William Shakespeares Henry V Essay - 1362 Words

William Shakespeares Henry V Shakespeares, Henry V, was written in the late sixteenth century, this composition will focus upon how Shakespeare portrayed Henry V, using factual knowledge and Shakespeares own interpretation. I will look at the character, language, structure and history of the play. Most Shakespearian, historical, plays were based upon Holinsheads Chronicles, these were mostly true but often Shakespeare adjusted the figures and facts to emphasise parts of his plays, and create tension and drama, such as when he is attempting to woo Katherine, to make a more interesting play. Many of Shakespeares plays were historical, based upon actual happenings. Henry V was one of these†¦show more content†¦At the beginning of the play the Bishop reminds Ely that Henry was once wild and offensive, The breath no sooner left his fathers body but that his wildness, mortified in him seemed to die too: yea, at that very moment consideration, like an angel came and whipped the offending Adam out of him. However Ely refers to the good in Henry, The strawberry groweth underneath the nettle Ely is saying that Henry was still growing, surrounded by people who are bad, but is still a good person underneath that eventually blossomed and became a good person. This is a good example of Shakespeares imagery. He needed lots of imagery as the stage and scenery were very sparse and the actors were nothing more than peasants. Prologues in a number of Elizabethan plays were used to set the scene, give important information and ask the audience for applause. Acting during these times was also incredibly poor, so prologues helped compensate for this. Shakespeares interpretation of Henry V makes him a very controversial character. On one side he makes Henry look like a heroic figure, on the other, a ruthless, uncaring king. This shows that Shakespeare tried to make the play more realistic, by showing the Henry was not just good or bad, but changed his attitudes to accommodate different situations . Examples of this can be found when before the great battles in which he manipulatesShow MoreRelatedEssay on William Shakespeares Henry V1505 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Henry V Shakespeares plays can be divided into three distinct categories: histories, romances and comedies. Henry the fifth is a history. Henry V is the last of four plays by William Shakespeare which tells of the rise of the house of Lancaster. It was written in 1599 but is set in 1415, two years after the death of his father and Henry has made a favourable impression on his courtiers and the clergy. He has constantly been encouraged to seizeRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Henry V1606 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Henry V William Shakespeare is one of the most famous and influential writers of all time. His plays not only portray the past, but also aspects of love and hate, humour and tragedy. Henry V, written by Shakespeare, using Raphael Holinsheds historical chronicles, appealed to many of the citizens of that time, as it presented an insight into their countrys past, as well as feel-good nationalism. It would have been performed on stage at a timeRead More Leadership in William Shakespeares Henry V Essay3276 Words   |  14 PagesLeadership in William Shakespeares Henry V At the time when Henry V was written in 1599, Englandwas in chaos, facing many dilemmas. The country was coming to the end of the Elizabethan era. Queen Elizabeth was in the final years of her reign and she was getting old, which must be taken into consideration. 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