Henry V Lesson Plan

Premiered in 1599, Shakespeare's Henry V is the most famous and iconic of the histories. Depicting the lead-up, action, and aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V includes some of the most famous war scenes in the English canon, carving out Henry as one of the archetypal military leaders in Shakespeare's output. The play is notable for its high-flying martial rhetoric and its deep trove of speech on the nature monarchy and statesmanship. Henry emerges as an ambiguous figure. He is, in many ways, drawn as an ideal monarch, willing to fight alongside commoners. At the same time, he is sometimes ruthless and shockingly violent as a military leader. The play also features iconic...