Henry the Fifth

William Shakespeare

Starter activities:• Play around with iambic pentameter,

‘Galllop apace you fiery footed steed…’• Watch the South Bank Show on

Shakespeare• Go onto the internet / Moodle and find

examples of Shakespeare’s insults• Learn some and try them out• Make a list of your ten favourite words

created by Shakespeare• Practise ‘speaking the speech trippingly,’

From the old static performances, through theatre …

To film ancient and modern

Year 10 Henry V In Shakespeare’s Henry V the audience is shown a new king, who has become a master of politics and is able to ‘spin’ situations to his own political advantage. Show how the beginning of the play develops the king’s role as a great leader. Remember the play is the third about Henry, the first two dealt with his ‘misspent’ youth carousing and having fun with Falstaff and the rest of the Eastcheap mob. At the end of Henry IV Part 2 the audience saw him reject Falstaff, but has no idea how he is going to turn out as a king. Shakespeare’s audience had a set of expectations about Henry, how does Shakespeare meet and deal with these?

The bishops’ comments before the king is on stage – show how they prepare us for the changed and reformed king. Why does Shakespeare start the play here with this scene?

The court scene that follows –show how Shakespeare gives Henry power and control over his court, whilst referring to his wilder days and putting them behind him.

What does his reminder to the bishops of their responsibility say about him as a leader and a man?

How does the Dauphin emerge from the court scene, is Shakespeare drawing a parallel here between all young men and their youthful years?

Discuss the treatment of the traitors, and the consummate handling of the situation. Show how Henry turns this situation to his advantage. What does it say about his bravery and the political savvy involved in their capture? What clear message does it send to his nobles?

Explain how Shakespeare has sent Henry off to war with his enemies neatly sorted out, his way ahead clear and the audience amazed by his coolness and bravery. Re-read the speech Henry gives to his troops outside Harfleur, Page 13 in your play books. Use these points to help you: Rhetorical Techniques used in speeches:

The rule of three – repetition of an important point Rhetorical questions Anecdote – telling a brief story to illustrate your point Emotional language Facts Statistics False facts Opinions Irony – saying one thing but meaning another Borrowing a style of language from somewhere else, the Bible for example Past, present, future A journey from one place or idea to another

In Shakespeare’s Henry V the audience is shown a new king, who has become a master of politics and is able to ‘spin’ situations to his own political advantage. Show how the beginning of the play develops the king’s role as a great leader.

Remember the play is the third about Henry, the first two dealt with his ‘misspent’ youth carousing and having fun with Falstaff and the rest of the East cheap mob. At the end of Henry IV Part 2 the audience saw him reject Falstaff, ‘I know thee not old man fall to thy prayers,’ but has no idea how he is going to turn out as a king. Shakespeare’s audience had a set of expectations about Henry, how does Shakespeare meet and deal with these?

Henry V – the prequel….

Henry V First Impressions - ‘When thou art king.’Use your copies of the plays to answer the following questions.Write in full sentences and paragraphs and support your answers with evidence from the text. Explain the meaning of the lines you quote.

Show how Shakespeare begins to show the audience how much Henry has changed for the better since becoming king.

•Refer to three examples from the bishops’ speeches to each other, when they explain what a remarkable change has taken place. Remember that we hear them before we see Henry as king for the first time.

•What warning does Henry give the bishops before they start to give him their advice about his right to succession in France?•How does Henry stop the Archbishop of Canterbury when he is in full flow? Explain how Henry demands an outright answer from Canterbury. Give the lines.•Explain the various ways in which the Dauphin’s gift is designed to be an insult to the new king. •How does Henry use the gift to his advantage politically? Explain the points he makes to the messenger for him to report back to the Dauphin. Pick examples from H’s speech to the messenger which show how he is able to use language to create a strong effect.•How has Shakespeare presented the king in this opening section of the play? What are the audience’s impressions of Henry now that he is king?

The traitors

How does Henry deal with the traitors? Explain and use quotation from the play. How does he threaten his nobles and show his pain?

What does this show about him as a king, and as a man?

Once more into the breach

Explain how Henry rouses his men to attack the breach in the city wall of Harfleur by making a speech to them and cheering them to a point where they are prepared to attack again.Describe what he says and use quotation to prove your points.

Re-read the speech Henry gives to his troops outside Harfleur

Use these points to help you:

Rhetorical Techniques used in speeches:

•The rule of three – repetition of an important point•Rhetorical questions•Anecdote – telling a brief story to illustrate your point•Emotional language•Facts•Statistics•False facts•Opinions•Irony – saying one thing but meaning another•Borrowing a style of language from somewhere else, the Bible for example•Past, present, future•A journey from one place or idea to another

‘Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more!’

The decline of the East Cheap gang

• Show how Shakespeare gradually gets rid of the old partners in crime, first Falstaff, then Bardolph, then Nym and Mistress Quickly, and finally sends Pistol back to London in disgrace.

• In the film Bardolph’s hanging is shown, if you were directing the play, would you include it on stage?

• Is Henry right to have him hanged?

The speech before Agincourt.We know that Henry is tired and depressed before the battle, he tells the audience so in a soliloquy, (when the actor speaks his/her thoughts out loud). Listen to Richard Burton’s version of the speech:

www.talking-book-store.com/title.aspx?titleId=6033&aid=100348 - 42k –

•How does Henry manage to motivate his men to go and fight even though they are outnumbered 5 to one?•Describe the speech in detail, referring to all the themes and ideas we discussed; his personal feelings, freedom of choice, the near and distant future, honour, old age, fame, brotherhood, comradeship, etc.

After the battleExplain how Henry reacts after the battle.Is he triumphant?Does he boast?How does he want his troops to behave?

The romance

How does Henry court the French princess?

What kind of man does he say he is? Give examples of his blunt expressions.

What is his first suggestion?

What will happen to him as he grows older?

How does he give Katherine the illusion of choice?

What does the courtship scene show us about Henry’s character?

In Henry V Shakespeare portrays a king who is a great politician, leader and soldier. Show Shakespeare develops the character of

Henry, using language, setting and plot.

• Remember Shakespeare’s plays were meant to be seen and heard, not just pored over in English classrooms. In Shakespeare’s time the audience was loud, restless and crushed together he had to keep them entertained and ‘on side.’ In Henry V this is a challenge as they’ve seen the previous two plays and know the ‘Eastcheap mob’, and like them. Shakespeare has to write them out in a way that the audience will accept, and turn Henry from the outrageously behaved Prince Hal of the previous plays to the model of a king he becomes in the play. Your title refers to this:

• You need to write about all of these elements of the play.• Language: Use the following speeches to illustrate the way that

Henry uses language effectively, and what this reveals to the audience about his ambitions, wishes and character:

• His speech to the French herald Montjoy after the presentation of the Paris balls

• The speech at Harfleur – to his troops and to the Governor• The speech at Agincourt• His courtship of Katherine• Include any other parts of the play which you feel are relevant.

Plot: How does Shakespeare structure the play to create the ‘right’ image of Henry? Refer to the following scenes and explain what they show about Henry, and his ability to play politics, charm, convince, manipulate, be sympathetic, be loyal, be human.

The bishops at the beginning of the playThe court scene – all elementsThe capture of the traitorsThe siege of HarfleurThe gradual removal of the Eastcheap gang - Bardolph’s hangingThe night before battleThe Agincourt speechInclude any other elements of the play you feel are appropriate.

Settings: Remember that Shakespeare’s audience were good at suspension of disbelief.

Show how Shakespeare uses language and the concept of the Chorus to move the audience from place to place and to help them to imagine all the different settings, transporting them away from the play house, and to Southampton, Harfleur, the battlefield at Agincourt. Comment on the language he uses.

Remember to keep referring to the title, not just waffle about what you know, or tell the story.

You are being asked a question, answer it, and use plentiful references and examples to support the comments you are making.

Refer to events in the play, and quote, briefly but effectively to illustrate points about language.

You are either: Private Anyman, a noble, or one of the East Cheap gang.You three are sitting around a camp fire, the day that Bardolph was hanged, for stealing a pax from a church.The French messenger the Herald, Montjoy, has delivered a message to the king earlier asking him if he will fight. He has answered that he would rather not, but will if he has to. His men are weak and ill, but brave and determined. They have reached the Somme and want to return to Calais, leaving Exeter in charge of captured Harfleur, but may have to face the French army.

Write the script of the conversation which might take place.

Write in modern English, but make sure that your script includes discussion of these issues about the King:

His successes – capturing Harfleur, getting the French princess to marryHis failures – are there any?His understanding of foreign politics – the way he treats the French messenger from the DauphinBetrayals – the traitors, and the old gang from East CheapHis leadership, at home and at war – at court and in FranceHanging Bardolph for stealing – how he deals with difficult decisionsWhat his soldiers think of him, and how they feel about warHis behaviour at Harfleur – the way he talks to his men. Imagine how the three characters would have felt, and what their fears and dreams of victory might have been. Think about how the three characters may react differently to the king and his leadership.