Henry V
Henry V is about one of the most heroic incidents in English history:
a war with France in which the English gained an unlikely victory, led
by a great king who had changed out of all recognition from being a
wild and reckless youth.
The play starts with the bishops of Canterbury and Ely expressing
their concerns about a proposed bill, which, if passed, would strip the
Church of more than half its possessions. Canterbury hopes to
pe5rsuade the King to oppose the new law by providing money in
support of a possible war with France. The king has claimed his right
to the French throne, a right he has in the line of succession. The bishops also comment on the way
that King Henry has changed. When he was younger he had a reputation for wild and debauched
behaviour, mixing with disreputable friends in taverns in London. Now, he has become a model king
with profound religious principles.
There is an ancient French law, the Salic law, which would appear to stand in Henry’s way and
prevent his claim to become king of France. However, Canterbury successfully argues that the law
does not apply and so a war with France would be just a one. A French ambassador arrives with the
reply of the Dauphin (the eldest son of the present king of France, Charles VI), and brings with him a
joke gift of tennis balls fro Henry. This is taken as a personal insult by the king, who warns the
French what they will suffer at war. Before setting off to France, two other things happen: three
traitors are uncovered and sentenced to death, and Falstaff, the king’s old friend from his wild young
days, dies. A sort of sub-plot is established as three old friends of Falstaff (and of the king), Pistol,
Bardolph and Nym, are also setting off for war.
When the action switches to France, there is considerable disagreement about the threat of the
English. The French king wants his defences to be reinforced, knowing that the English are a threat,
from the defeats they have inflicted in the past. The Dauphin underestimates the English, still
believing Henry to be the same wild character as he was in his youth. The Duke of Exeter arrives to
present King Henry’s claim. In a scroll that he gives the French, he presents the evidence that Henry
is a descendant of Edward III, who was the grandson of a French king. Exeter also tells the French
that Henry holds Dauphin in contempt, and that he wants a speedy answer or war will follow. At the
start of Act three, Chorus tells us that all that the French king has offered is his daughter Katherine in
marriage, with a dowry insignificant dukedoms. The offer is rejected by the English and war
commences.
At the siege of Harfleur, Henry spurs his men on to fight, recalling their ancestry as English warriors,
although he does not succeed in motivating the likes of his old friends from the tavern. Pistol,
Bardolph and Nym show that they are cowards, and they have to be driven on to fight by Captain
Llewellyn, a Welshman who is a loyal servant and champion of the king’s cause. There is another
incident which calls into question the supposed national unity in the war: Llewellyn has a fierce
argument with an Irish soldier called MacMorris, accusing him of being incompetent in the way he
has set the mines at Harfleur.
Once Harfleur has been captured, Henry demands that the governor surrender or the consequences
will be severe. He presents a terrifying account of what will happen if there is no surrender: he says
that his soldiers will be uncontrollable. The Governor of Harfleur has received no support from the
Dauphin, and so he must give in. The king intends to stop at Harfleur for one night and then to march
on to Calais.
The action reverts briefly to the French king’s palace at Rouen, where Princess Katherine is
practising her English. The French lords describe how their nation is being mocked for the way it is
having to give ground to the English Army. The French king orders all his lords to defeat the English
and bring Henry captive to Rouen.
Meanwhile in the English camp, Llewellyn is fooled into believing that Pistol has been a brave soldier
whilst defending a bridge with Exeter, but then comes to realise his mistake. Pistol tries to intervene
on behalf of his friend Bardolph, who is condemned to be hung for pilfering a cross from a church.
Pistol is described by Gower as a false soldier; like many other rogues at the time, he knows how to
sounds brave, but is really a coward. The king confirms that Bardolph will be shown no leniency, and
he is hung. Montjoy arrives, issues some threats and insults on behalf of the French, and tells Henry
to name his ransom. Henry replies that, even though his army is weak, he intends to march on to
Calais, and that the only ransom will be his own body.
The climax of the war takes place at Agincourt. The French nervously wait for the battle, bickering
with each other, but are highly confident of victory as their army has such superiority of numbers. But
King Henry is also nervous on the eve of the battle, and does the rounds of the camp in disguise,
wearing the cloak of one of his lords, Sir Thomas Erpingham. First he meets Pistol, who praises the
king and insult Llewellyn, and then he comes across three other soldiers, Bates, Court and Williams.
Court says little bu the other two strike up a conversation about the way that the king is really
responsible for the salvation or damnation of soldiers who go to their deaths in war. This leads to an
argument and they end up exchanging gloves in order to recognise each other for a future challenge.
Following this, in a soliloquy, Henry reflects on what it is to be a king.
Before the battle commences, there is a complacent mood of mockery in the French camp. The
English are heavily outnumbered and their morale is low. The English feel the hopelessness of the
situation, until a stirring speech from Henry in which he leads them confidently into battle. There is
one more attempt by the French to get the English to name their ransom, in order to spare the
deaths of so many soldiers, but Henry will not do this. He is ready for battle.
Incredibly, against all odds, the French are defeated and the English suffer very few losses. The
story or Agincourt is an epic “David and Goliath” struggle, and victory is snatched largely thanks to
King Henry’s heroic leadership and powerful language, which inspires the men to bravery in battle.
Somewhat predictably, however, Pistol does not behave heroically. He takes a French lord prisoner
and threatens to cut his throat unless he is given a generous ransom. The French disgrace
themselves by committing a war crime: they murder the English luggage boys. This enrages both
Llewellyn and the king, who retaliates by ordering the execution of the French prisoners. War is seen
to be a terrible business.
Following his noble victory, the king plays a rather mean practical joke which leads Williams to
challenge Llewellyn to a fight. Williams has been placed in a position in which he may have offended
Henry, but the king gives him some money and the matter is smoothed over. Psalms and hymns of
praise are sung to give thanks for the victory, and there is a jubilant return to England. Before the
troops return, Llewellyn has one bit of unfinished business. Pistol has insulted his Welshness, so
Llewellyn gets his own back by making Pistol eat raw leek! Pistol has not changed, and, dishonest to
the last, he says that he will return to England wearing bandages on false wounds, swearing that he
sustained the injuries at war.
In the final act, the scene shifts to the French king’s palace at Troyes, where a peace treaty is
concluded, following a passionate plea by the Duke of Burgundy, who describes the awful waste that
has been caused by war in France. Henry woos the Princess Katherine, pretending not to have any
of the skills or manners of a courtier. All of the English demands are granted by the French: Henry is
named their heir to the French throne and is offered Katherine’s hand in marriage. Chorus has the
final word, telling the audience that Henry VI, the king’s son, subsequently loses France.
Characters
King Henry the Fifth
Duke of Gloucester - his brother
Duke of Bedford - his brother
Duke of Clarence - his brother
Duke of Exeter - uncle of the King
Duke of York - cousin of the King
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Huntingdon
Archbishop of Canterbury
Bishop of Ely
Richard Earl of Cambridge - conspirator against the King
Henry Lord Scroop - conspirator against the King
Sir Thomas Grey - conspirator against the King
Officers in the King’s Army
Sir Thomas Erpingham
Captain Fluellen
Captain Gower
Captain Jamy
Captain Macmorris
John Bates - soldier in the King’s army
Alexander Court - soldier in the King’s army
Michael Williams - soldier in the King’s army
Bardolph - camp follower in the King’s army
Nym - camp follower in the King’s army
Pistol - camp follower in the King’s army
Boy - camp follower in the King’s army
Charles the Sixth - King of France
Lewis - the Dauphin
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Orleans
Duke of Britaine
Charles Delabreth - Constable of France
Grandpré - French Lord
Rambures - French Lord
The Governor of Harfleur
Montjoy - a French Herald
Monsieur Le Fer - a French Soldier
Hostess of an Eastcheap Tavern - Formerly Mistress Quickly, now married to Pistol
Isabel - Queen of France
Katherine - daughter of the King and Queen of France
Alice - a lady attending on her
Ambassadors to the King of England, Lords, Ladies, Officers, Citizens, Messengers and Attendants
History
Henry V of England (16 September 1387 - 31 August 1422) was
one of the great warrior kings of the Middle Ages. He was born at
Monmouth, Wales, 16 September 1387, and he reigned as King
of England from 1413 to 1422.
Henry was son of Henry of Bolingbroke, later Henry IV, and Mary
de Bohun, who died before Bolingbroke became king.
At the time of his birth during the reign of Richard II, Henry was
fairly far removed from the throne, preceded by the King and another preceding collateral line of
heirs. The precise date and even year of his birth are therefore not definitely recorded. By the time
Henry died, he had not only consolidated power as the King of England but had also effectively
accomplished what generations of his ancestors had failed to achieve through decades of war:
unification of the crowns of England and France in a single person. In 2002 he was ranked 72nd in
the 100 Greatest Britons poll.
Upon the exile of Henry’s father 1398, Richard II took the boy into his own charge and treated him
kindly. In 1399 the Lancastrian usurpation brought Henry's father to the throne and Henry into
prominence as heir to the Kingdom of England. He was created Duke of Lancaster on 10 November,
1399, the third person to hold the title that year.
From October 1400 the administration was conducted in his name; less than three years later Henry
was in actual command of the English forces and fought against Harry Hotspur at Shrewsbury. It was
there, in 1403, that the sixteen-year-old prince was almost killed by an arrow which became lodged in
his face. An ordinary soldier would have been left to die from such a wound, but Henry had the
benefit of the best possible care, and, over a period of several days after the incident, the royal
physician crafted a special tool to extract the tip of the arrow without doing further damage. The
operation was successful, and probably gave the prince permanent scars which would have served
as a testimony to his experience in battle.
Role in government and conflict with Henry IV
The Welsh revolt of Owain Glyndwr absorbed Henry's energies until 1408. Then, as a result of the
King's ill-health, Henry began to take a wider share in politics. From January 1410, helped by his
uncles Henry and Thomas Beaufort — legitimised sons of John of Gaunt — he had practical control
of the government.
Both in foreign and domestic policy he differed from the King, who in November 1411 discharged the
Prince from the council. The quarrel of father and son was political only, though it is probable that the
Beauforts had discussed the abdication of Henry IV, and their opponents certainly endeavoured to
defame the prince. It may be to that political enmity that the tradition of Henry's riotous youth,
immortalised by Shakespeare, is partly due. Henry's record of involvement in war and politics, even
in his youth, disproves this tradition. The most famous incident, his quarrel with the chief justice, has
no contemporary authority and was first related by Sir Thomas Elyot in 1531.
The story of Falstaff originated partly in Henry's early friendship with Sir John Oldcastle. That
friendship, and the prince's political opposition to Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury
perhaps encouraged Lollard hopes. If so, their disappointment may account for the statements of
ecclesiastical writers, like Thomas Walsingham, that Henry on becoming king was changed suddenly
into a new man.
Henry’s Campaigns in France
Henry may have regarded the assertion of his own claims as part of his Kingly duty, but in any case
a permanent settlement of the national debate was essential to the success of his world policy.
1415 campaign
Henry sailed for France on 11th August 1415 where his forces besieged the fortress at Harfleur,
capturing it on 22nd September. Afterwards, Henry was obliged to march with his army across the
French countryside with the intention to reach Calais. On the plains near the village of Agincourt, he
turned to give battle to a pursuing French army. Despite his men-at-arms being exhausted and
outnumbered, Henry led his men into battle, miraculously defeating the French. With its brilliant
conclusion at Agincourt on the 25th October 1415, this was only the first step.
Diplomacy and command of the sea
The command of the sea was secured by driving the Genoese allies of the French out of the
Channel. A successful diplomacy detached the emperor Sigismund from France, and by the Treaty
of Canterbury paved the way to end the schism in the Church.
1417 campaign
So, with these two allies gone, and after two years of patient preparation since Agincourt, in 1417 the
war was renewed on a larger scale. Lower Normandy was quickly conquered, Rouen cut off from
Paris and besieged. The French were paralysed by the disputes of Burgundians and Armagnacs.
Henry skilfully played them off one against the other, without relaxing his warlike energy. In January
1419 Rouen fell. By August the English were outside the walls of Paris. The intrigues of the French
parties culminated in the assassination of John the Fearless by the Dauphin’s partisans at Montreau
(10th September 1419). Philip, the new duke, and the French court threw themselves into Henry's
arms. After six months' negotiation Henry was by the Treaty of Troyes recognised as heir and regent
of France, and on 2nd June 1420 married Catherine of Valois the king's daughter. From June to July
his army besieged and took the castle at Montereau, and from that same month to November, he
besieged and captured Melun, returning to England shortly thereafter.
1421 campaign
On 10th June 1421, Henry sailed back to France for what would now have been his last military
campaign. From July to August, Henry's forces besieged and captured Dreux, thus relieving allied
forces at Chartres. That October, his forces lay siege to Meaux, capturing it on 2nd May 1422. Henry
V died suddenly on 31st August 1422 at Bois de Vincennes near Paris, apparently from dysentery
which he contracted during the siege of Meaux. He was 34 years old. Before his death, Henry V
named his brother John, Duke of Bedord regent of France in the name of his son Henry VI, then only
a few months old. Henry V did not live to be crowned King of France himself, as he might confidently
have expected after the Treaty of Troyes, as ironically the sickly Charles VI, to whom he had been
named heir, survived him by two months. Catherine took Henry's body to London and he was buried
in Westminster Abbey on 7th November 1422.
Following his death, Catherine would secretly marry or have an affair with a Welsh courtier, Owen
Tudor, and they would be the grandmother and grandfather of King Henry VII of England.
The Play’s Attitudes to Warfare
The play's attitude to warfare has been interpreted in very different ways by readers and audiences.
On the one hand, it seems to celebrate Henry's invasion of France and valorizes military might. On
the other, it can be read as anti-war.
The play can be seen as a glorification of nationalistic pride and conquest, with the Chorus, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Fluellen, and Henry himself all being prime examples. Some critics
connect this to the English military ventures in Spain and Ireland that were important at the time of
the play's writing, notably the Earl of Essex's attempted suppression of revolts in Ireland, since the
Chorus directly refers to Essex's military triumphs in the fifth act. Henry is sometimes seen as an
ambivalent representation of the stage machiavel, combining apparent sincerity with a willingness to
use deceit and force to attain his ends.
Yet others see the play as looking critically at the justice of Henry's violent cause. The words of the
Chorus and Henry are consistently undermined by the actions of the three thieves, Pistol, Bardolph
and Nym, who show the exact opposite of the patriotic fervour they were trying to portray. Pistol,
especially, talks in a bombastic blank verse that seems to ridicule Henry's own style of speech, so
that Pistol et al are there to point out and make a mockery of the actions of their rulers, a point
underscored by Henry's own persistent use of the word mock. Indeed the presence of the Eastcheap
characters from Henry IV has been said to underscore the element of adventurer in Henry's
character as monarch.
Trying to reconcile these viewpoints, the American critic Norman Rabkin described the play as a
picture with two simultaneous meanings; from one point of view, the sketch is a rabbit's head, and
from the other it is the head of a duck. Rabkin argues that the play never settles on one viewpoint
towards warfare, and Henry is the perfect example of this: he switches his style of speech constantly,
talking of "rape and pillage" during Harfleur but of patriotic glory in his St. Crispian's Day speech.
The play's ambiguity has led to diverse interpretations in performance. Laurence Olivier’s 1944 film
made during the Second World War, emphasises the patriotic side, while Kenneth Branagh’s 1989
film stresses more the horrors of war. A 2003 Royal National Theatre production featured Henry as a
modern war general, ridiculing the Iraq invasion.
Performance History
There is no evidence that Henry V was popular in
Shakespeare's own time. However, it is now frequently
staged and many of its speeches have passed into
popular culture.
There have been two major film adaptations. The first,
directed by and starring Laurence Olivier in 1944, is a
colourful and highly stylized version which begins in
the Globe Theatre and then gradually shifts to a
realistic evocation of the Battle of Agincourt. Olivier's
film was intended as a patriotic rallying cry.
The second major film, directed by and starring Branagh, attempts to give a more realistic evocation
of the period and lays more emphasis on the horrors of war. It features a mud-spattered and
gruesome Battle of Agincourt.
Themes
Patriotism
We are reminded several times in the play of previous English exploits in France. The battle of
Crecy, 1346, when the French were defeated by Edward III and his son, the Black Prince, is
mentioned by the Archbishop pf Canterbury in Act I, Scene 2, and by King Charles in Act II Scene 4.
The words of the Chorus in his descriptions of the army’s preparations for the expedition (Act II), and
Henry’s speeches before Harfleur and Agincourt are calculated to rouse patriotic feelings in the
audience.
There are a number of ways in which the English are presented as being superior to their enemies.
The harmony among the English is contrasted with the discord among the French. The French are
shown as vain and incompetent, defeated by a small, sickly English army. At one point Henry boasts
that one Englishman is worth three Frenchmen. Shakespeare shows the English as being civilised
because they spare Harfleur, when in reality, the town was sacked. In the play we are presented with
the view that God is on the side of the English.
Kingship
We are presented with the ideal of kingship in Henry V. Piety, humility, learning, courage, leadership,
restraint and mercy are all demonstrated in this “mirror of all Christian kings” (Act II Chorus). Perhaps
Shakespeare intended Henry to be a flattering parallel for Queen Elizabeth . He was certainly aware
of the need for unity and stability in his own time and would promote those qualities that he thought
would maintain the security of the state. Henry does not recklessly attack France. He secures
England first by dealing with traitors at home and by making provision against a Scottish attack.
Love and Friendship
One of the merits of the English side is the friendship
between the leaders. Henry has affectionate words for
Sir Thomas Erpingham and refers to him as "old heart"
(Act IV, Scene1). Bedford and Exeter bid Salisbury a
fond farewell before Agincourt, and we hear how, in
the battle, the Duke of York kissed his dead Suffolk
and died alongside him.
The love between henry and Katherine is not
altogether convincing. Henry does not tell Katherine he
loves her, but he is clearly not about to die of it.
Katherine agrees to marry him, but she does not have
much choice. Theirs is, first and foremost, a political
union.
Warfare.
In the Chorus’s description of the preparations for invasion, at the beginning of Act II, we are given
some idea of the excitement generated by the prospects of the glory and honour to be won in battle.
Before Agincourt Henry tells his troops that they will be respected and envied for the rest of their
lives if they survive. Even if they die, their names will live for ever.
We also see that war attracts criminals and parasites, like Pistol, Bardolph and Nym, who go only to
steal. As Pistol says, “Let us to France, like horse-leeches, my boys, To suck, to suck, the very blood
to suck!” (Act II, Scene 3).
Henry’s speech to the Governor of Harfleur (Act III, Scene3), gives some indication of the horrors
involved in the sack of a town.
The night before Agincourt, Williams talks about the hardships suffered by the families of poor
soldiers. After Agincourt, the Duke of Exeter gives an account of the bloody deaths of Suffolk and
York (Act IV, Scene 6) . Burgundy, in Act V, Scene 2, describes the devastation caused by the war in
France and regrets that the peaceful pursuits of the arts and learning have been abandoned.
Despite the darker side of war, Henry V is a patriotic celebration of the English triumph.
The role of the Greek Chorus
The Greek chorus continued to play an important role in classical Greek drama, especially in
tragedy. Ranging in number from 50 in the time of Thespis to 15 in later classical Greek drama, the
chorus consisted of Athenian citizens and were not professional actors. They function, scholars have
suggested variously, to offer a sense of rich spectacle to the drama; to provide time for scene
changes and give the principle actors a break; to offer important background and summary
information that facilitates an audience's ability to follow the live performance; to offer commentary
about and underline main themes animating the action; and to model an ideal audiences response to
the unfolding drama. Nietzsche suggests that it was the rhythmic dance and chants of the chorus,
positioned always to mediate the physical space separating audience and actor, that evoked the
visionary experience that was the very essence of tragedy.
The Chorus in Henry V
The chorus in Henry V performs two main functions: it frames the play's story, skewing its depictions
in more patriotic light than they deserve, and it offers apology for the play's staging, compression of
time, and ultimate inadequacy to its subject. The junctures between the chorus's interpretation of
events and the play itself are easier to note, and we may seek to understand them as ironic, even as
anti-patriotic, revealing the junctures inherent in patriotic propaganda. But the chorus's apologies for
the play are well-deserved, and the play at times does not undercut the chorus's patriotic vision but
rather affirms it in insidious ways. The chorus's statements thus parsed, Henry V becomes a play at
odds with itself - but not only in presenting patriotic anti-patriotism (or vice versa). Indeed, the
junctures revealed through the chorus demonstrate nothing less than a faulty play of inconsistent
vision.
Activities
Reading for dramatic action
One student reads the lines of a particular scene or
part of a scene while other members of the group
pose as specific characters and perform the actions
in pantomime, giving more meaning to the words.
(Note: Students need time to plan this activity by
reading the lines together and deciding on the best
actions to convey the meanings of the lines. Students
should also practice reading aloud to increase their
ease and fluidity with the complex syntax of
Shakespeare’s language.)
Suggested scenes: The chorus’s opening address to the audience (Prologue). The description of
the battle would provide a lot of scope for creating interesting images in the above exercise.
Act III prologue. Again the chorus asks the audience to use their imaginations to see Henry’s fleet
depart from England and lay seige to the town of Harfleur.
Act IV Scene iii, the St. Crispin’s Day speech. Henry is rallying the troops, and this speech includes
such powerful imagery. (An exercise based on this speech follows later).
Slide show
Choose four key moments in a scene or part of a scene. Plan a fixed tableau to present each
moment and then present the scenes in succession to the class. Each time you switch
positions, call out “switch.” The “audience” closes their eyes until the actors call out “open.”
This happens four times in succession creating a visual “slide show.”
Interview
Interview another student who poses as a character in the play, for example, Queen Isabel. It
is important to remain in character and respond in ways that most naturally reflect the actions
and words of the character in the play.
Monologue
In character, describe a particular locale in the play. Talk about the best/worst thing about
living in this particular place. Talk about your daily life. Describe your relationship to other
characters. This might be especially useful to contrast the natures of the two Kings in the
play: Henry V and King Charles VI of France.
Looking at a Speech for Character Development
This exercise is based on the end of the St. Crispin’s speech where Henry speaks to rally his troops.
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 thinke themselves accurst they were not here;
And hold their Manhoods cheape, whiles any speakes,
That fought with us upon Saint Crispines day.
Henry V, Act IV Scene iii
•
Select a student to read the speech aloud (or divide the speech into sections for a number of
students to read.
•
Lead a classroom discussion on the elements of inspirational or motivational speech. Write
the following rhetorical devices on the board and have the students identify words or phrases
from the speech which fall into these categories:
a. figurative language
b. words that express or draw upon an emotion
c. words that draw upon one or more of the senses
•
Discuss the ways to present a speech such as this from a public speaking perspective. Write
the following techniques on the board and discuss where in the text of the speech students
might choose to include or emphasize these elements in an effective oral presentation:
a. vocal inflection
b. physical relationship to other characters
c. eye contact
d. gestures
e. pause
Writing Task
Have the students write their own motivational speeches attempting to inspire a group of their peers
to do something (for example to raise money for a charity, or to play harder in a sporting event to win
the title etc) incorporating the elements of content and presentation discussed in class.
Discussion Questions for Act 1
Students’ personal responses to the play can deepen through small group and class discussion. The
goal of discussion is to help students make connections between the characters and what they
suggest about Shakespeare’s overall ideas about human social and political behaviours. The
following questions will help students explore character, action, and theme more fully. We have only
suggested some for Act 1, but it may be a good exercise to allow students to create their own
questions and ask them to the rest of the class for discussion.
1. Why does motivating the Archbishop of Canterbury encourage Henry to wage war on France?
2. How might conducting a war help Henry deal with social problems?
3. What was Harry’s life like before he became King?
4. On what principle does Henry claim the throne of France?
5. According to the Archbishop of Canterbury, how is the state like a beehive?
6. How does Henry explain the nature of a Christian King in I, ii, 241-243?
7. How does the Dauphin of France insult Henry, and how does Henry respond?
8. What insight do you get about Henry’s character in this act? What contributes to your evaluation of
Henry?