Play of the Month: Henry VI, Part 1

I just finished studying my seventeenth Shakespeare play, Henry VI, Part 1, a history play by William Shakespeare—possibly in collaboration with Thomas Nashe and others—believed to have been written in 1591. It is set during the lifetime of King Henry VI, and is the first work of the Henry VI trilogy, which, alongside Richard III, forms a tetralogy covering the entire Wars of the Roses saga, from the death of Henry V in 1422 to the rise to power of Henry VII in 1485. It was the success of this sequence of plays that firmly established Shakespeare's reputation as a playwright.

Through the play, I gained insights into the complex English claims to the French throne: From 1340, English monarchs, beginning with the Plantagenet king Edward III, asserted that they were the rightful kings of France. They fought the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) in part to enforce this claim, though ultimately without success. Henry VI was crowned king of both countries, creating the so-called "dual monarchy". However, he was only recognised as king in northern France. French resistance to the dual monarchy resulted in the English being expelled from France by 1453, ending the Hundred Years' War, but leaving Calais as the last remaining English possession. Over time, the claim lost its realistic prospect of fulfilment, although every English and later British monarch, from Edward III to George III, styled himself or herself king or queen of France until 1801.  

I was amazed by the role of the Duke of Burgundy, who is an ally of England in the first half of the play. After some research I learned about the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, a conflict between two cadet branches of the French royal family: the House of Orléans (Armagnac faction) and the House of Burgundy (Burgundian faction) in the midst of the Hundred Years' War. The major cause of the war was a confrontation between two different economic, social, and religious systems. On the one hand was France, strong in agriculture and in its feudal and religious system, and on the other was England, a country whose rainy climate favoured pasture and sheep farming. The nearby Duchy of Burgundy was dominated by trade, artisans crafting products, the middle classes, and emerging cities. Burgundy's constituent County of Flanders, with its clothing producers and merchants, significantly depended on imports of English wool as raw material. As a result, the Duke of Burgundy tended to favour the English, and the Armagnacs defended the French model. No wonder Duke of Burgundy sides with England for a good part of the play.

Among all characters in the play, Joan of Arc (called Joan la Pucelle in the play) was the only historical figure whom I had heard of before. Joan of Arc is a French heroine who rallies her countrymen against the English. She is initially presented as a holy, divinely inspired figure who leads the French to victory. Her enemies accuse her of witchcraft. She is ultimately captured and burned at the stake by the English. 

On the English side, John Talbot is the most feared English soldier and commander in France, and is lavishly praised in the play. Also known as "the English Achilles", Talbot was killed after leading an ill-advised charge against French field artillery, symbolizing the passing of the age of chivalry. In the play, Shakespeare alters the timeline to add pathos to these final Talbot scenes, with Talbot’s son dying together with him (in reality, the young John Talbot would not die for another several decades).

Now I also understand the intricate Wars of the Roses, a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought for control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fought between supporters of the House of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and House of York (whose emblem was a white rose), two rival cadet branches of the royal House of Plantagenet. The conflict resulted in the end of Lancaster's male line in 1471, leaving the Tudor family to inherit their claim to the throne through the female line. Conflict was largely brought to an end upon the union of the two houses through marriage, creating the Tudor dynasty that would subsequently rule England. I look forward to exploring more in the rest of the tetralogy.

Here are some of the passages and soliloquies that impressed me most, presented in modern English translation.

Act 1, Scene 1

DUKE OF BEDFORD

Is Talbot dead? Then, I will kill myself, because being lazy and living in luxurious comfort, while such a noble leader is destroyed by his cowardly enemies, is betrayal. 

MESSENGER

Oh, no, he lives. But he is a prisoner, along with Lord Scales and Lord Hungerford. The others were either killed or also taken prisoner.

DUKE OF BEDFORD

I don't care how much I have to pay to get him out, I will pay it. I'll drag the Dauphin from his throne and his crown will be the price I pay to bring back my friend. I will exchange four of their lords for one of ours. Goodbye, my lords, I need to carry out this job. I will make fires in France, to celebrate our holiday—Saint George's celebration. I will take 10,000 soldiers with me and their bloody actions will shake all of Europe. 

Act 1, Scene 6

JOAN LA PUCELLE

Raise our military flags on the walls! Orleans is rescued from the English and so Joan la Pucelle has carried out her promise. 

DUKE OF ALENCON

All of France will be full of merriment and joy, when they hear how we have performed our role as soldiers. 

CHARLES, KING OF FRANCE

It is Joan and not us who won this day. For her actions, I will share my crown with her and all the priests in my kingdom shall sing her endless praise through the streets. I'll build more magnificent pyramids for her than Rhodope's of Memphis' ever were. In memory of her when she is dead, her ashes will be stored in an urn more precious than the rich jewel of Darius. They will be presented at important festivals before the kings and queens of France. We will no longer pray to "Saint Denis" but Joan la Pucelle will be the new saint of France. Come in, and let us banquet in royal fashion, after this golden day of victory. 

Act 2, Scene 2

LORD TALBOT 

Bring forward the body of old Salisbury and display it here in the market square, which is the center of this cursed town. I have now fulfilled the vow that I made to him. For every drop of his spilled blood, I killed at least five Frenchmen tonight. And from now on, people will see the death that happened in his name. I will put up a tomb, in the main temple, where his corpse will be placed. On the tomb, where everyone may read it, the destruction of Orleans will be engraved—it will remind people of the treasonous manner in which he died and what a terror he was to France. But, lords, in our bloody massacre, I am surprised we didn't meet the Dauphin's grace—his newly arrived champion, the "virtuous" Joan of Arc, or any of his other false accomplices. 

DUKE OF BEDFORD 

People think, Lord Talbot, that when the fight began, they rose suddenly from their sleepy beds, and among the troops of armed men, they jumped over the walls to find shelter in the field.

Act 2, Scene 4

RICHARD PLANTAGENET

Since you are unable to express yourself clearly and hate to speak, show us your thoughts in dumb signs. Let him—a true-born gentleman who values the honor of his birth—pluck a white rose with me from this bush here, if he thinks that I have spoken the truth. 

DUKE OF SOMERSET 

Let him that is no coward or flatterer, but who dares to tell the real truth, pluck a red rose with me, from this thorn. 

EARL OF WARWICK

I don't love any color and without all colors of lowly subtle flattery, I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet. 

EARL OF SUFFOLK 

I pluck this red rose with young Somerset and I will also say that I think he is in the right. 

Act 3, Scene 3

JOAN LA PUCELLE 

Also, all the French and France accuse you, they are doubting your birth and the legitimacy of your lineage. And you join a proud nation that only trusts you for the sake of profit? Once Talbot has set up a base in France and made you into that tool of destruction, who but the English Henry will be lord and you will be cast away like a refugee! Let's use an example. Do you remember your enemy the Duke of Orleans? Wasn't he prisoner in England? But when they heard that he was your enemy, they let him go and they didn't pay for his release, despite Burgundy and all his friends. Can you see, then, that you fight against your countrymen, and when you join with them they will become your murderers. Come here! Come back, come back, you restless lord. Charles and the others will welcome you into their arms. 

DUKE OF BURGUNDY 

I am defeated. Her arrogant words have beaten me like a loud shot from a cannon. They made me almost fall down onto my knees. Forgive me, my country and my sweet countrymen! And lords, accept this sincere kind embrace. My army is yours. So, goodbye Talbot! I don't trust you anymore. 

Act 3, Scene 4

LORD TALBOT 

My kind prince, and honest lords! I have heard about your arrival in this country and so I have made peace for a while in my wars, so I can pay my respects to my king. I show you a sign of my respects here—this arm that regained fifty fortresses, twelve cities and seven powerful towns surrounded by a wall. On top of that, we have taken five hundred prisoners of high rank. I let my sword fall before your highness' feet and with the obedient loyalty of my heart, I give credit first to my God and then to your grace, for the glory of my victory. 

KING HENRY VI

Brave captain and victorious lord, welcome! When I was young—not that I am old now—I remember how my father used to say that a bolder champion had never held a sword than you. Ever since then, we have been convinced that this is true because of your faithful service and your efforts in war. And yet you've never been rewarded, and we have never thanked you for all you've done, because we have never seen your face until now. Therefore, stand up and for these good actions, we make you Earl of Shrewsbury. Take your place in our procession. 

Act 4, Scene 3

SIR WILLIAM LUCY

You princely leader of our English armies, you have never been this needed in France! You should hurry to save the noble Talbot, since he is now shackled and imprisoned and surrounded by promises of horrible death. Go to Bourdeaux, you duke warrior! York, go to Bourdeaux! Or otherwise, we can say goodbye to Talbot and to England's honor. 

DUKE OF YORK (RICHARD PLANTAGENET)

Oh God, if only Somerset, whose pride stopped him from delivering my horsemen, was in Talbot's place! Then we would save a noble gentlemen and instead lose a traitor and a coward. Mad anger and incredible fury makes me cry because we will die like this, while careless traitors sleep. 

SIR WILLIAM LUCY

Then, let God take pity on the soul of brave Talbot and also on his young son John, who I met two hours ago as he was traveling to see his father. Talbot hasn't seen his son for seven years and now when they finally meet both of their lives are nearly over. 

DUKE OF YORK 

Ah, well! What joy will noble Talbot have to share with his young son when he's about to die? Let's go! Agony almost stops me from breathing, thinking about separated relatives that meet in the hour of their death. Goodbye, Lucy. I can't do much but curse the reason I can't help the man. Maine, Blois, Poictiers, and Tours have been conquered all because of Somerset and his inaction.

Act 4, Scene 7

SERVANT 

Oh, my dear lord, look, your son is being carried here!

LORD TALBOT 

It is grinning death, which laughs at us and mocks us here. Soon, because of your insulting tyranny two Talbots will fly through the sky, joined together forever, escaping death. Oh you, whose wounds are mortal, speak to your father before you stop breathing! Win over death by speaking, whether he wants you to or not; imagine that death is only a Frenchman and your enemy. Poor boy! I think he smiles, as if he agreed with what I said—if death had been French then death would have died today. Come, come and put him in his father's arms. My spirit can't stand this pain any longer. Goodbye, soldiers! I have what I wanted. Now my old arms serve as a grave for young John Talbot. 

Act 5, Scene 4

CARDINAL OF WINCHESTER 

Lord regent, I welcome your excellence with letters of authority to act from the king. For now, the states of Christendom, moved with pity out of this excessively violent chaos, have begged for a general peace between our nation and the ambitious French. And here come the Dauphin and his company to discuss this issue. 

DUKE OF YORK

Is all our labor turned into this? After so many of our men, so many captains, gentlemen and soldiers have been killed in this battle and sacrificed their bodies for the good of their country, should we settle it all with an unmanly peace? Haven't we lost most of our towns which our ancestors gained through treason, falsehood and treachery? Oh, Warwick, Warwick! With grief, I predict the absolute loss of France. 

EARL WARWICK 

Be patient, York. If we settle a peace, it will be with strict and harsh terms of agreement in which the Frenchmen will gain very little.

Act 5, Scene 5

EARL OF SUFFOLK 

A dowry, my lords! Don't disgrace your king so much as to think that he should be so hopeless, low, and poor to choose money over perfect love. Henry is perfectly able to give his queen money and does not need to look for one who would make him rich. Peasants who are worth nothing try to find their wives in such a way. They're like men in the market, selling oxen, sheep, or horse. But marriage should not be dealt with in negotiations between lawyers, and it's not about who we want but who his grace likes. She will be his companion in bed, after all! And therefore, lords, since he likes her the most, for that reason we should prefer her as well, and so she should be our first choice.  After all, what is a forced marriage but a never ending battle? While the opposite brings joy and is a way to heavenly peace. Then, who else should be matched with Henry, who is a king, than Margaret, who is the daughter of a king? Her unique physical appearance and her birth makes her perfect only for a king. Her brave courage and fearless spirit, which isn't usually seen in women, will be an answer to our hope of giving a child to the king. Henry, a conqueror's son, is likely to breed more conquerors if he is joined in union with a lady of such courage as Margaret. Give up, then, my lords and here I finish by saying that Margaret shall be queen, and no one but her. 

KING HENRY VI

I don't know if it's because of the power of your account of her, my noble Lord of Suffolk, or because my young days have never been touched with any passion of love's fire, I can't really tell but I am sure that I feel a sharp pain in my chest. I feel passionate alarms of both hope and fear and it makes me sick trying to figure out my thoughts. Therefore, take a ship to France, my lord, and hurry. Agree to any terms and ensure that Lady Margaret will come across the seas to England and here be crowned King Henry's faithful and blessed queen. For your expenses and spending money for the journey, collect taxes from the people. Go, and until you return I will rest here puzzled by a thousand thoughts. And you, good uncle, let go of all your hatred. If you would judge me by your own former recklessness in your youth and not your older age, I know you will forgive me for my sudden change. And so, take me where I may consider and mediate on my melancholy of love alone.