Shakespeares Henry V

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Shakespeares Henry V

• The history, the play,
• performance in Shakespeares day

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Henry V of England and France

• Reigned 1413-1422
• Shakespeares play 1599
• Lancastrian branch of Plantagenet dynasty Wars
  of the Roses over English succession - Lancaster
  v. York
• Most successful late Plantagenet king
• Foreign policy 100 Years War uniting thrones of
  England and France
• Shakespeares monarch Elizabeth I, house of
  Tudor (since Henry VII, 1485)

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Henry V
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Henrys claim to throne of France

• Edward II (1307-27) m. Isabella of France
• Their son, Edward III (1327-77) is Henrys
  grandfather initiated 100 Yrs War his son
  Edward (1330-76), Black Prince of Wales, led many
  campaigns
• Isabellas 3 brothers were dead by 1328 lords of
  France invoke Salic law to bar her claim
• Treaty of Brétigny, 1360, ceded Calais area to
  England used as commercial center
• Henry II m. Eleanor of Aquitaine, succeeded to
  dukedom
• William the Conqueror ruled Normandy
• Birthright to land and title is taken very
  seriously in Medieval Europe today appears
  imperialist

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Act I of play

• Shakespeares source is Hollinsheds Chronicles,
  1587 not wholly reliable
• Chorus gives us backstory
• Archbishop presents Henry his right to French
  throne argues against Salic law
• Church had self interest in funding war. Actually
  this refers to parliamentary bill from time of
  Henry IV, proposing to strip church of land, give
  to crown. Medieval church is at height of own
  imperialist abuses and divided by Papal schism.
• Dauphin Louis taunts Henry V with case of tennis
  balls (apocryphal)
• Henry sees weight of decision I2 l. 15, l. 225

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Plays Structure

• Chorus fill in between incidents of episodic
  plot (5 yrs between acts 45). Speaks directly to
  audience, calls on imagination, refers to
  Shakespeares stage
• Act 2 Southampton (Channel coast) Plot against
  Henrys life foiled. Low comedy (Kings youthful
  companions) prepare for war Sir John Falstaff is
  ill Pistol and Mistress Quickly are married.
  Falstaff dies. France her Dauphin thinks Henry
  is weak, based on youth.
• Act 3 Harfleur in France. Henry lays siege
  battles. Low comedy wont fight boy is critical
  of their unethical behavior. Beginning of focus
  on ordinary men in battle Erpingham, Fluellen
  (Welsh) and Jamy, MacMorris (Scot). Harfleur
  yields and Henry calls for mercy for French and
  plans retreat to Calais

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• Act 3 (contd). Katherine learns English from
  Alice Charles VI responds to English military
  threat sends Herald. Pistol turns in Bardolph
  for robbing a church the King wants all such
  disobedience punished. Montjoy brings the French
  challenge the English are sick, tired, forces
  depleted. The night before battle, the French
  expect to win easily.
• Act 4 English camp the night before Agincourt.
  Henry borrows Erpinghams cloak for a disguise,
  goes alone among men Pistol, Fluellen,then
  Bates, Court and Williams with whom he debates
  the responsibility of the individual and the king
  in times of war. Henry feels weight of
  responsibility for lives, prays for men
  (IV1210). French are overconfident at dawn
  English see they are outnumbered at least 51.
  Henrys famous St. Crispins Day speech. Pistols
  takes Frenchman for ransom. French ranks are
  broken York and Suffolk die in battle.

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• Act 4 (contd) French kill the boys in the camp
  English respond killing POWs. English win the
  day the miraculous numbers roll in 25 English
  dead vs. 10,000 French. Henry ascribes victory to
  God, sends the English to church.
• Act 5 Five years later. Fluellen makes Pistol
  eat his leeks Pistol (whose wife died) plans to
  return to England and turn thief. A peace
  agreement, brokered by Burgundy, at French
  palace, Charles VI, Isabel and Henrys uncle
  Exeter and brothers work out details. Harry
  courts Katherine, seals it with a kiss. Charles
  hopes for a lasting peace
• Climax English win battle of Agincourt. Serious
  issues like a tragedy -- the hero king --
  ethical, responsible, clever, decisive,
  accessible to common men, pious, honest,
  merciful. Poetic justice in outcome of battle.

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• Dénouement Marriage symbolizes peace between
  England and France, typical of comic endings.
  English audiences know it wont last.

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Elizabethan stage

• Shakespeares Globe moved to Southwark at time of
  Henry V in 1599 style based on innyards and
  animal bating. 100 diameter polygon 33 high.
  Burned 1613 rebuilt, dismantled 1644 by
  Puritans.
• Burbages owned 50 of Lord Chamberlains Men,
  including Globe 50 jointly by Shakespeare,
  Heminges, Kemp, Phillips, Pope.
• Theatre illegal within citys walls actors
  punished by Act for the punishment of rogues and
  vagabonds, 1583.

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1593 Sketch before Globe
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Artists Sketch
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Johannes DeWitts period sketch of Swan
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Stage and Audience

• Thrust stage, 5 feet high.
• Heavens, grave trap, inner below and above,
  balcony, musicians. Painted w/ trompe loeil.
• Props, furniture but no scenery. Costumes
  contemporary with a few exceptions, including
  medieval and classical. Live music
• All but royalty attended public theatre held
  3000.
• Groundlings or penny stinkers 2-3 p for seat in
  gallery, 14 p. for nobles above stage to be seen.
• Refer to Actor reading - historical section

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New Shakespeares Globe

• Opened 1997 30 years in preparation
• Made with all original materials, original
  methods (except some fire safety)
• Located 1 block from original
• Summer season of mostly Shakespeare and his
  contemporaries, in a variety of production styles
• Tours, historical museum
• http//www.shakespeares-globe.org/