Henry V is one of Shakespeare's most-quoted plays, and it continues to play a role in Western popular culture because of its universal themes like power, war, patriotism, and triumph. The Battle of Agincourt, in which Henry and his army defeat the French forces despite being severely outnumbered, has inspired a number of similar scenes in both fictional and historical war films over the years. Yet it is the speech that precedes the battle, rather than the battle itself, that has garnered what seems like a permanent seat in the Western ethos.
The speech Henry delivers to his men on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt is known as the "Saint Crispin's Day Speech," due to the fact that the battle fell on the holiday Saint Crispin's Day. The Feast of Saint Crispin falls on October 25 in celebration of saints Crispin and Crispinian, twins who were martyred during the reign of Diocletian circa 285. The twins are considered the saints of cobblers, curriers, tanners, and leather workers.
However, it is the speech from Shakespeare's play, rather than the Feast Day itself (it has since been removed from the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar) that has made Saint Crispin's Day a memorable phrase in popular culture. In the speech, Henry rouses his men – severely outnumbered and facing what is sure to be certain defeat – to continue their fight against the French in pursuit of glory and immortality. The against-all-odds nature of the speech remains a universal theme of personal, political, and national triumph. It was famously used by actor Laurence Olivier to inspire English patriotism during the Second World War. The phrase "band of brothers," which Henry uses to describe the relationship between him and his common soldiers, has also become a colloquialism in English and American arts and culture. It even inspired the miniseries "Band of Brothers," which detailed the experiences of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division during World War II.
