3rd year, English Seminar conductor: Lect.dr. Oana-Alis Zaharia

Henry V Study Questions

1. Is Henry the ideal ruler? In what terms is such an ideal ruler conceived?

From a military perspective he is an adept commander, though he was uncertain of his victory at Agincourt.

But his most redeeming feature is shown in the scene where before the great battle, he takes time to discuss

with his men. Another feature that makes him great, if not ideal, is his rhetoric skill.

2. Is Henry a Machiavellian ruler who knows how to manipulate people to achieve his ends? Or an

idealist who must sacrifice personal desires to public duty?

He is a bit of both. While he makes great sacrifices for his men, as shown in his soliloquy, he manipulates

his enemies into surrendering as best as he can.

A. One first set of questions will refer to the issue of the legitimacy of his campaign in France

and whether his success in battle is fully endorsed IN THE PLAY – therefore look and find out what

3. What authority does he invoke to legitimize his actions? Does this authority/agent get full

recognition in the play?

The archbishop of Canterbury presents some fabricated claims that would legitimize him to the throne of

France. But the highest authority that he invokes is that of God.

4. What doubts does Henry have? Does he feel fully entitled to victory?

He starts to doubt his divine right to the throne of France when faced with such a great opponent at

Agincourt. After the battle he doesn’t even know if he had won, but he sees his victory as a sign from God,

so he is indeed entitled to it.

5. Does any other character express such doubts?

Most of his men had lost faith in his divine purpose before the battle, and he finds this when in disguise in

the English camp.

B. Another set of questions refers to the following:

6. What is it that makes Henry successful? (courage, ruthlessness, strategy and innovation in battle,

rapport with his soldiers, troops and munitions?)

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His most successful skill is rhetoric. He manages to inspire his men before the battle of Agincourt and at

Harfleur. Of course Shakespeare would chose to portray an English historical figure as a great leader, when

in reality his victory would rather be attributed to weather conditions.

7. How does he encourage his soldiers?

With his great speeches.

8. What qualities of the general and what rhetorical strategies, employed in his speeches, can you

notice?

The gruesome image of death and destruction that he presents to the French at Harfleur and persuades them

to surrender would be such a strategy. Another quality could be his overall strategy at Agincourt, where

with the use of light infantry managed to destroy a much larger heavy cavalry force.

9. What values does he fall back on in his speeches?  What superior authority does he turn to get

help?

He uses God to legitimize his actions, to encourage his men and to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.

C. The third set of questions refers to the indirect way in which the play undermines the aura of the

ideal ruler that it produces at the same time. Try and identify:

10. What small incidents during the battle can cast doubts on the moral character of Henry as a

general?

The fact that he has one of his men executed for pillaging a church in order to set an example for the rest of

the army shows the strength of his moral fibre. In the play Henry is portrayed as a moral character, but the

Henry from the historical sources was a far more ruthless commander.

11. How do people comment on this incident?

They are content that they were on his side.

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