Background to Henry V William Shakespeare

France and Henry V's Victories
Shakespeare portrays the Dauphin as a strong and bold character who has
confidence - to the point of arrogance in the French army. I would say that he is probably too bold making him very unpopular although at the same time, princely. He treats the English invasion as if it is no threat at all to the French army in a similar way to Henry.

Throughout the play, there is never any suggestion that the French are in the grips of a civil war. This is to help give England more glory through the play. We never find out what actually happened to the Dauphin at the end of the play.

The mood in the English camp on the night before Agincourt is excessively worried at the thought of being defeated. This is because they know that they are outnumbered quite heavily.

The French camp is quite different. They are confident that they are going to win the battle and sit around playing dice.

On the morning of the battle, Henry dresses up as a common man and goes about with the common soldiers trying to drum up moral. He is probably quite apprehensive about the coming battle and needs all the support from his men that he can get. This is why he is going round with the soldiers.

The French soldiers are becoming confident - too confident at the thought of winning the battle. They are "looking forward" to the battle as they are "sure" that they are going to win.

Westmorland says that the French army is made up of 60,000 men, they outnumbered the English 5 to 1. When he wishes for a bigger army the King tells him not to as the larger the army, the more people the honour has to be shared with.

The day of the battle is St. Crispin's day. The people will remember the battle by saying "I got these wounds on Crispin's day".

Montjoy is the French Herald. He keeps asking the King to surrender himself for ransom to avoid the battle.

The first encounter that is shown in the play is between Pistol and a French soldier. The English (in the form of Pistol) are shown as money hunters concerned with money rather than glory. The French are shown as cowardly pleading to be ransomed rather than be killed.

In scene five, the French think that the day is lost. They are very disheartened because they think that they are going to lose the battle.

In scene six, Exeter tells the king that both Suffolk and York are dead. We also find out that they French have regrouped. King Henry gives the order to kill all of the prisoners .

When Montjoy next appears in scene seven, he tells the English that the day is theirs. He gives the French's surrender. The French by this time have lost 10,000 men and the English have lost only 29.

Henry attributes the victory to God.

Fortunes of 15th Century War

In the very first scene, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely are discussing Henry's claim to the French throne. They are also worried that the King will try to take some of their land. They decide to persuade him to wage a war with France to distract him away from taking their land. As well as arming himself (England) against the French, he is also arming himself against the Scots.

The officers in Henry's army are Fluellen, Gower, Jamy and Macmorris. The soldiers are John Bates, Alexander Court, Michael Williams and Ensign Pistol.

Although war was profitable and there were few restrictions, Bardolph was hanged for steeling a pax from a church.

After being asked to put himself up for ransom by Montjoy, he replies that the only way that they (the French) will get his body is if it dies on the battlefield.

In IV,vi, Pistol succeeds in capturing a French soldier for a ransom of 200 crowns. Later on, the king orders that all prisoners should be killed. This is because the French regrouped and Suffolk is dead.

Later still, we find out that all of the luggage boys have been killed. Henry once more orders that all of the prisoners be killed.

These French nobles were taken for ransom; Duke of Orleans, Duke of Bourbon, Lord Boucicault and 1500 others.

The quote "once more into the breech dear friends; once more…" Henry is ordering his "troops" to try and get through the hole in the city walls at Harfleur. When the citizens of Harfleur realise that they are "doomed" Henry gives them an ultimatum. He says that if they do not open up the city, he will commit atrocities against the occupants including raping all of the virgins. When they give in, the citizens are treated nicely.

The Treaty of Troyes

The Normandy Campaign is represented in the Chorus of Act V and we find out that it has been successful in Act V Scene II. Shakespeare wanted to concentrate on Agincourt because it was a major battle and did not last for very long. If he had concentrated on the main campaign of Normandy, the play would have become extremely long and would have turned into a catalogue of battles.

In Act V, the King and Queen are portrayed as peaceful but humble people who are only too glad to co-operate with the English.

Katherine is the French Princess. She is given to Henry as a token and to be his wife as part of the peace process. Henry treats her well and he tells her that he loves her very much.

Henry VI was the son of Katherine and Henry, when he was still only eight months old, he inherited the French crown from his father who died. Unfortunately, during the wars of the Roses, the English rule of France was lost.

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