Henry V: A Biased Shakespearean Portrayal

In the historical play Henry V by William Shakespeare, we are introduced to the story of a young and influential King Henry V of England, and his quest to conquer France under the ruler ship of Charles VI of France. This play details Henry’s life leading up to and following the Battle of Agincourt in the year 1415, which according to the “Hundred Years’ War”, was fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453. Now, in the source “William Shakespeare Biography”, it was found that Shakespeare lived from “c. 1564-1616” and is “widely considered the greatest dramatist of all time.” He too is of English descent, which suggests the bias that is present in this play, as according to “Henry V List of Characters”, Shakespeare’s primary purpose

From the information delivered by Shakespeare on King Henry, it symbolizes the significance of Henry’s multifaceted personality in becoming a successful ruler, and the fact that relationships will be torn apart, in order to achieve success on the battlefield. When analyzing this specific passage of Henry V, one of the most prevalent literary elements within King Henry’s monologue is his usage of hyperboles to symbolize the anger and vengeance he wishes to impose on the Dauphin when he threatens, “And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his Hath turned his balls to gun stones,” (293-294). This line exemplifies not only King Henry’s ruthless behavior, but also his seriousness of approach to war in comparison to the Dauphin, as his threat to unleash cannonballs upon France indicates the importance of war to him as monarch, and that he is prepared to defend himself and his country’s honor when necessary. It also suggests the maturity Henry possesses in dealing with the subject of war, as the Dauphin’s threat actually backfires on him when Henry responds in a passionate and

In this speech, Henry is alluding to both phrases as a sense of Biblical justification for him to impose destruction on France as a result of the Dauphin mocking him. This passage also displays the religious side of King Henry and his willingness to use evidence in support of his decisions rather than purely making decisions off of first instinct. While at the same time, this passage also shines light on Henry’s strategic, yet arrogant nature as a ruler when making the claim that through God’s will, it is only just that he declares war with the French when clearly there are many different interpretations that can be made when reading from The Bible based on the person’s background and culture. As a result, Henry’s interpretation is shaped by his noble bloodline, as well as his forefathers’ rich history with conquering the French, as King Charles later references in Act 4 of Scene 2. Therefore, King Henry’s usage of biblical allusions to God symbolizes his cunning and decisive nature when making decisions, but also how recklessly he chooses to retaliate against his enemies, and how that ultimately works against him as it severs his relationships with others such as Sir John Falstaff. When analyzing the form of King Henry’s violent monologue, one of its most striking features