The Ideal Medieval Christian King in William Shakespeare's Henry V

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The Ideal Medieval Christian King in William Shakespeare's Henry V

Was Henry V the ideal medieval, Christian king? This is the statement

that has been put forward. Many of his actions and speeches back this

statement.

At the beginning of the play we find ourselves in the middle of a

conversation between two priests, Ely and Canterbury, they talk of

their king.

As a boy an older man named Sir John Falstaff led the teenage prince

astray. He joined in with a bunch of hooligans who were rude and

shallow. He got caught up in the life of heavy drinkers and practical

jokers. This may seem all right by the bystanders of today, but back

then when your next in line for the throne, to bare the weight of a

country on your shoulders and expected to make decisions that would

affect a whole nation it was not expectable.

The rebellious, drunken teen that lived in Henry died the day his

father, Henry IV, died, Canterbury even says 'The breath no longer

left his fathers body but that his wildness, mortified in him, seemed

to die too' he also goes on to say 'At that very moment consideration,

like an angel came, and whipped the offending Adam out of him, leaving

his body as a paradise' The once rebellious, frowned upon teen was now

described as 'a true lover of the holy church'. 'We are blessed in the

change' says Ely. He is also praised for his remarkable turn around in

his study Canterbury says 'hear him reason in divinity, and all

admiring, with an inward wish, you would desire the king were made a

prelate. Hear him debate commonwealth affaires' but before the death

of his father 'his hours filled with riots, banquets and sports and

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dose get annoyed with Katherine though 'can any of your neighbours

tell, Kate? I'll ask them' he snapped at her when she couldn't make up

her mind. Katherine asks 'is it possible dat I should love de ennemi

of France?' once again we see Henry using his brain and thinking on

his feet, he replies 'In loving me you should love a friend of France,

for I love France so much that I would not part with a village of it

.I will have it all mine'.

So I conclude that Henry was the ideal Christian, medieval king. He

had all the qualities needed, he was nice, smart, a good warrior,

wasn't arrogant, ruthless and cunning; the list goes on. Henry was

just what England needed despite his out of control teen years. He may

not of made a particular good friend but being a good king and good

friend are two totally different things.

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