Henry V The Character Of Harry Through

Out Essay, Research Paper

In Henry V , reveal how Shakespeare portrays Henry s leadership qualities at different stages of the play, both in his dealings with the French and his treatment of his own men.

Shakespeare, through many stages and events, shows the reader the many leadership qualities possessed by Henry. Through the many events of Henry s reign, Shakespeare builds Henry s qualities, unseen by the reader or Henry s nobles.

Henry speaks in poetry to attract the ear of every potential person around him and to keep them concentrating upon him.

Some qualities are constant throughout the entire play. Henry s ability to turn the moment from bad to good using either highly motivational words (using lots of imagery) or just using his enemies own words and meaning against them (again by using them in imagery driven speeches

We will in France, by Gods grace, play a set )

Henry is forced to show his leadership qualities after he made king. His time before his reign was spent acting in a juvenile manner and Henry s court is not expecting him to the best of all leaders.

Because of his age and his manner as a prince, Ely and Canterbury feel they can persuade Henry s open mind to make a war happen. Henry is clever enough to spot the subtle ways of the archbishop and follow him through his confusing speech where he somehow traces the French crown to Henry from English kings of the past. Although Henry agrees to Canterbury s claims, he warns Canterbury that he should be very wary of the effect his claim on France could have upon the entire country.

When the Dauphin s first message and tennis balls confront Henry, he is angry. It is clear that the Dauphin has mistaken the king Henry for the prince Henry, the Henry that savours too much of his youth . Henry shows this anger not through expressions but through his words in his replying message back to the Dauphin.

We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us That all the courts of France will be disturbed

He shows the Dauphin that he is not a boy anymore, turning the Dauphin s playful image into an image of war.

The English king continues by taking the mockery that the Dauphin created with the tennis balls and turns that against him and into a warning of what will happen when France and England come together in war.

Shall this mock mock out of their dead husbands

Mock mothers from sons, mock castles down;

And some are yet ungotten and unborn,

That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin s scorn.

The next test as new king for Henry is traitors. He knows that he has three men in his council that have been bribed to kill him. Instead of just executing them or telling them he knows, he makes an example of them. He asks them of their opinion (as to not be unfair in his later judgement) about a minor treason charge and they give no mercy; so when they are uncovered as criminal of high treason, Henry turns their own words upon them. More than this he has strengthened the ring of trust in Henry from the rest of his court, showing that he is strong in mind and cunning. This shows his abilities to manipulating people into saying what he wants them to.

The mercy that was quick in us but late

By your own council is suppressed and killed

You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy.

For your own reasons turn into your bosoms,

As dogs upon their masters, worrying you.

He continues referring to them as English monsters showing that he is de-personifying them and making them rejects of the court, so neither Henry, his court or the perpetrators can feel any remorse about the events.

When Henry sends a message to the French king he keeps a sensible and legal tone, as to make him appear very different from what the Dauphin hinted, that he was still foolish and young in mind. As soon as the French king asks for consequences, Henry s message changes to a much darker tone, using imagery: And bids you into the bowls of the Lord

Much like the scene with the traitors, where Henry manipulated the feelings of the traitors and his court, he manipulates the feeling of his troops at the battle of Harfleur.

He takes the part of every man which is raw animal (i.e. the fighting bit), of nobles and paupers alike, and saying that that feeling of hatred and bloodlust is right in this situation. In his speech he uses many metaphoric contrasts to distinguish what men should normally be like at what they should be like in times of war so that they can disguise fair nature with favoured rage .

He also uses language like friends to highlight that on the battlefield he, the king of England is equal with them and them with him.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit

If Henry was a bad leader, he would have proceeded with the destruction of Harfleur but he was clever enough to realise that if France was to be his if he won against the French king. This is where his skill of mental manipulation are shown again. Here he gives the governor such a diabolical choice that there can only be one real outcome. Henry words his speech very imaginatively with many metaphors to make the governor really see what would happen if he didn t surrender. Henry paints pictu

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