Henry V Questions and Answers
Henry V
How did Henry V portray the themes of heroism and honor?
But if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive. [Henry, in Henry V, 4.3.31-32] Honor is of the utmost importance to King Henry V in Shakespeare's Henry V. Henry views honor...
Henry V
What are the main themes in Henry V?
I think a major theme in the play is maturity. Throughout the play, Henry has to make choices that are difficult and at odds with who he was as Prince Hal in the Henry IV plays. The famous example...
Henry V
What messages does Henry V convey in the play by Shakespeare about war - the nature of war, consequences of war, the...
Shakespeare's Henry V sees war as an ugly means to a valuable end. On the surface, he's very concerned with justifying the war; he asks Canterbur, "may we with right and conscience make this...
Henry V
In Henry V, why did Henry disguise himself as a soldier the night before the battle at Agincourt?
If we examine the text carefully in Act IV scene 1, we can see that actually, although Henry borrows the cloak from Erpingham, it is Pistol who comes across Henry rather than the other way round....
Henry V
Was Henry V a good leader?
Henry V was an exceptionally good leader. This appears to have been true from a historical perspective and is certainly true in the Shakespeare play that bears his name. Shakespeare depicts Henry...
Henry V
To what degree is Henry V by Shakespeare historically accurate?
William Shakespeare's play, Henry V, is loosely based on actual historical events, but also includes invented material and compresses the actual time sequence of the events. The single most...
Henry V
Apply Thomas Aquinas’s “Doctrine of Just War” to Henry V’s war with France portrayed in Shakespeare’s play. Would it...
If you’re adapting or appropriating Thomas Aquinas’s thoughts about just war, it could be difficult to argue that Henry V’s war with France meets Aquinas’s criteria. The one component that seems to...
Henry V
From which Shakespearean work does the quote below come and what are the circumstances in which it is spoken? A...
Henry V, Act V Scene ii King Henry to Katharine: What! aspeaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. Agood leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; ablack beard will turn white; a curled...
Henry V
In Shakespeare's Henry V, what is the bill that Ely and Canterbury are talking about, and why are they against it? In...
In Act 1, Scene 1, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely are discussing an old bill that has resurfaced in King Henry's court. Both the Archbishop and the Bishop are against this bill...
Henry V
What examples of repetition, similes, flattery, and use of anecdotes can be found within William Shakespeare's play...
William Shakespeare uses a variety of motifs and devices in Act 3, scenes 1 and 2 of his play Henry V. Among such features of these scenes are examples of repetition, similes, flattery, and the use...
Henry V
How is the issue of dramatic representation explored in the Prologue of Act 3 in Henry V?
The notion of dramatic representation is one that the character of the Chorus is devoted to, as his principal role seems to be to plead with the audience to overlook the various limitations of the...
Henry V
What is the conflict that drives the action and provides tension in Henry V?
The main conflict in Henry V is, on the surface, the war between the English and French. Both want to govern France, and both kings claim that they have the right to do so so based on their...
Henry V
In Shakespeare's Henry V, name five practices that Henry employed that you would consider good advice for an...
In many ways Henry V can be seen as Shakespeare's portrait of an ideal English king, very different from the many corrupt, murderous, and mad monarchs he depicts in other plays. The play, most...
Henry V
What is the message Shakespare is sending to Queen Elizabeth I through his play, Henry V?
Some critics regard this excellent play as being a study of what makes a perfect King (or Queen). Let us not forget that this play is actually the last of three plays that chart the rise of the...
Henry V
What are some themes of Henry V?
Another crucial theme is war as a source of human--or at least, in Shakespeare's telling, masculine--virtue. It is significant that Henry proves his worth as a leader through his military exploits....
Henry V
Can somebody help me to understand this quote from Shakespeare's Henry V: "A fool's bolt is soon shot"?
The allusion here, very relevantly to Henry V, is to an English bowman in battle. Obviously archers only had a limited supply of arrows (or "bolts"), and so a good, wise archer would carefully...
Henry V
Explain the relationship between Henry V and King Charles.
Although Henry V of England and Charles VI of France are on opposite sides in this increasingly bloody, bitter conflict, they can still respect each other. Charles shows his respect for Henry and...
Henry V
How is war presented in William Shakespeare's Henry V and in Rupert Brooke's "Peace" and Wilfred Owen's "Futility"?
William Shakespeare’s play Henry V invites some comparison with various poems inspired by World War I, especially with Wilfred Owen’s poem titled “Futility” and with Rupert Brooke’s poem titled...
Henry V
What is Shakespeare's attitude towards war in Henry V?
In order to truly understand Shakespeare's attitude to war is, one must look at this play, Henry V in context. In the eight plays from Richard II-Richard III, Shakespeare explores war, from Henry...
Henry V
What are some key contributions of new historicism, cultural materialism and feminism to Shakespeare, and where are...
This is an interesting and valuable question, since it touches on the issue of the extent to which Shakespeare's plays represent or endorse the old feudal order, or rather, look forward into the...
Henry V
In the opening to Shakespeare's Henry V, the Prologue refers to the theatre as "this cockpit"; why is the word...
The Globe Theatre, where the play was originally performed, was nicknamed "The Wooden O" on account of its shape and the material from which it was made. This gave it the appearance of a giant...
Henry V
In Shakespeare's play Henry V, what is Henry's attitude toward war?
Critics are divided about Henry V's attitudes, suggesting that Shakespeare may have intentionally left his character ambiguous and ill defined. One clue is Henry's conversation with Canterbury...
Henry V
What prop can I use to present the St. Crispin Day speech from Henry V? I need to present a small section of the...
I would use a sword. I like the flag idea, but that's taken. A sword is a symbol of power, but in this case is also a symbol of camaraderie. For the king to have a sword means he is also in the...
Henry V
The Chorus' Prologue, Can someone please explain to me every sentence that they say in Henry V? Can someone tell me...
OK, here is what he is saying but I will summarize each sentence rather than take it line by line. A muse is inspiration, so the Chorus is calling for fiery inspiration where he could create for...
Henry V
How are experiences of war conveyed in Shakespeare's play Henry V in comparison to Rupert Brooke's sonnet "Peace"?
Rupert Brooke’s sonnet titled “Peace” bears some resemblance to the speech in William Shakespeare’s play Henry V in which Henry prepares his men for their battle against the French at Agincourt....
Henry V
How is the theme of gender explored in the prologue to Act 3 of Shakespeare's play Henry V?
Issues of gender are among a variety of issues raised in the Prologue to Act 3 of Shakespeare’s play Henry V. The prologue opens with a Chorus (a male actor presumably playing a male character)...
Henry V
Is Shakespeare's Henry V jingoistic?
I think, as with any Shakespeare play, there are a number of possible different readings that could be supported. It is interesting that the famous Lawrence Olivier version of the film is...
Henry V
Could you give an example of imagery in King Henry V, and explain how it helps the reader understand the play?
Imagery is everywhere in Shakespeare: open your play at any page, and there'll be something interesting there which deepens or makes more complex the meaning of the passage. Once more unto the...
Henry V
Do you have an analysis of act 4, scene 1 in Shakespeare's Henry V?
If I'm reading it correctly, it appears that the question was for Act IV, scene 1, not Act I, Scene 1.Act IV, scene 1 takes place the night before the Battle of Agincourt. Henry is making his way...
Henry V
Is it the conflict within or conflict between characters that makes Shakespeare's play King Henry V so compelling?
Henry V takes place against the backdrop of The Hundred Years' War, which, as the name suggests, was a long, drawn-out conflict—a particularly brutal one at that—between England and France. The...
Henry V
In Shakespeare's play Henry V, how does the title character maintain balance between the different areas of his life?
Henry V, as depicted in the play of the same name by William Shakespeare, is a complex man who must balance his authority and responsibilities as King with his personal demons, worries, and fears....
Henry V
How does Falstaff have an influence in Henry V?
Falstaff is a character who never actually appears in this brilliant history play, though news of his death does reach the ears of the characters. We need to remember that Henry V is the third part...
Henry V
In Shakespeare's Henry V, Act IV, Scene 1, what is Michael Williams' (one of King Henry's soldiers) personality and...
Henry V's anonymous walk among his men is a tremendously important part of the play. Henry hopes to hear that his men follow him faithfully and believe the invasion of France is just. Williams,...
Henry V
In Henry V, is war seen as a just way of settling disputes or a demonstration of human violence?
One of the brilliant things about Shakespeare’s plays, and one of the reasons they still continue to be performed century after century, is the fact that Shakespeare is not a moralist. His plays...
Henry V
How does kingship in Shakespeare's Henry V contribute to national pride?
In Henry IV, part 2, the dying king advises Prince Hal that the best way to avoid internal conflicts is to focus the country on foreigners. At the beginning of Henry V, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
Henry V
Explore the French characters in Henry V. How and with what effects does the play use them?
The French characters are largely depicted as decadent and arrogant in Henry V. The Dauphin's sending Henry tennis balls is a great example of this: here, he is mocking Henry's youth and playboy...
Henry V
How would you describe the style of the prologue to Act 3 of William Shakespeare's play Henry V?
The style of the prologue to Act 3 of Shakespeare’s play Henry V might be described in a number of ways, including the following: Unifying, as in the opening word “Thus,” which links Act 3 with the...
Henry V
From which Shakespearean work does the quote below come and what are the circumstances in which it is spoken? No, not...
The lines you cite here are from the play Henry V. They are spoken in Act IV, Scene 1 of that play. The lines are spoken by the King himself. The context here is that Henry has just gotten...
Henry V
In what ways and with what effects does Henry V construct national identity?
"What is honor? A word. What is in that word "honor"? What is that "honor"? Air." -Falstaff Superficially, Shakespeare's Henry V is one of his most patriotic and nationalistic plays. Part of his...
Henry V
In Henry V, what figures of speech do we have in the Prologue of Act 3?
Well, there are plenty to choose from in this speech where the Chorus calls upon the audience to suspend their disbelief once again and use their imagination to call up the sights of the ships...
Henry V
It has some diplomat or ambassador in the hundreds of personages of Shakespeare?
If I'm understanding your question correctly, you are inquiring as to whether or not there is a diplomat or ambassador in the play Henry V. If that is correct, then yes, there are a couple of...
Henry V
Can somebody tell me where G.P.V. originally made his quotation about why Shakespeare didn't show the real Henry?
"If Shakespeare had presented the real Henry with all his aspects, including his limitations, his occasional craftiness and slightly nauseating sanctimony, he might have provoked the most notable...
Henry V
What is your favorite part of the play? My personal favorite is Henry's speech before the Battle of Agincourt. It...
I have to admit that I find the St. Crispin day speech rather cynical and manipulating, which is of course one possible reading of the play, as Henry becomes more and more Machiavellian and learns...
Henry V
From which Shakespearean work does the quote below come from and what are the circumstances in which it is spoken?...
The lines you quote are from the play Henry V. These lines are spoken in Act II, Scene 3. The lines are spoken by Mistress Quickly, who is the Hostess and Keeper of the Boar's Head Tavern in...
Henry V
How is the play Henry V relevant to the time of its plot?
Set in the early fifteenth century, Henry V is incredibly relevant to the time of its plot in that it not only reveals the victory of the English over the French at Agincourt but also vividly...
Henry V
What happens before the speech ''unto the breach'' in Henry V, act 3, scene 1?
This is actually a very shrewd question. Let us remember that this play is about kingship, and in particular tries to show us the process by which Henry V becomes a "perfect" King, facing many...
Henry V
In Henry V, what kingly attributes does Henry reveal with his dealings with Cambridge, Scroop and Grey?
It is absolutely vital to remember that this play is as much about the makings of a perfect king as it is about anything else. Henry has a lot to prove. Remember how he was famed for his dissolute...
Henry V
In Henry V, how does the Prologue of Act 3 deal with the issue of nationalism?
A key function of the Chorus in this excellent play is to "fill in the blanks" as it were of what the staging is unable to achieve, and to ask the audience to use their imagination, helped by his...
Henry V
How is the theme of conflict portrayed in the Prologue of Act 3 in Henry V?
The theme of conflict in this rousing speech by the Chorus is mostly related to the way that the English army is depicted and how its might and bravery is contrasted with the French army in this...
Henry V
What are the issues and problems in the performance that relate to playacting and disguise in Henry V and As You Like...
Problems in the performance, and not related to themes? The most immediate of these issues are practical. First, creating the disguises. You have in As You Like It Rosalind, a young woman who is...
Showing 1-50 of 59