry grows older though, "never was such a sudden scholar made." Henry changes because he knew he had to. That takes determination and courage. No matter what anyone said he followed it through and did what he had to do.

In the very first scene of the play Henry is already being talked about before we have even met him. Shakespeare has done this because he is giving Henry a real hero's entrance, just like in any good film, he is telling the audience who he is and what he does. Canterbury and Ely are setting the scene and trying to make his entrance seem dramatic. Shakespeare does this to tell the audience that Henry is a well-known and well-talked about person. In other words Shakespeare is showing the audience that Henry is powerful.

In Act one Scene two Henry is introduced to us for the first time. A first impression of him would be that he is very diplomatic and polite. "Sure, we thank you. My learned lord, we pray you to proceed." Later on in the scene though, when the French challenge him he does not turn it down. Henry is pondering whether to stake a claim to the French throne. When he is sent a mocking gift of, "Tennis balls, my liege." He acts on his instincts and declares war on France. This is very brave because it leaves him open ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

In Act two Scene two Henry finds out that three of his lords, and friends, are "traitors." He is upset by this, "What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop, thou cruel, Ingrateful, savage and inhuman creature?" Although they are his friends he knows that he must, "Arrest them to answer to the law." They are his friends but like any hero he must make sacrifices.

Being a hero isn't just about fighting or being brave it's also about thinking about and helping others. In Act three Scene one Shakespeare shows Henry giving a moving speech to his soldiers outside the walls of Harfleur. "Once more unto the breach, dear friends…On, on you noble English…Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war…Cry 'God for Harry, England and Saint George!" Henry just doesn't go into battle and expect everybody to win. He knows how they must be feeling and he tries to encourage them.

Henry also demonstrates that he is willing to do everything that his job entails. Shakespeare shows the audience another heroic quality by, instead of sending one of Henrys soldiers to do something for him, he writes it so that Henry does it himself. This is shown in Act three Scene four when he says, "How yet resolves the governor of the town? This is the latest parle we will admit, Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves." Henrys strong words push the Governor of Harfleur to give in. As soon as Henry and his army are let into Harfleur he is showing good initiative by already thinking about the next stage, "Upon the soldiers, we will retire to Calais."

Shakespeare shows the audience again of Henrys heroism by showing us he can be polite and that he has good manners. "How now, Llewellyn? Camest thou from the bridge?" Although Henry is like a friend to his soldiers, just like a hero Shakespeare shows us that Henry must face up to his responsibilities. Bardolph has been caught stealing and he says, "We would have all such offenders so cut off…in our marches through the country there be nothing compelled from the villages." Even though things aren't going as well as they should be Henry doesn't give up. In response to Montjoys offer for him to name his ransom he says, "…My army but a weak and sickly guard. Yet, God before, tell him we will come on Through France himself and such another neighbour stand in our way." Yet again in this extract of a speech Henry shows his strong beliefs in God. All of the above quotations came from Act three scene seven.

Shakespeare makes the play very dramatic by using a chorus at the beginning of every act. These are very effective because it gives the audience a taster of what is going to happen but not enough to explain the act fully. This means that the audience want to know what is going to happen and when something does happen it makes it all the more dramatic.

In Act four Scene one Shakespeare presents us the audience, with Henry's many heroic qualities. Not showing any signs of worry or weariness he tries his best to raise the morale of his soldiers. "…There is some soul of goodness in things evil…For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, Which is both healthful and good husbandry." Henry also shows us like any hero or any person that he has feelings. He borrows a cloak and walks around the camp asking people what they think of him.

King: "Then you are a better man than the king."

Pistol: "the king's a bawock and a heart of gold, a lad of life, an imp of fame, of parents good, of fist most valiant."

Later on in an argument (while in disguise) with Bates Henry stresses, "…I think the king is but a man as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me."

Shakespeare shows the audience that Henry has a different side to his personality, he is caring and understanding. "Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, though my host That he which hath no stomach to this fight Let him depart." He then shows us that he isn't just all talk and that he is brave by saying, "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers-For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother." Henry again refers back to his belief in God by saying, "Take it, brave York. Now soldiers, march away, And how Thou pleasest, God, dispose the day." He shows us this in Act four Scene three.

You know when someone is a real hero because another person compares him or her to an already famous hero. Shakespeare does this in Act four Scene seven when Llewellyn compares Henry to Alexander, "…If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it in incident well." Later on Henry shows again that he does have feelings. All of the boys guarding the luggage have been killed, "I was not angry since I came to France Until this instant." When Henry knows that they have won the battle he is not boastful; this is another great attribute of a hero shown very clearly to the audience by Shakespeare. Instead he says, "Praised be God, and not our strength, for it." He then shows that he is not afraid to show everybody his roots. "I wear it for a memorable honour, For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman." Even though he is enjoying the moment of winning he has to get on with his job, "Bring me just notice of the numbers dead On both our parts." Once again Henry refers to God, "To boast of this, or to take that praise from God, Which is His only…but with this acknowledgement, That God fought for us."

During the battle Shakespeare uses another dramatic device by using very short scenes whilst everyone is fighting. This means that everything is constantly changing and the audience doesn't know what is going to happen next. It also builds up tension because Shakespeare is moving from one camp to the next. One minute you are in the French camp then the next you are in the English camp.

After winning the battle Henry has to get back to his duties as king. Shakespeare shows the audience this side of Henry to show us that he is not just wrapped up in the glory of winning, he instead shows us that he is a true hero and still will face up to his responsibilities. "Peace to this meeting, wherefor we are met." He then shows that a hero is just like any other man by trying to court the French king's daughter, Katherine. "Fair Katherine…if you will love me soundly with your French heart I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue…An angel is like you…And therefore tell me, most fair Katherine, will you have me?" After agreeing the peace treaty Henry says, "prepare we for our marriage " The above quotations were taken from Act Five Scene Two.

Overall I think Shakespeare has been very successful in presenting Henry as a hero. He is everything a hero could be. He has shown the audience that a hero could be sitting amongst them, that a hero is just an ordinary man or woman. The audience can relate to this because one day they themselves know that they could be a hero. I also think that the play was more effective in Elizabethan times than it is now. This is because when Shakespeare wrote this particular play Queen Elizabeth was coming to the end of a very successful rein and she had no one to succeed her. The Elizabethan community were very worried that there wouldn't be anybody as good to take over, especially not a man. Shakespeare then wrote this play showing a truly heroic, male King. This raised the hopes of the Elizabethan people and made the play much more effective and much more popular.

By: Nicholas Graham