Henry V by William Shakespeare ENG 400: BRITISH LITERATURE UNIT II: CELEBRATING HUMANITY PART I – DAYS 1 & 2

Day 1: Introduction to Henry V HENRY V OVERVIEW THEME: MONARCH AS HERO DRAMA BASICS

Henry V Overview Chronologically, Henry V is the fourth of Shakespeare’s history plays. Richard III: King Richard III is deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who crowns himself King Henry IV. Henry IV Parts 1 and 2: King Henry IV must fight wars on multiple fronts, including against former allies who decide to rebel. He must also deal with the behavior of his son, Prince Hal, who has gained a reputation for being an irresponsible drunkard and hangs around with lower-class people in a local tavern. As King Henry IV conquers his enemies, Prince Hal strives to become a better son and future king. He cuts ties with his old friends from the tavern and, when his father dies, takes the throne as King Henry V. The play Henry V focuses on King Henry’s efforts to gain control of the northern part of France, a powerful neighboring country.

Theme: Monarch as Hero Monarch as Hero theme depicts a ruler as a perfect or larger- than-life person Popular in literature of the English Renaissance Inspires citizens to be confident in and loyal to their rulers Could help the writer establish strong connections with the court (through praise and flattery of ruler) Focus Question: Was King Henry V an example of a monarch-as-hero in reality and/or as depicted by Shakespeare?

Drama Basics: Stage Directions Many playwrights include instructions about Stage business such as setting, costumes, lighting, scenery, and props (objects used on stage) How and when characters should move and with what expression they should deliver their lines Where the playwright does not include stage directions, the director and actors must make these choices.

Drama Basics: Dramatic Conventions Dramatic Conventions: techniques that make a play realistic while giving the audience information that they could not glean from straightforward action Monologue: a single character speaking alone, with or without other characters around Soliloquy: a speech, usually of some length, in which a character, alone on the stage, expresses his/her thoughts and feelings Aside: a few words or a short passage spoken in an undertone or directly to the audience. An aside is not heard by the other characters onstage. This device allows for wordplay, foreshadowing, and character contrasts, and also promotes audience involvement.

Day 2: Act I Prologue and Scene 1 DRAMATIC CONSTRUCTION ALLUSIONS IMAGERY REFERENCE MAPS HISTORICAL SITUATION

Dramatic Construction of Henry V In general, plays consist of acts, which are broken up into scenes. An act is major division or section of action in a play. Most plays have 1 – 5 acts. Acts are broken up into scenes, which begin and end when the focus of the play shifts to another location or set of characters. In Henry V, Shakespeare begins each act with a prologue. The Chorus, which recites each prologue, is a character borrowed from ancient Greek drama, where plays were often chanted or sung. In Henry V, each prologue functions as an introduction to the new act, letting the audience know How much time has passed since the last scene What has happened in that time What may happen in the upcoming act

Allusions An allusion is a reference to a well- known person, place, event, or work of art. Many of Shakespeare’s characters make allusions to classical mythology, historical events, and the Bible. The Act I Prologue of Henry V makes a classical allusion by comparing King Henry to Mars, the Roman god of war (Ares in Greek mythology).

Imagery Imagery is language that appeals to the reader’s or listeners senses. Visual imagery is the most common, but not the only, type. Imagery may be used to Establish setting Create mood Strengthen and sustain figurative language such as metaphors and symbols Type of ImageryAppeals to... VisualSight AuditorySound/hearing OlfactorySmell/scent GustatoryTaste TactileTouch KineticGeneral Movement KinestheticHuman/animal motion

Henry V – Reference Maps England and FranceEnglish Army’s Travel and March

Historical Situation in Henry V Act I Court Intrigue King Henry is considering a new law that would allow him to seize half the possessions of the Church. The Archbishops of Canterbury and Ely are looking for a way to avoid this by distracting him. Although King Henry IV was largely successful in defeating his enemies, England still faces unrest and warfare to the north, in Scotland. Salic Law Salic law declared that a woman could not hold the throne in Salic lands. Charles VI, the current king of France, is directly descended from King Phillip III of France, through the male line. Henry V is also descended from Phillip III, but through his great, great- grandmother, who was King Phillip’s granddaughter. In Act I Scene 2, Canterbury argues that Salic law does not apply in France, giving Henry V a valid claim to the lands he desires.