Happy Few
The third in a sequence of five essays over different facets of the life and writings of Mr. William Shakespeare. This one specifically is a character analysis of the progression of Prince Hal to King Henry V.
Taylor Williams
Dr. Ditmore
Shakespeare
27 October 2004
Happy Few
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile.” (Shakespeare IV.iii.60-63) How incredible is such a display of leadership, for a king to call the lowest born man in an army that is home to church robbers along with nobles, his brother, a word that carries so much more meaning than mere relation? In Henry V, William Shakespeare presents a king of unquestioning resolve, honor, and conviction. This image of the monarch, however, is no constant throughout his portrayal in Shakespeare’s plays. Rather, the transition from Prince Hal to King Henry V of England is one of the most dynamic character arches to be witnessed in all of Shakespeare’s history plays, one might even argue in any play whatsoever.
The genesis of King Henry’s story actually comes much earlier in Shakespeare’s string of historical playes. Katharine Eisaman Maus, in her forward to the play itself, explains that Henry V “refers constantly to events before and after its own temporal limits,” she goes on to explain however that these events would have been “familiar to Shakespeare’s audience.” (Maus, 1445) The background that thrust Henry to the thrown also left him standing on extremely shaky ground at the top, and the audience would have had to have some understanding of this history. In his earlier days, Henry was known to have spent much time in the slums, carousing with thieves and villains. With the end of Henry IV we see that lifestyle coming to an end. It is important to understand where Henry came from in this regard. In Henry V, there is an extremely different man sitting on the throne than the one shown in earlier plays.
By the beginning of the play dedicated to his reign as king, and principally the Battle of Agincourt, Henry is no longer a man the nobles of his own country look down upon. Far from that, he has become a bastion of resolve, which sits upon the throne with such a commanding presence to be feared and loved alike. His grace, and sense of justice are depicted in the beginning of act two when he handles the treasons of Richard, Earl of Cambridge, Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and Thomas Grey, knight of Northumberland. Through a beautifully set up script, he acquires of these men their opinions on a man convicted of a crime small in comparison to their treason. Without exception, the three of them call for death, or at least serious torture of the man before he is released. Irony shines strong when in the course of a few lines, the three men who were so quick to disregard a man’s life are now begging for mercy from the same king they counseled to forego it. In the earlier act, the king shows his newfound delicacy through his response to the gift of tennis balls from the French heir apparent. In a not so subtle reference to his pending invasion, laced with a touch of innuendo, Harry responds, “When we have matched our rackets to these balls, we will in France, by God’s grace, play a set.” (I.ii.261,262) The Dauphin alludes to Harry’s earlier days, but fails to recognize that he is not dealing with the same man that once spent his time matching wits with good old Falstaff. The boy known as Prince Hal has precious small resemblance to the man who immerges as King Henry V, but where the two personalities converge therein is birthed a greatness larger than many a man can boast.
It is perhaps at that intersection of his past and his present, not to mention his hope for a future, that brings Harry to be the man we see in Henry V. His ability to mingle with, and understand the needs of, his common men gives him an ability to motivate an army in the face of overwhelming odds. This is shown in act four as he dons a cloak and strolls amongst his men to take account of their morale on the eve of their battle with the French. Even upon finding some men at odds with their present state, he is able to converse with them and defend his position from the rouse of an infantryman. These midnight conversations provide him the fuel to give a stunning, “Braveheart-esque” motivating speech in response to Warwick’s wish “that we had here but one ten thousand of those men in England that do no work today.” (IV.iii17-19) The eloquence and power that flow out of the warriors rousing speech in turn give the men the conviction they need to effect one of the biggest military upsets in the history of history. Within the merging of his abilities to bond with his commoners, perfected in his youthful negligence, and his noble blood Harry finds the makings of an incredible leader and completes his transition to prominence through victory against overwhelming odds.
As a history play, Shakespeare is mildly obligated to give more honor to his leading man than he might otherwise have. This is evidenced by the glorification of historical events and persons. It might be argued that this fact is the reason that the personage of Prince Hal, Harry, and King Henry the Fifth show such an overwhelming transition from youth to kingship. The fact cannot be denied, however, that the transition is there, is large, and is to be admired.
Works Cited
1) Greenblatt, Stephen; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean E.; Maus Katharine Eisaman, eds. The Norton Shakespeare. London: Castle House, 1997
Taylor Williams
Dr. Ditmore
Shakespeare
27 October 2004
Happy Few
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile.” (Shakespeare IV.iii.60-63) How incredible is such a display of leadership, for a king to call the lowest born man in an army that is home to church robbers along with nobles, his brother, a word that carries so much more meaning than mere relation? In Henry V, William Shakespeare presents a king of unquestioning resolve, honor, and conviction. This image of the monarch, however, is no constant throughout his portrayal in Shakespeare’s plays. Rather, the transition from Prince Hal to King Henry V of England is one of the most dynamic character arches to be witnessed in all of Shakespeare’s history plays, one might even argue in any play whatsoever.
The genesis of King Henry’s story actually comes much earlier in Shakespeare’s string of historical playes. Katharine Eisaman Maus, in her forward to the play itself, explains that Henry V “refers constantly to events before and after its own temporal limits,” she goes on to explain however that these events would have been “familiar to Shakespeare’s audience.” (Maus, 1445) The background that thrust Henry to the thrown also left him standing on extremely shaky ground at the top, and the audience would have had to have some understanding of this history. In his earlier days, Henry was known to have spent much time in the slums, carousing with thieves and villains. With the end of Henry IV we see that lifestyle coming to an end. It is important to understand where Henry came from in this regard. In Henry V, there is an extremely different man sitting on the throne than the one shown in earlier plays.
By the beginning of the play dedicated to his reign as king, and principally the Battle of Agincourt, Henry is no longer a man the nobles of his own country look down upon. Far from that, he has become a bastion of resolve, which sits upon the throne with such a commanding presence to be feared and loved alike. His grace, and sense of justice are depicted in the beginning of act two when he handles the treasons of Richard, Earl of Cambridge, Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and Thomas Grey, knight of Northumberland. Through a beautifully set up script, he acquires of these men their opinions on a man convicted of a crime small in comparison to their treason. Without exception, the three of them call for death, or at least serious torture of the man before he is released. Irony shines strong when in the course of a few lines, the three men who were so quick to disregard a man’s life are now begging for mercy from the same king they counseled to forego it. In the earlier act, the king shows his newfound delicacy through his response to the gift of tennis balls from the French heir apparent. In a not so subtle reference to his pending invasion, laced with a touch of innuendo, Harry responds, “When we have matched our rackets to these balls, we will in France, by God’s grace, play a set.” (I.ii.261,262) The Dauphin alludes to Harry’s earlier days, but fails to recognize that he is not dealing with the same man that once spent his time matching wits with good old Falstaff. The boy known as Prince Hal has precious small resemblance to the man who immerges as King Henry V, but where the two personalities converge therein is birthed a greatness larger than many a man can boast.
It is perhaps at that intersection of his past and his present, not to mention his hope for a future, that brings Harry to be the man we see in Henry V. His ability to mingle with, and understand the needs of, his common men gives him an ability to motivate an army in the face of overwhelming odds. This is shown in act four as he dons a cloak and strolls amongst his men to take account of their morale on the eve of their battle with the French. Even upon finding some men at odds with their present state, he is able to converse with them and defend his position from the rouse of an infantryman. These midnight conversations provide him the fuel to give a stunning, “Braveheart-esque” motivating speech in response to Warwick’s wish “that we had here but one ten thousand of those men in England that do no work today.” (IV.iii17-19) The eloquence and power that flow out of the warriors rousing speech in turn give the men the conviction they need to effect one of the biggest military upsets in the history of history. Within the merging of his abilities to bond with his commoners, perfected in his youthful negligence, and his noble blood Harry finds the makings of an incredible leader and completes his transition to prominence through victory against overwhelming odds.
As a history play, Shakespeare is mildly obligated to give more honor to his leading man than he might otherwise have. This is evidenced by the glorification of historical events and persons. It might be argued that this fact is the reason that the personage of Prince Hal, Harry, and King Henry the Fifth show such an overwhelming transition from youth to kingship. The fact cannot be denied, however, that the transition is there, is large, and is to be admired.
Works Cited
1) Greenblatt, Stephen; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean E.; Maus Katharine Eisaman, eds. The Norton Shakespeare. London: Castle House, 1997
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