Henry V – Notes

October 2024

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Contents

Structure of the Play

1. Invasion Groundwork

Prologue: Chorus wishes for a greater stage, and tells audience to use its imagination.
1.1 Theological Justification
Bishops of Canterbury and Ely discuss bill that will seize money from the search; they plan to avoid it by providing a theological justification for Henry V’s claim to France, and thus his invasion. They also mention how much Henry V has changed since his father’s death: “And so the Prince obscured his contemplation / Under the veil of wildness / which, no doubt, grew like the summer grass, fastest by night / Unseen yet crescive in his facility”
1.2: Bishops assure H of invasion’s morality; tennis ball mock
Henry V invites the Bishops to give an explication of the law regarding his claims to France, and they do so, even as Henry repeatedly asks them to be honest about it. Henry also raises the possibility of Scotland invading should he go to France, but the Bishops argue that that can be defended against. Finally, after deciding that he will take control of France, by invasion if necessary, he invites in the French ambassadors, who, in a message from the Dauphin, present him with a barrel of tennis balls. Henry says he will play play a set in France, and will “strike his father’s crown into the hazard.” Exter, uncle to the King, is present and speaks a line or two.

2. Preparations for War

Elimination of traitors; introduction of common solidiers; preparation by France

Chorus: The chorus describes the excitement in England about the coming war – They sell the pasture now to buy the horse – and provide notice that three nobles – Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey –have become traitors.
Bardolph, Henry’s former tavern companion, prevents two solidiers – Nym and Pistol – from fighting over Hostess Quickly, Pistol’s wife, and requires them to become friends. They are interrupted by news that Falstaff is dying.
Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey are brought into Henry V’s presence, not realizing that he knows they are traitors, and are asked about whether Henry should show mercy to someone who has spoken against it. They say no, and override Henry’s wishes to show clemency. He the reveals that he knows of their betrayals, and they are all condemned to death.
Falstaff has died. Bardolph, Nym, Pistol and Hostess Quickly morn his death. The three men prepare to depart for France, and Pistol bids Hostess Quickly goodbye.
The King of France and the Dauphin plan for the defense of France against Henry – the King is cautious, the Dauphin is not, being contemptuous of Henry, and ignoring warnings about Henry’s new ethos. Exter enters as ambassador, and asks the King of France to yield to Henry, and returns insults to the Dauphin. The King says he will answer in the morning: “A night is but small breath and little pause / To answer matters of this consequence.”

3. Invasion, part 1: Success as Harlefor surrenders

Initial success: Harlefor surrenders; commoners show cowardance; 5:1 odds

Chorus: Describes the departure of the English navy: …
     Play with your fancies and in them behold,
     Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing.
     Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give
     To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails,
     Borne with th’ invisible and creeping wind,
     Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea
     Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think
     You stand upon the rivage and behold
     A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing…
and notes that the French King offered the hand of his daughter and some small unprofitable dukedoms – this offer is disregarded (and is reported only after the navy is described as being launched).
The invasion begins: “Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more / Or close the wall up with our English dead.” Henry makes a speech as the prepare to advance.
The three soldiers show their cowardence in trying to withdraw from the assault – they are driven back to it by Captain Fluellen. Captain Fluellen then engages in discussions and disputations with three other Captains: Glower, Jamy, Macmorris. [Not quite sure of the point of this scene]
Henry gives a speech before the gates of Harlefor, saying it is their last chance, and that they will be to blame if they do not surrender and the city is ravaged:

I  will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur
Till in her ashes she lie buried.
     The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,
     And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart
     In liberty of bloody hand, shall range
     With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass
     Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infant
     What is it then to me if impious war,
     Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends,
     Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats
Unlinked to waste and desolation?

Katherine, Princess of France, has one of her maids teach her English. [The scene appears to be presented in French – would the audience have understood???]
The governor surrenders the town, and Henry spares its citizens.
[Neither of these things happened in history.]
The French nobles are embarrassed by Henry’s successful invasion. But they convince themselves they will triumph, and send an ambassador to ask what ransom Henry will offer when he is captured.
Ancient Pistol has distinguished himself and pleads with Captain Fluellen for the life of Bardoph, who has been sentenced to death for stealing. His plea is rejected, and he departs with a curse. Captain Fluellen talks with Henry, and mentions Bardolph, whose execution Henry upholds. The French Ambassador, Mountjoy arrives to enquire about Henry’s ransom: Henry says ‘nothing but my body.’
The French nobles, confident of their victory on the eve of the battle, boast and banter among themselves.

4. Invasion, part 2: Triumph at Agincourt

Eve of battle; Henry & Williams & Fluellen; Pistol demands ransom; triumph at Agincourt

The Chorus draws a beautiful picture of the two armies the night before the battle, camped across from one another, awaiting the morning. The French confident, the English anxious… but with Henry moving among them to raise morale.
     Now entertain conjecture of a time
     When creeping murmur and the poring dark
     Fills the wide vessel of the universe
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
     The hum of either army stilly sounds,
     That the fixed sentinels almost receive
     The secret whispers of each other’s watch.
     Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
     Each battle sees the other’s umbered face
Henry walks though his camp, in disguise. He encounters Pistol, overhears a conversation between Grover and Fluellen that leaves him impressed with the Welshman’s quality, and argues with a soldier – Williams – about the King’s responsibility for the spiritual fate of his solidiers – they exchange gloves with the intention of dueling later. Last, Henry laments his father’s usurpation of Richard II’s throne.
The French nobles, about to fight, lament that the English are so few and weak.
Henry gives a speech of encouragement again. Responding to someone wishing for more men, Henry says he does not wish for more, and furthermore that those who do not wish to figtht will be furnished with passage home. ‘I do not wish to share the honor more than I have to,’ is his sentiment.
The ambassador, Mountjoy, comes again to negotiate a ransom, which Henry refuses.
A French soldier surrenders to Pistol, who threatens to kill him unless he provides a ransom.
The French nobles recognize that they have been defeated, and, ashamed, vow that they will die in battle.
Henry hears of the deaths of York and Suffolk; unsure of whether he had victory, when he hears a French call to arms he orders all French prisoners killed.
Fluellen in conversation with Grover compare Henry to Alexander the Great. Montjoy arrives with the French surrender. Williams appears with the glove, which Henry does not acknowledge; but Henry give Fluellen the other glove and sends him after Williams, and then sends others after Fluellen to prevent a full fight.
William encounters Fluellen, and strikes him. The other men arrive and prevent an escalation. Henry arrives and explains what happens and ‘pardons’ Williams, and has his glove filled with crowns. [I’m not quite sure of what happens after this, especially between Williams and Fluellen—Fluellen seems to do an about face and now thinks well of Williams.] The scene ends with the numbers of the dead being announced, and Henry giving credit for the victory to god.

5. Treaty signed, and marriage

Treaty signed and Princess Kate agrees to marry Henry; Fluellen gets revenge

Chorus: Brings Henry back to England where he and his victory are celebrated, and then back to France where the treaty recognizing Henry as sovereign will be signed.
Fluellen, via use of a cudgel, forces Pistol to eat a leek to avenge his insults; Pistol decides to return to England where he will wear his cudgel wounds to pretend to be a wounded soldier.
Henry and the King of France meet, and Henry delegates negotiation to his nobles while he woos Princess Katherine – she consents to marrying him, but without, it seems to me, much understanding or enthusiasm. Henry rides roughshod over her preference not to kiss before the wedding: “O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great Kings.”

A few notes

Throughout the play we see that Henry has separated himself from his old base companions: Falstaff dies (and was previously exiled); Henry allows Barloph to be hanged for stealing; the Bishops remark on how Henry has changed.

Deception: Not much. Henry goes in disguise among his troops. Henry incident with William. Henry does not tell Fluellen what is up when he sends him after William. Henry uses lots of flowery words which it is unlikely Princess Kate will understand.

??? Is Henrys order to kill the prisoners proper?

??? Does Henry really think the war is just?

??? Henry says that if they do not surrender, governor will be responsible for soldiers’ depredations.

Quotes I like

Now entertain conjecture of a time
When creeping murmur and the poring dark
Fills the wide vessel of the universe.
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
The hum of either army stilly sounds,
That the fixed sentinels almost receive
The secret whispers of each other’s watch.
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
Each battle sees the other’s umbered face;

I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur
Till in her ashes she lie buried.
The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,
And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart
In liberty of bloody hand, shall range
With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass:
Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infant
What is it then to me if impious war,
Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends,
Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats
Enlinked to waste and desolation?

Play with your fancies and in them behold,
Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing.
Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give
To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails,
Borne with th’ invisible and creeping wind,
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowes
Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think
You stand upon the rivage and behold
A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing…

Othello