CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
PRESENTS:
William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon. The son of John Shakespeare, a
successful glove maker and public official, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a gentleman, William was the oldest
surviving sibling of eight children. Throughout Shakespeare’s childhood, companies of touring actors visited Stratford.
Although there is no evidence to prove that Shakespeare ever saw these actors perform, most scholars agree that he
probably did. In 1582, at the age of 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a farmer.
The couple had become parents of two daughters and a son by 1585. Sometime in the next eight years,
Shakespeare left his family in Stratford and moved to London to pursue a career in the theater. Records show that by
1592, he had become a successful actor and playwright in that city. Shakespeare joined a famous acting group called the
Lord Chamberlain’s Men, so named for their patron, or supporter, a high official in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. One of
the first plays Shakespeare wrote for this company was Romeo and Juliet. In 1598 Shakespeare became part owner of a
major new theater, the Globe.
For more than a decade, Shakespeare produced a steady stream of works, both tragedies and comedies, which
were performed at the Globe, the royal court, and other London theaters. However, shortly after the Globe was destroyed
by fire in 1613, he retired and returned to Stratford. He died in Stratford in 1616.
After the last few years, CSC has presented Richard II and most
recently, Henry IV, Parts I & II. These productions have launched
CSC’s ambitious plan to present Shakespeare’s 8 play “history
cycle” about the stories of the crown passed on through five kings
and a century of history, dramatized by Shakespeare, a feat that
have only been done one other time in the United States.
The History Cycle refers to a series of chronological historical
plays written by Shakespeare spanning over 100 years of British
history, also known as “The War of the Roses”, consisting of
Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 & 2, Henry V, Henry VI: Parts 1, 2
& 3 and ends with Richard III.
The War of the Roses refers to a long, repetitive, and destructive civil war, based on a struggle for the English
crown by the members of two distinct factions in the English royal family (called the Plantagenet’s, who had
ruled for over two hundred years). Strictly speaking, the Wars of the Roses applies only to the latter half of this
conflict, but it is commonly used to describe the entire internal fight.
The events of war’s origins are seen in Richard II in a quarrel between Richard II and his cousin, Henry
Bolingbroke, as a result of which Richard II was murdered after Henry became Henry IV. Richard's murder
brought about civil war, which continued until Henry IV's son ascended the throne as Henry V. He restored a
short interval of glorious military victory in France and peace at home.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will not only mount these 8 plays over the course of 5 years, but members of
their resident ensemble will reprise their roles as these historical figures throughout the cycle of plays.
When Henry V opens, the Archbishop of
Canterbury and his sidekick, the Bishop of
Ely, are having a private chitchat about a
bill that's just been reintroduced by
Parliament. If passed, the bill would take a
bunch of the Church's land and money and
put it in the king's treasury, which means it
would probably be used for stuff like
feeding the poor and funding the king's
army. Canterbury isn't exactly thrilled
about the idea of sharing the Church's
dough, so he's decided to offer King Henry
a HUGE chunk of change to make the bill
disappear... forever. The extra cash will come in handy, because Henry is thinking of invading France and making a claim
to the French crown, which requires a whole lot of well-funded troops.
Citing a loophole in the Salic Law, Canterbury encourages Henry to invade France and help himself to the throne. Henry,
who doesn't exactly need much convincing, totally agrees that he's got every right to the French crown, in addition to the
English crown. After all, his great-great-grandmother was the daughter of a French king, so Henry's basically got dibs.
The French should have absolutely no problem accepting this just as soon as Henry explains things to them. (Yeah, right.)
Canterbury's advice couldn't come at a better time, because the French Ambassador just so happens to be visiting England
on a diplomatic mission and he's waiting to talk with Henry. It turns out that Henry has recently tried to claim some
French dukedoms, so the Ambassador has brought a message from the
Dauphin (the French king's son, who is set to inherit the throne) of France.
The message goes something like this:
"Dear Henry. Thanks for your recent letter about your plans to claim some
French territory. I've thought it over and decided that it's just not going to
happen. Your pal, the heir to the French throne. P.S. In place of the
dukedoms you so desperately wanted, please accept my gift to you, this
giant treasure chest that I've gone ahead and filled with some tennis balls
for you to play with."
Oh, snap! Henry is furious. How dare the Dauphin insinuate that he's just
a boy who's better off playing a game of tennis than participating in power
politics! (Looks like the Dauphin didn't get the message about Wild Prince
Hal's transformation into a serious king.
Naturally, Henry's got a message of his own for the Dauphin. It sounds
like this:
"Dear Lewis, Thanks for the generous gift! I love it so much that I'm
totally going to get medieval on you and your country by turning these
tennis balls into cannonballs that will rip you and your friends to shreds.
Then I'm going to take your father's crown and make him polish my new gold wand while I relax on his throne. Sincerely,
the Soon-to-be King of France and England."
Taking a break from all this political drama, Shakespeare checks in with Henry's old pal Bardolph, who is still hanging
out with his low-life crew (Pistol, Mistress Quickly, and a new guy named Nim) in Eastcheap, the London slum where
Henry used to chill when he was a rowdy young prince. The word on the street is that Sir John Falstaff (Henry's ex-BFF
and mentor) has been seriously ill. Everybody says he's dying of a broken heart because Henry banished him (back
in Henry IV Part 2). Before we know it, Falstaff dies (off-stage) of a nasty venereal disease. After Bardolph and company
take a few minutes to mourn their loss and argue about whether or not Falstaff is in heaven or hell, the guys run off to
France to fight in Henry's army, leaving Mistress Quickly behind to run her "inn" (which is code for brothel).
Meanwhile, we find out about a treacherous plot to
have King Henry assassinated by (gasp!) some of his
own friends. Apparently, the French have paid three
English noblemen (Scrope, Grey, and Cambridge) to
kill him. We learn that Cambridge isn't just in it for
the money – he thinks this other guy named Mortimer
has a better claim to the English throne than Henry
does. (Remember, Henry V only got to inherit the
throne because one day his dad, Henry IV, took some
French money and put together an army to help him
snatch the crown away from the then King Richard
II.) After playing a few mind games with the traitors,
Henry has them executed. Then he hops on a ship and
sets sail across the English Channel so he can snatch
the crown away from King Charles VI. (You're picking up on the irony of all this attempted crown-snatching, right?)
While this is happening, the French talk about whether or not they should be alarmed that Henry's troops are about to
invade France. The cocky Dauphin thinks that Henry and his army are a bunch of clowns – the battle will be a piece of
cake.
Before we know it, Henry's troops land on the shores of northern France and invade the town of Harfleur. During the
siege, we get to hear Henry's famous battle cry, "Once more into the breach dear friends, once more." (Translation:
"We've just blown a giant hole in the town's wall so please rush in there ASAP, even though it's dangerous and you'll
probably die.")
While this is happening, Bardolph, Pistol, and Nim stand back and remain as far away as possible from the action. They
say they'd much rather be back at home in London, enjoying a nice "pot of ale" (kind of like beer) at their favorite pub.
Before we can decide whether or not we think they're cowardly or just plain smart, we notice that a small group of
Captains (Fluellen, MacMorris, and Jamy) are also standing back as far away as possible from the fighting. Instead of
fighting, these so-called leaders have a lively debate about the art of warfare while most of the other soldiers do all the
dirty work.
After the French call an official time out (which is technically called a "parley"), Henry stands before the gates of Harfleur
and warns the Governor to surrender now or reap the consequences, which will probably involve his soldiers 1) raping the
town virgins, 2) impaling infants on spikes, and 3) bashing in the heads of defenseless old men. The Governor of Harfleur
surrenders.
Later, we learn that Bardolph and Nim have been caught looting (when you steal stuff during a war or a riot) and have
been sentenced to death by hanging.
Meanwhile, the rest of the English troops are seriously down and out – they're exhausted and know they're outnumbered
by the French soldiers. The night before the Battle of Agincourt, Henry walks through his camp and tries to cheer them
up. Then, he borrows some dirty old clothes and disguises himself as a commoner so he can wander around the camp and
get the 411 on what his soldiers are really thinking. It turns out they're not as excited about warfare as Henry is. They
point out that they're the ones who will probably be killed or who will lose important body parts (like heads, legs, and
arms) during the fighting. The king, on the other hand, will probably just get captured and ransomed for a bunch of money
before the French ship him back to England with his tail between his legs.
Still disguised, Henry gets into an argument with a guy named Williams, who wonders if King Henry's war is even
justifiable. Either way, Williams declares that the king is going to be responsible when the English soldiers are
slaughtered in battle. This ticks off Henry, who argues that, actually, the king is not responsible for the lives of his men,
even though they have to follow his orders and he's just ordered all of them to fight a battle they'll probably lose. When
he's alone, Henry feels sorry for himself and delivers a long, speech about how hard it is to be a king.
The next morning, the French and English prepare to get their battle on. To pump up his small crew of soldiers, Henry
delivers one of the most famous motivational war
speeches of all time, which includes the following
lines: "We few, we happy few, we band of
brothers; / For he today that sheds his blood with
me / Shall be my brother." Henry convinces his
troops that it's actually better that they're so
outnumbered because, this way, when they stomp
all over the French, there will be a lot more honor
for each of them. (This is sort of like how sharing
a delicious pepperoni pizza with a small group of
friends is better than sharing it with the entire
school because everybody gets more.)
Miraculously, the English win the Battle of
Agincourt and suffer only a handful of losses.
Only four English nobles and 25 commoners have been killed. The French, on the other hand, have lost a boatload of men.
We're not exactly sure how this happens because Shakespeare leaves the details a little fuzzy, but Henry promptly
attributes the victory to God and warns that, if anyone says otherwise, they'll be put to death.
After the battle, Henry goes back to England, where they throw a big parade for him. He then returns to France to work
out the details of a peace treaty with King Charles and Queen Isabel of France. Henry's got a big list of demands,
including the right to marry the French princess, Catherine. Then something totally bizarre happens. Even though Henry
knows that Catherine will be his wife, he tries to get all romantic and woos her anyway, begging her to marry him (as if
she has a choice). King Charles agrees to the terms of the treaty and declares that Henry and Catherine can get hitched
ASAP since the union will unite France and England.
Unfortunately, this triumphant feeling doesn't last long – during the play's Epilogue, the Chorus comes out on stage and
says something like, "By the way, we don't have time to show what happens next but it's not good. As we all know, Henry
dies and his son, Henry VI, totally loses France. But, we hope you liked our play. Have a good night everyone!"
“I think the most important thing for me in playing Henry
V, is connecting him to Prince Hal, who I played in Henry
IV parts 1 & 2. I feel very lucky to get to play a character
that develops through three different Shakespeare plays.
It's very important to me to see Henry still struggle in how
to lead. I do not think this play is all about one man
making perfect decisions from start to finish, but instead it's
about a man learning to become a king by connecting with
all of the subjects he has, and uniting his country in a
common cause. This is the first king I've ever played, and it
relies much more on text and vocal work than it does on
physical work. In most of my performances before this, I've
relied on physical choices to begin my process in
developing a character, but in this one I started first with
the text and vocal presence of the character, and solidified
the physical presence afterwards.”
“I feel honored to be playing the character of The Chorus
in HENRY V this season.
This play is one of my very favorites in the entire
Shakespearean canon, because of its rousing speeches and
vivid, glorious language and imagery. As The Chorus, I
have the privilege to engage our audience directly, and use
many of these beautiful passages to invite them into the
adventure we are presenting, and to paint each scene in
their imaginations.
For our particular production, our director has given me an added bonus: he has decided to have this
"narrator" character of The Chorus weave in and out of the actual action of the play, by taking on other
characters as the story progresses. The audience, then, gets to see the narrator step in and out of each
character--a French ambassador, an English soldier, a traitorous assassin--by donning a simple cape or
doublet, right there onstage. I think it's a wonderful way to layer the story as a piece of ‘live storytelling,’ and
make the tale just that much richer for the audience.”
Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422) was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422.
He was the second English monarch who came from the House of Lancaster. After military experience fighting various
lords who rebelled against his father, Henry IV, Henry came into political conflict with the increasingly ill king. After his
father's death, Henry rapidly assumed control of the country and embarked on war with France in the ongoing Hundred
Years' War (1337 to 1453) between the two nations. His military successes culminated in his famous victory at the Battle
of Agincourt and saw him come close to conquering France. After months of negotiation with Charles VI of France, the
Treaty of Troyes recognized Henry V as regent and heir-apparent to the French throne, and he was subsequently married
to Charles's daughter, Catherine of Valois. Following Henry V's sudden and unexpected death in France, he was
succeeded by his infant son, who reigned as Henry VI.
The Family Tree:
There were many popular works available in the late sixteenth century that Shakespeare was able to draw on for
material. These included The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth (published in 1580s), The Union of the Two
Noble and Illustre Families of Lancaster and York written by Edward Hall (1548), and Holinshed’s Chronicles
of England, Scotland and Ireland (1577).
Much of the historical detail is included accurately in the play, but Shakespeare was first and foremost a
playwright and he manipulated some of the historical facts to enhance the dramatic action of the play.
For example, in reality Hotspur was almost twice Hal’s age, and Hotspur’s victory at Holmedon, which in the
play takes place at the same time as Mortimer’s defeat by Glendower, actually occurred three months later.
Shakespeare made these alterations to heighten dramatic effect and to create conflict and balance. To capture
audience interest, Shakespeare compressed time and presented an engaging story where significant characters
navigated events, faced and overcame challenges, and built relationships through interaction with others.
In addition, the play reveals that Shakespeare was in tune with some of the contemporary preoccupations. The
prospect of civil division and the question of succession were major concerns to an Elizabethan audience.
Towards the end of her reign, Elizabeth I faced dynastic challenges, uncertainties of succession, restlessness in
the outlying areas of her kingdom, and military threats.
Sir John Falstaff is Henry V's ex-BFF and
mentor. In Henry IV Part 1, Falstaff taught
"Wild Prince Hal" everything he needed to
know about leading a life of total debauchery.
(If there were a book called The Idiot's Guide to
Being a Medieval English Party Animal,
Falstaff would have written it.) Still, in Henry
IV Part 2, Henry coldly banished his old chum,
"on pain of death," from his presence (Henry IV
Part 2, 5.5).
By the time we get to Henry V, Falstaff is
seriously ill and his friends say the old knight is
dying of a broken heart because King Henry has
rejected him. At one point, Mistress Quickly
declares, "The king has killed his heart" (2.1.3),
and everyone pretty much agrees. Soon after,
we're told flatly that Falstaff "is dead" (2.3.1).
Apparently, he's succumbed to some kind of
nasty venereal disease, which is sad but also
fitting in light of Falstaff's penchant for brothels and taverns.
We know what you're thinking. If Falstaff doesn't ever appear on stage and is killed off by some kind of STD in Act 2,
then why the heck are we talking about his character?
To answer your question, we turn to Falstaff's biggest fan, Shakespeare scholar Harold Bloom (who often refers to himself
as "Bloomstaff"). According to Bloom, "The absence of Falstaff is the large presence in this drama, since Hal is thereby
absent also" (Bloom's Shakespeare Through the Ages: Henry V). To put it another way, Falstaff's absence in this play is a
reminder that Henry is no longer the rowdy teenager he used to be – "wild Prince Hal" is long gone and King Henry V is a
serious and capable monarch who has said goodbye to his former bad-boy days.
Okay, fine. We get why King Henry can't be pals with Falstaff anymore, but why did Shakespeare have to go and kill the
guy off in this play? (Why did he do it off-stage? This seems especially insulting, don't you think?) After all, in the
Epilogue of Henry IV Part 2, Shakespeare promised us that he would send Falstaff off to the war in France. What gives?
For some critics, the answer is simply a matter of casting. It's been argued that the actor (probably a guy named Will
Kemp) who played the role in Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2 was unavailable. (Kemp left Shakespeare's theater company,
The Lord Chamberlain's Men, in early 1599.)
Other critics say that Falstaff was just too much for this play. Harold Bloom asks, "If we shipped Falstaff from
Shrewsbury to Agincourt and the fat knight went into battle there, carrying a bottle of sack [booze] instead of a pistol in
his case or holster, would not the play break apart?" (Bloom's Shakespeare Through the Ages: Henry V). Okay, this makes
sense to us. Falstaff has a tendency to inject plays with the spirit of rebellion and disorder, which isn't exactly what Henry
V is all about. In other words, Falstaff's rowdy, larger-than-life character would have totally undermined Shakespeare's
portrayal of King Henry V and would have demolished the play's patriotic tone by making a mockery of everything.
Power: Shakespeare's history plays are obsessed with royal power,
especially the question of who has a right to rule and why. Should the
throne be inherited by an eldest son? Can anyone just come along and
take it by force if they feel like it? In this particular play, the English
King Henry V makes a sketchy claim to the French throne and goes to
war in order to secure his position as France's next king. Meanwhile, his
claim to the English throne is being called into question by those who
think he's doesn't have a legal claim to the crown. (After all, Henry only
inherited it after his dad stole it away from Richard II.) In Henry V,
Shakespeare also considers what it is that makes a good king and admits
that, sometimes, being a successful monarch often involves being a notso-nice person.
Warfare: In Henry V, Shakespeare dramatizes England's invasion of
France and King Henry's success at the Battle of Agincourt (1415). Does
the play glorify war and justify Henry's actions, or does it reveal the
horrific realities of medieval warfare? These are questions that often
divide audiences and literary critics, but there's plenty of evidence to support both views. Shakespeare portrays
a wide range of attitudes in the play – from Henry's aggressive stance that war will bring England honor and
glory, to the common soldiers' skeptical obedience and desire to simply make it home safely. Regardless of
whether or not we believe Shakespeare glorifies Henry's invasion of France, one thing is certain – Henry V
shows us that warfare (justifiable or not) has some devastating consequences that go beyond the horrific field
casualties to generations of families: "the widows' tears, the orphans' cries, / The dead men's blood, the pining
maidens' groans, / For husbands, fathers, and betrothed lovers" (2.4.)
Patriotism: Henry V is one of the most patriotic works of
art we've ever come across. The play is chock-full of
rousing speeches that have been carefully crafted to
portray the English troops as underdogs that overcome
overwhelming odds to achieve victory over the French.
What's more, Henry maintains that God is on his side, and
he insists that fighting the French is a matter of national
pride and honor throughout the play. At the same time,
Shakespeare also registers a lot of skepticism about
Henry's decision to declare war on France and he portrays
several English characters in an unflattering light.
Family: This may be a big war play concerned with
foreign affairs and national politics, but there's also a
whole lot of family drama in Henry V. After all, both the
English and French crowns are supposed to be inherited
by lineal succession. (Lineal succession is a fancy way of
saying that sons are supposed to inherit the throne from
their dads.) It makes a lot of sense that the play is
obsessed with all types of things that get passed down
from fathers to sons – from entire kingdoms to character
traits (like bravery and valor). In some cases, sons even
inherit the burdens of their fathers' sins. Shakespeare also
shows us how fragile family ties can be. During times of
war, parents mourn for their lost sons, children are made
into orphans, and wives are turned to grieving widows.
Rules and Order: The play's concern with "Rules and Order" is closely linked the theme of "Power." In Henry
IV Part 1, two stories of rebellion and disorder run parallel – the story of Prince Hal's "teenage" rebellion
against his father and the rebel uprising led by the Percy family. While the play makes clear the gravity of both
threats to stability in Britain, it often deflates the seriousness of civil and familial disobedience with comedic
episodes and parody. Rebellion is frequently associated with effeminacy and women and should be considered
along side "Gender." Shakespeare's also interested in the relationship between theater and rebellion.
Gender: When Henry V affectionately calls his troops his "band of brothers," it's pretty clear that Shakespeare
is mostly interested in male bonds – particularly the kinds of close-knit relationships that are forged among
soldiers on the battlefield. Yet, despite the emphasis on male relationships, Henry V's triumphant ending hinges
on the fact that Henry gets hitched to the French princess, Catherine, a hook-up that's been designed to unite the
kingdoms of France and England. Because it's a union that's been negotiated as part of England's peace treaty
with France, the value of this male-female relationship is the fact that it forges a political alliance, not an
emotional connection based on love or affection.
Society and Class: In Henry V,
Shakespeare knows that common soldiers
experience war differently than the king and
the nobility. After all, they're the ones who
bear much of the burden of war and, if a
battle is lost, they're likely to be killed while
the king may be ransomed and his life
spared. When Henry V orders his troops to
invade France, his soldiers, many of whom
are commoners, have no choice but to obey
orders. They may not like it, and they may
wish that they were back at home with their
families or with friends at a favorite tavern,
but their options are pretty limited. As a
soldier named Williams puts it, "to disobey
were against all proportion of subjection"
Memory and the Past: Because it's the final play in a four-play cycle, Henry V is always looking over its
shoulder (into the historical past and also into the plays that have gone before it). At times, Shakespeare's
characters are haunted by their pasts. (Henry must answer for his wild youth and feels compelled to beg God's
forgiveness for his father's mistakes.) As Henry looks forward into his future as the King of England (and
potentially the King of France), he forges ahead at the expense of leaving old friends (like Falstaff) behind in
his wake. Of course, Shakespeare's preoccupation with the past also means that the play is full of shout-outs to
the earlier history plays, Richard II, Henry IV Part 1,
and Henry IV Part 2.
he Battle of Agincourt was one of the decisive battles in the
Hundred Years’ War, and a famous victory for King Henry
V and the English and Welsh, even though they were
severely depleted and were suffering from diseases like
dysentery. The English Army had only 6,000 soldiers in the
army, compared to the 36,000 in the French Army.
However, the English had one crucial advantage, the
longbow. Capable of shooting down enemies from long
range, it was a deadly weapon. This is the biggest factor in
the war, and the one that prompted England to win the
battle. However, the terrain in the war also played a part, as
shown by the fact that there were woods either side of the
battlefield and by the fact it was raining the day before,
meaning that the French chivalry could not get through
properly and attack the English. The tactics of the English
also played a part in the events leading up to the war, while
leadership was not the main cause, but still played a
significant part in the victory.
Firstly, the weaponry played a major part in the war. France
used the crossbow, which was useful at short distances,
however, it was ineffective, and you could only fire 2-3
arrows a minute with it. The English Army used the more
advanced longbow, which could shoot 17-18 arrows a
minute, a major advantage to the crossbow. But what made this weapon truly special was the fact that you could shoot to
distances of about 200 meters with it. This reduced stress to English men-at-arms, and meant that large divisions of the
opposition’s army could be struck down at will from long range. This therefore forced the French to either charge or
retreat, causing disorganization within the French. Divisions broke up, and the French became vulnerable. Coupled with
this fact is the fact that the English used bodkin arrows, capable of taking down French men-at-arms, as it was able to
pierce armor. This resulted in a lot more deaths than in previous wars, when arrows were not able to pierce armor.
Striking down opponents at long range was a major advantage to Henry and the English, and therefore was the most
important factor for them winning the war. This links on to the next factor, the terrain, as if it were not for the boggy
conditions on the battlefield along with the terrain, then the longbow archers would not have had as much success.
The terrain, along with the weather, played an integral role in the outcome of the war. The fact that it was on a flat plain
helped the French as most of their army was made up of men-at-arms on horseback. However, there were woods on either
side of the battleground at Agincourt, which meant that the huge French army could not get behind the English army and
surround them. This significantly reduced the intensity of the French army, as it meant that the French army had to go
division by division, instead of a full-on attack the English. Another advantage to the English was that the day before the
battle, it had been raining heavily. This did not hinder the English army much because most of them were stationary
longbow archers. However this was a massive disadvantage to the French because most of their army was made up of
cavalry and foot soldiers. They could not advance to the English ranks very well as they kept tripping up and falling down
making easy targets for English longbow archers. Although this reason was important it was not as important as the
English longbow. This could be seen as an
English tactic which is one of the other factors
that helped England win the battle of Agincourt.
The English tactics was superior to those of the
French and that played a big part in the outcome
of the battle. The strategy that the French used in
the summer months of 1415 severely affected
the English army as they were slowly starving to
death on the southern bank of the river Somme.
Whenever the English tried to look for a
crossing to get to Calais, the French closely
tailed them. However the English went further
south, losing the French. Then they were able to
make the crossing with no French army in sight.
As they neared Calais, the French army closed
them down and met the English at a small
village called Agincourt. There a battle was inevitable. This helped the French as they were greatly prepared for the battle.
On the other hand, the English were still starving, tired and suffering from dysentery. In the actual battle the English had a
superior strategy. The English army had a defensive formation in place with longbow archers on the flanks, which meant
that the men at arms in the middle had more space to fight. This was a clever move by Henry, as they had comparatively
less men than the French. If the English had gone on the attack, then the French would have easily struck them down.
They had pointed stakes in front of the longbow men that stopped the cavalry hacking down archers. In front of these
stakes, the English dug pits that the French cavalry would fall into. After getting prepared, in a bold move, Henry moved
his troops to within 250 metres of the French army. This let him send some men around the sides of the battle fields to
provoke an attack by the French. This plan worked perfectly, and the French attacked in a very disorganized fashion. This
made easy targets for the English longbow archers and so the French cavalry were forced to retreat straight into their own
foot soldiers. This made it compulsory for the foot soldiers to assume positions in tightly packed groups. When these
tightly packed groups finally came to the men-at-arms, they had no room to draw their swords. The English men-at-arms
slew them without too much trouble. The first and second divisions of the French army defeated, the third division
decided to retreat, resulting in a famous victory for the English. The English tactics were carefully planned out, and this
was a major factor in the war, nevertheless it was not the most important factor, as this could not have been achieved
without the longbow and without the terrain helping them. The person making these plans for the English was King Henry
V, who was another influential factor in the outcome of the war.
Leadership was also a factor in the war. The English had a much better leadership figure, because English were led by
King Henry, a very popular leader with the army. On the other hand, the French were led by Charles d’Albret, one of the
highest ranked nobles in the country. The French were also co-led by four other French nobles. This may have led to a
conflict of interests between the nobles, therefore creating poor tactics for the army. On the subject of leadership, the
inspiring speech that King Henry gave his troops gave a huge morale boost to English troops that the French did not
receive. It was such an important part of the war that it was even shown as one as a very crucial part of “Henry V”, the
Shakespearean play. Although this could have played a part in the outcome of the war, it could not have won the war on
its own.
1. Discuss Henry's motives for
claiming a right to the French throne.
2. Explain how the Salic Law factors
into Henry's justification for claiming the
French crown. Do you agree that he should
be the King of France?
3. Discuss King Henry's relationship
with the Church in the play.
4. What are the terms of the peace
treaty Henry signs at the end of Henry V?
5. What qualities make a good king? Is
Henry V a good king? Are there any qualities that make someone a good ruler that might not make them
a good friend?
6. Do you think that Henry V has a solid claim to the throne of England? Why or why not?.
7. Explain how the Salic Law factors into Henry's justification for claiming the French crown. Do you
agree that he should be the King of France?
8. What is the relationship between patriotism, war, and religion in this play?
9. Why do you think Shakespeare portrays four captains from the four different countries (Wales, Ireland,
England, and Scotland) that make up Great Britain?
10. How does Shakespeare portray the French characters? How are they different from the Englishmen?
11. Do you think the play is patriotic? Why or why not?
12. Discuss the relationship between the king and his subjects in this play.
13. How does war impact the common soldiers in Henry V?
14. What's the function of the "low-brow"
scenes featuring the likes of Bardolph,
Pistol, and Nim?
15. Why do you think Shakespeare kills off
so many of Henry's old Eastcheap
pals?
16. Why does Henry ask God to forgive
him for his father's sins?
17. What happens to Falstaff in Henry V?
(Why doesn't he ever appear on stage?)
18. Discuss how Shakespeare develops the
"sun/king" metaphor throughout the
Henry plays.
19. Why doesn't the Dauphin take Henry
seriously?
Sources:
http://www.bardweb.net/
www.folger.edu
http://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/history/why-did-king-henry-v-win-the-battle-of-agincourt.html
http://www.shakespeareintheruins.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Shakespeare-In-The-Ruins-presents-HENRY-IV-PARTS-III_Study-Guide.pdf
http://pages.simonandschuster.com/images/ckfinder/26/pdfs/Folger%20Curriculum%20Guides/Guides-Apr2012/Folger_Henry1V.pdf
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Henry V Summary." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Sir John Falstaff in Henry V." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Agincourt
Photos by Mikki Schaffner.