King Henry V
Main Characters
King Henry V — the young, recently crowned king of England
Duke of Exeter, Earl of Westmoreland, Earl of Salisbury, and Earl of War-wick — advisors to the king
Duke of Clarence, John Duke of Bedford, and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester — Henry's younger brothers
Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Ely — wealthy and powerful clergymen
Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scroop, and Sir Thomas Grey — three conspirators against King Henry
Duke of York and Duke of Suffolk — cousins who die at the Battle of Agincourt
Charles VI — the king of France
Isabel — the queen of France
Lewis, the Dauphin — the son of the king of France and heir to the throne
Katherine — the king of France's daughter
The Constable of France, the Duke of Orléans, the Duke of Britain, the Duke of Bourbon, Lord Grandpré, Lord Rambures, the Duke of Burgundy, and the Governor of Harfleur — French noblemen and military leaders
Sir Thomas Erpingham — a veteran soldier
Fluellen, Macmorris, Jamy, and Captain Gower — captains of Henry's troops
Pistol, Bardolph, and Nym — commoners from London who serve with King Henry's army
Boy — formerly in the service of Falstaff, the nameless Boy leaves London after his master's death and goes with Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph to the war in France
Michael Williams, John Bates, and Alexander Court — common soldiers with whom King Henry argues (while in disguise) the night before the Battle of Agincourt
Mistress Quickly — the keeper of the Boar's Head Tavern in London; she is married to Pistol
Alice — Princess Katherine's maid
Montjoy — the French herald
Monsieur le Fer — a French soldier
Chorus — the character who narrates the play
Introduction
King Henry V is the last part of the four-part series that deals with the historical rise of the English royal house of Lancaster. King Henry V was probably composed in 1599 and is one of the most popular of Shakespeare's history plays. It is rife with colorful characters, noble speeches, battles, and a young king (Henry) who appears to be brave, modest, and fiercely focused, yet with a sense of humor.
This is a stirring play, and when you watch it, it's useful to keep the paradoxes of morality and character in mind. The brilliance of Henry's speeches and his wit make him a Kennedy-esque kind of inspiring leader.
The Play
Worried over impending legislation that would effectively rob the Church of England of its power and wealth, the Archbishop of Canterbury convinces Henry V to instead lay claim to France. When he does so, however, Lewis, the dauphin, sends an insulting response, balls — a gift of tennis balls — that convinces Henry that the French want war. He puts together an army to invade France. But before he can leave, he must sort out the last of the rebels against his father and his house.
Lords Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey conspire to assassinate Henry (they are paid by the French). The plot is discovered and Henry arrests them personally and oversees their public execution. The army then lays siege to Harfleur, France, capturing it after heavy losses.
The night before a battle where the English face overwhelming odds, Henry disguises himself as a commoner in order to mingle with his troops. He talks candidly with his men and discovers that they may be unsure of their king, but they are steadfast in their willingness to beat the French.
The morning of the Battle of Agincourt, St. Crispin's Day, Henry makes a stirring speech, knowing his army is outnumbered five to one. His expert archers help Henry rout the French who are forced to ask for peace, which Henry grants on his own terms. He signs the Treaty of Troyes, marries Princess Katherine of France, and insists he is named heir to the French throne, thus uniting England and France in peace.
Commentary
The play is harder to analyze than it seems. Henry appears a model hero but for all his patriotism — or land lust, depending on your point of view — he invades a nonaggressive country and slaughters thousands. He sentences former friends and prisoners of war to death, paying lip service to mercy; and he never accepts any responsibility for the bloodshed he has initiated.
King Henry V concludes the saga begun in King Henry IV, Part I — the making of a king. At the end of Part I, Hal seems to have evolved from profligate prince to mature heir to the throne. Yet in Part II, while Prince Hal has become Prince Harry, he still appears to shun the responsibilities of his father's court in favor of Falstaff's clearly defined and “honestly” declared licentiousness. Prince Harry, caught trying on the crown while his father lies dying, intuitively understands (and fights against) the knowledge that “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” Falstaff's anarchic, irresponsible world is hard to resist, particularly when the alternative is a kingdom embraced by vicious politics and feuding strife.
It is only at his father's deathbed that Prince Harry finally resolves the doubts that have plagued him. He recognizes that the crown, though blemished on his father's head because it was illegally wrested from Richard II, will sit comfortably on his own, because he will inherit it lawfully.
Prince Harry becomes Henry V, transforming himself finally into the great king who will defeat the French at Agincourt and win for England her lost dominions. But before making the last leg of this great journey, he must reject the disreputable and dishonorable anarchy of Falstaff's world, which he does with a chilling firmness: “I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers.”
Famous Lines
“Turn him to any cause of policy,
“Even at the turning o' the tide” (Act II, Scene III).
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
“I would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety” (Act III, Scene II).
“Men of few words are the best men” (Act III, Scene II).
“This day is called the feast of Crispian:
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers” (Act IV, Scene III).
