Henry V Essay Questions

What kind of ruler is Henry V?

The play presents Henry V as a generally capable, strong, and inspiring king of England. He is calculated in his decisions and able to lead an entire army of outnumbered men to victory over France at the end of the play. However, the play also presents Henry as a ruthless king as well: he declares war on France after being slighted by the Dauphin, has traitors executed, and refuses to pardon his old friend for stealing, leading to his execution. Ultimately, the play suggests through the figure of Henry V that to be a successful monarch sometimes calls for cutthroat action.

Why is Henry V's leadership so surprising to many?

Transformation is a crucial motif in the play, as a number of characters note how severely Henry V has changed from his youth. Indeed, the Bishop of Canterbury remarks that as soon as the breath left King Henry IV, Henry's own past seem to disappear. Characters are continually surprised and impressed by Henry V's balanced, democratic, and strong leadership, and the Dauphin's insult in the form of tennis balls is repeatedly proven wrong. Part of this surprise and awe stems from the preceding plays in the tetralogy, in which Henry – then known as Hal – is a wild youth with a predilection for games, disguises, and mischief. In Henry V, audiences would have born witness to an entirely different version of the prince as he assumed the throne.

Why are there so few female characters in the play?

Henry V is not a play that many turn to in discussions of gender, most notably because there are virtually no women in the play besides Catherine. However, the absence of women is significant for the play's major themes. The backdrop of the entire play is the war with France, and as such the play features a number of battle scenes as well as deeper development of male-male relationships. The play is rife with masculine energy associated with pursuit, battle, and triumph, but its portrayal of masculinity is surprisingly nuanced. As the king of England, Henry is both ruthless and understanding; the Chorus even compares him to the warmth of the sun, "thawing" his soldiers' fears before battle. In this way, the lack of female characters in the play allows Shakespeare to craft a portrait of strong male leadership that is more complex than one might expect.

What does the play suggest about differences between nationalities and social classes?

Henry V stands apart from many of Shakespeare's history plays because of its tendency to portray characters from lower social classes (not just royalty or nobility) as well as other nationalities (Welsh, Scottish, Irish, etc.). This portrayal helps emphasize both the diversity of England at the time and the relatively democratic sense of leadership that King Henry V brought to the throne. In his speeches, he conveys to his army that he considers them his "brothers," figuratively eliminating the major social and political barriers that exist between them. Once again, the play suggests that war functions as an exception to the rules of everyday life, so much so that things like social hierarchy start to break down, at least in a metaphorical sense.

Why does Falstaff disappear from the play almost immediately?

Audiences at the time would have likely been disappointed and saddened by the early death of Sir John Falstaff. Falstaff was a major character in Henry IV Part One and Henry IV Part Two. He was Prince Hal's companion and accomplice in many of their games and schemes. He was also, notably, a fan favorite of early modern English audiences, and even received a type of "spin-off" in Shakespeare's comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor. However, Falstaff does not appear on stage in Henry V, and he dies soon after the play begins. His death, though lamented by other characters, helps signify the transformation that Henry undergoes: the death of Falstaff comes to mirror the death of Henry's wild past as he assumes the throne.