Republic of the Philippines Mindanao State University- General Santos City -oOo-

DISCOVERING IMAGES OF MAN IN SHAKESPEARES HENRY V

Submitted to:

Prof. Rebecca Jaud M.A.

Submitted by: Anthony Chan AB-English 4th year

December 9 2011

DISCOVERING IMAGES OF MAN IN SHAKESPEARES HENRY V

Shakespeare's history is, of course, refashioned into drama--shortened, sharpened, and sometimes even shattered to suit the demands of his medium. In his Second Tetralogy (Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V), he has two plays that are close to historical truth and two that have been distorted by the large shape and larger wit of Jack Falstaff. Richard II being entirely and Henry V comparatively Falstaff-free are correspondingly closer to accuracy. Indeed, the main plot and the major motivations in Shakespeare's Henry V are as true in the world of facts as they are to their own universe of fictions.

The earliest known performance of Henry V was held at the court of King James I on January 7, 1605. No other 17th century production is known, and the play has been popular only intermittently since then. Nineteenth century producers were inclined to extraordinary effects; in 1859 Charles Kean staged a triumphal march after Agincourt that employed 550 actors.

In the 20th century, its patriotic aspect made it successful during both world wars. Henry V has also been performed as an anti-war play in Britain and America since the 1950s, as the nuclear age and its series of small but vicious conflicts have generated strong pacifist sentiments in Western society. Among the most notable productions was that of Peter Hall at Stratford in 1960 (Boyce 1990).

Summary

King Henry V is planning on entering into a war with France over some disputed lands and titles. He has instructed the Archbishop to be sure that his claims are valid. When the play opens, the Archbishop explains to his Bishop how he plans to convince the king to enter into a war with France, thus protecting the church's property, which might otherwise be placed in the hands of the state rather than left in the church's control.

After the king is convinced of the validity of his claims, an ambassador from France arrives with a rejection of the claims; he also delivers an insulting barrel of tennis balls from the French Dauphin, who still considers King Henry to be the silly and rowdy Prince Hal.

As they are on the verge of leaving for France, King Henry is tending to some business releasing a prisoner for a minor offense and then he turns to three of his trusted advisors and has them executed for conspiring with the French to assassinate him. Meanwhile, in the French court, no one seems to take Henry seriously. The entire court is contemptuous of his claims and of his abilities. They are so overconfident that they do not send help to the town of Harfleur, which Henry easily conquers. After this victory, Henry gives strict instructions that all the citizens are to be treated with mercy and that his soldiers are not to loot, rob, or insult the native population. However, a companion from Hal's youth, Bardolph, an inveterate thief, steals a small communion plate, and, as a result, he is executed.

In spite of the English victory, the French still do not express concern, even though the Princess Katharine is involved; if Henry is victorious, she will become Queen of England; as a result, she feels the necessity to learn the English language, and so she begins taking instructions in that language. Meanwhile, the reports that the English are sick and tattered allow the French to prepare for the battle with complete confidence, especially since they outnumber the English 60,000 to 12,000 troops.

Just before the crucial Battle of Agincourt, an emissary once again approaches King Henry with demands that he immediately surrender his person. His demands are rejected, and King Henry, in a patriotic speech, urges his troops to fight for "Harry, England, and St. George." By miraculous means, the English are victorious and the French are shamed into submission. At the end of the play, King Henry's demands are granted, and he is seen wooing and winning Princess Katharine as his future queen.

A conquering Caesar - Chorus

King Henry V as a Plain Soldier
Henry is the outstanding character in the play and reveals the complex and varied nature of a young vibrant king. He represents the best qualities in an English ruler: adventurous, a brave and dashing political strategist, a cunning warrior, a just ruler, and sympathizer of the common man. At times, he does appear to be ruthless and ambitious in his determination to conquer France yet for the most part he has been idealized as the perfect man of action. He understands that war is brutal and inhumane and tries to diminish the losses by expounding a civil code among his men. Shakespeare is concerned with painting a picture of not only an ideal King but also a "plain soldier."

Throughout the play there is a strong sense of patriotism, not only from Henry V and the battle that lies ahead and the fight for the country but more importantly and significantly the patriotism of the troops and their love for him. This makes their battle more personalised, theyre not just fighting for the King of England but for the King of England who used to have a drink with them in their local pub. This means that for the play Shakespeare shows a sense of admiration and awe that the troops have for Henry as he was once one of them, and now hes standing side by side with them ready to fight the battle.
The Kings a bawcock, and a heart of gold, A lad of life, an imp of fame; Of parents good, of fist most valiant. I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heartstring

I love the lovely bully. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers: For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother.

Henry shows extreme personal courage, as can be seen in the siege of Harfleur. He is courteous to the French ambassadors when discussing the upcoming war yet he is not afraid to walk alone, though disguised, among his troops at night

Henry also has his faults, which make him more human and less a caricature of what a ruler should be. He attempts to eschew responsibility throughout the play although he is politically perceptive and manages to make it appear as if his adversary is the one who has brought punishment upon himself such as in the case of the traitors who cast their own punishment on themselves unwittingly. Also, he can be inflexible in his orders and have all offenders executed, irrespective of extenuating circumstances. He can also be ruthless, as seen in his orders for the killing of all the French prisoners.

Modern critics condemn Henry V as one who pinned his faith on "brute force" and who, "because he did not know how to govern his own kingdom, determined to make war upon his neighbors." They seem to have lost sight of the fact that Shakespeare was writing a patriotic play about a national hero; it was admirably suited to an Elizabethan audience who had firmly established ideas of nationhood and patriotism.

This star of England -Chorus

King Henry as a Man of Rhetoric
Another extraordinary quality Henry possesses is his facility with language. Henrys rhetorical skill is a forceful weapon, the strength of which nearly equals that of his armys swords. With words, Henry can inspire and rouse his followers, i ntimidate his enemies, and persuade nearly anyone who hears him. With Henrys speeches, Shakespeare creates a rhetoric that is, like Henry himself, at once candidly frank and extremely sophisticated. Henry can be cold and menacing, as when he speaks to the Dauphins messenger; he can be passionate and uplifting, as in his St. Crispins Day speech; and he can be gruesomely terrifying, as in his diatribe against the Governor of Harfleur. In each case, Henrys words suggest that he is merely speaking his mind at the moment, but these speeches are brilliantly crafted and work powerfully on the minds of his listeners. Henry has a very special quality for a king: the ability to present himself honestly while still manipulating his audience. Shakespeare does not comment explicitly on Henrys motives for invading France, but it seems clear from his speeches about the weight of his responsibility that Henry is not motivated exclusively by a lust for power or land. Henry clearly takes the mantle of kingship very seriously, and he is dedicated to fulfilling the obligations of his exalted rank. He mourns his inability to sleep the untroubled sleep of the common man, hardly the behavior of a man dedicated to the pleasures of power. It also seems clear from Henrys undeniably uplifting speeches that Shakespeare intends for us to see

Henry as a hero, or, at the very least, as an estimable king. Insofar as Henry is a hero, he is made so by his commitment to his responsibilities above his own personal feelings. Along with his faculty of resolve, this commitment makes him the king he is; though it sometimes causes him to make questionable personal decisions, it also helps to mitigate the effect of those decisions in our eyes.
King Henry V St. Crispins Day speech:

What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin; If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian.

He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.' Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household wordsHarry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and GloucesterBe in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be rememberedWe few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

The Mirror of All Christian Kings" Chorus

King Henry as an Idealized Christian King
While Henry V is not Shakespeare's best play, all of the three preceding history plays Richard II and Henry IV, Parts I and II lead up to Henry V and its depiction of Henry as the idealized Christian king. Whereas the earlier plays had shown Henry as the "madcap Prince Hal," a chap who was constantly in the company of lower-class types and who was constantly in some trouble of one sort or another, yet this earlier life ultimately becomes a preparation for his kingship, and his earlier knowledge of these low types allows him to understand his common subjects and to measure his own sense of worth by their lack of noble qualities.
We are in God's hand, brother, not in theirs. March to the bridge, it now draws toward night; Beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves, And on to-morrow bid them march away. -king Henry V

Each scene in Henry V is constructed either to illustrate some aspect of Henry V's character or to present some of the low characters as comic relief. Consequently, various scenes depict his religious nature, his mercy, pity, and compassion, his absolute sense of justice, his administrative skill, his fighting ability, his innate nobility, his ability to communicate with the common class of soldiers and people, and, in the final scene, his role as a romantic lover in the suit of Katharine's hand in marriage.

In the opening scenes, he is characterized as being troubled over the religious rightness of his claim to the French lands and the French crown. He relies heavily on the advice of the Archbishop, with the idea that his (the king's) conscience will be clear. He charges the Archbishop "in the name of God" to "religiously unfold" the means by which he can lay claim to these lands. Throughout the play, Henry V's religious nature is constantly emphasized, and after the crucial Battle of Agincourt, he is the first to give all the credit of the victory to God. At his triumphant return to London, we hear that he is frightened that too many people will praise him and not give full credit to God.
Praised be God, and not our strength, for it! What is this castle call'd that stands hard by? - king Henry V

In one scene, Henry is presented in a situation where he must be a judge. First, we see him as merciful and forgiving as he releases a prisoner for a minor offense; he then turns to three conspirators and, with a sense of just majesty, dispenses stern justice to them. And even here, although he feels a deep personal insult because of the conspirators' plot, it is ultimately the threat to the peace of England that allows Henry to put aside personal feelings and execute the men for the sake of "the health of England."

Even though we never see King Henry actually fighting on the stage, we are told repeatedly of his fighting prowess and of his battered armor and sword; in other scenes, we see him as the inspirational orator and leader of men, exhorting them to rise to the great demands put upon them by the nature of the wars.

Due to his associations during his youth, Henry is also able to communicate well and naturally with the common soldiers, and, because of the carefree tenor of his youth. Finally, as would be appropriate with the ideal king, we see Henry dressed in all his regal regalia, as the witty and urbane lover who is courting the charming Princess Kate.

Therefore, in the above scene and others, many and various aspects of Henry's character are presented so as to demonstrate Shakespeare's point that here, indeed, is the ideal Christian king.