Essays on Henry V

The character of Hal is a fascinating character in this play because of how he transforms from being a conniving and cruel youth to Shakespeare’s ideal king. Hal as a young boy was very wayward. His choice of friends was not necessarily the best. He…

The idea of divine monarchy and rightful succession has a long history as noted in Shakespeare’s Henry V. Historically laws of Primogeniture caused problems for heirless kings and dying family lines as at the end of their rule there was no clear successor to call…

Shakespeare’s plays, Henry V (1599) and Macbeth (1623) have similar, yet different, plots. The play Henry V revolves around a young man (Henry V) who has recently been crowned King of England following his father’s (King Henry the IV) death. The issue is that the…

In act five, scene two of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, the title character is trying to romantically pursue the Princess of France, Katherine (5.2.98-258). Since this play was initially meant to be performed and not read, the various interpretations of this scene are endless. In…

Collecting the French Crown When a war ends, the victor or victors claim the spoils of war—land, resources, and future alliances with other countries. In Shakespeare’s Henry V, one of the spoils of war is the hand of French princess Katherine. To win the hand…