Henry VI, Part 1: What's Inside in Context

Henry VI, Part 1
Study Guide by Course Hero
What's Inside d In Context
j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1

The Real Henry VI
d In Context ..................................................................................................... 1
Though not the first of Shakespeare's works to grace the
a Author Biography ..................................................................................... 3 stage, the Henry VI plays were the playwright's first major
critical and commercial successes. Guardian arts critic Andrew
h Characters .................................................................................................. 4
Dickson (2016) describes them as "Shakespeare's first big
k Plot Summary ............................................................................................. 9 hits." Shakespeare's play Richard III can be seen as a sequel to
these three histories.
c Scene Summaries .................................................................................. 14
Henry VI, Part 1 is believed to have had writers in addition to
g Quotes ........................................................................................................ 32 Shakespeare, as it was his earliest apprenticeship work (he
evidently made significant revisions on it in 1590–91). It is
l Symbols ..................................................................................................... 34
generally agreed that he most certainly authored Act 2, Scene
m Themes ....................................................................................................... 35 4, most of Act 4, and Act 5, Scene 3 and did not create the
characterization of Joan of Arc.
e Suggested Reading ............................................................................. 38
Much of Shakespeare's information about Henry VI and the
Wars of the Roses comes from historian Edward Hall, whose
Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancaster and
j Book Basics York (1548), also called Hall's Chronicle, narrates the war from
its earliest origins in the days of Richard II. An exchange in the
play between Talbot and his son in Act 4, Scene 5 is
AUTHOR
paraphrased from the Chronicle. Additional background comes
William Shakespeare
from Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Ireland, and
YEARS WRITTEN Scotland (1577), Shakespeare's go-to text for medieval British
c. 1589–92 history.
GENRE Almost from the first scene, Henry VI, Part 1 takes some
Drama, History, War Literature serious liberties with the historical record as set down by the
chroniclers. The Duke of Bedford, for example, was a mere 46
ABOUT THE TITLE years old when he died, but Shakespeare makes him an old
Henry VI, Part 1 is the first installment in a trilogy spanning the man; successive generations of dukes and earls are often
reign of Henry VI, who ruled England from 1422–61 and again conflated to produce a single character symbolic of his entire
from 1470–71. He is crowned in this play, gradually loses house. The Battle of Patay (1429), which led to Lord Talbot's
control of his kingdom in Part 2, and is overthrown in Part 3. capture, took place after the Siege of Orléans had been lifted
(also 1429), but Shakespeare chooses to reverse the order,
Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide In Context 2
perhaps so Talbot (a central character) is not taken prisoner in nobility gradually split along party lines, but civil war is averted
the midst of the play's action. As was his usual practice, by the need to subdue France. The Battle of Saint Albans,
Shakespeare also compressed events to fit the demands of dramatized at the end of Part 2, marks the formal beginning of
the stage. Even with two more plays to go (Parts 2 and 3), the war, which is the chief subject of Part 3.
there was much the Bard had to alter or omit.
Perhaps the most remarkable departure is King Henry's age.

The real Henry VI was an infant when he acceded to the
"Dauphin or Dogfish"
throne. In the play he is an adolescent: he is old enough to
Written over the course of two decades and spanning over
engage in intelligent dialogue with his courtiers but still young
three centuries of recorded events, Shakespeare's English
enough that the thought of getting married (Act 5) is a bit
history plays are a diverse lot. Most of them, however, share a
overwhelming. His youth is an important aspect of his
generally unsympathetic attitude toward France, which would
character: Henry VI may be king, but he has a child's idealistic
have pleased his audiences and his aristocratic patrons.
simplicity when it comes to political matters. He wants the
French noblemen and soldiers, including the Duke of Burgundy
adults in his life—who happen to be the most powerful men in
in Henry VI, Part 1, are usually depicted as scheming, dishonest,
the realm—to get along, and he is generally ready to believe
and cowardly; several, like Joan la Pucelle, are cast as villains.
them when they say they have his best interests at heart.
Although Francophobia (fear of the French) had waned since
the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, two centuries of intermittent
warfare had left the English with a strong distrust of the
War Abroad and at Home French.
Although the Wars of the Roses dominate the Henry VI trilogy Shakespeare's plays frequently take potshots at French
as a whole, the central conflict of Part 1 is the Hundred Years' customs and manners, which are presented as overly fussy or
War, a struggle between England and France that ran precious. Richard II, written much later than the Henry VI plays,
intermittently from 1337 to 1453. For Shakespeare's purposes, contains some snide remarks on the "chopping" nature of the
the key issue fueling the war is French royal succession. After French language; and Monsieur le Bon, a suitor in The
the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, Henry V had negotiated a Merchant of Venice, is best described as an overly energetic
peace with the French—the Treaty of Troyes (1420)—whose nincompoop. In Henry V the typical Frenchman is a vain,
main condition was that his son would be the heir to the hotheaded nobleman who is more interested in the trappings
French throne. The terms of this treaty, however, were of warfare (horses, swords, armor) than in actually fighting a
contrary to traditional French succession law, leading to an war.
ongoing rift among the French nobility. Many of the French
held that Charles the Dauphin (Charles VII) was their rightful Henry VI, Part 1 offers several of its own examples of this trend.
king; as far as the English were concerned Henry VI was king The Duke of Burgundy is a traitor—in fact Joan sees his
of France and Charles was a traitorous pretender. Although double-dealing as the most quintessentially French thing about
Henry VI, Part 1 ends with another peace deal in the works (the him. Charles the Dauphin is, frankly, a bit of a sap: after fighting
Treaty of Tours, 1444), the fighting will resume later in the side by side with Joan in a single battle, he wants to build
trilogy, leading to an eventual French victory. pyramids to her and have her proclaimed a saint. Another
Shakespearean technique for poking fun at the French is
Part 1 also foreshadows the Wars of the Roses, the somewhat broader in scope: to show their noblemen being
generations-spanning conflict between the Houses of York defeated (or frightened away) by an English soldier of much
and Lancaster. By the time the play begins, the feud between lower rank. This occurs in Act 2, Scene 1, when foot soldiers
these two royal houses has been simmering for decades, ever scare off the Dauphin and his crew by merely shouting the
since Henry IV (Duke of Lancaster) had supplanted Richard II name of Lord Talbot.
as king of England. The quarrel reaches a point of no return in
Act 2, when Richard Plantagenet (later Duke of York) begins
amassing followers to support him against his enemy the Duke
of Somerset (a high-ranking Lancastrian). In Part 1 the English
Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Author Biography 3
without major cuts or revisions. A particularly well-regarded

Henry VI, Part 1 on Stage and example is the RSC production of Michael Boyd (2000), which
Guardian drama critic Michael Billington (2014) describes as "a
Screen compelling portrait of an England spiralling into chaos." This
high-energy staging, writes Billington, "proved" that the Henry
Henry VI, Part 1 was enthusiastically received by Elizabethan VI plays "are central to an understanding of Shakespeare."
audiences. Thomas Nashe, a fellow playwright and poet,
famously praised Shakespeare's portrayal of Lord Talbot in his
a Author Biography
1592 satirical pamphlet Pierce Penniless:
How would it have joyed brave

Talbot (the terror of the French) to Childhood and Family Life
think that after he had lain two
The childhood of William Shakespeare is a murky area for
hundred years in his tomb, he scholars since few records of his early activities exist. Very
little is known about his birth, education, or upbringing.
should triumph again on the stage, However, according to church records, he was baptized on
and have his bones new April 26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, which leads
scholars to the conclusion that he was born on April 23 of that
embalmed with the tears of ten year. Birth records were not usually kept in Shakespeare's
thousand spectators ... who, in the time, although church records—baptisms, weddings,
burials—were kept fastidiously by clergy.
tragedian that represents his
Shakespeare's family was solidly middle class, and he would
person, imagine they behold him have had a typical education for an English boy of his time at a
fresh bleeding? public school endowed by Elizabeth I, which would have
included studying the Latin language and Roman and Greek
classical literature. At age 18 Shakespeare married Anne
Since the Elizabethan era, however, performances of Henry VI,
Hathaway, a woman eight years his elder who was already
Part 1 have been relatively rare. Hugh Macrae Richmond of the
pregnant with their daughter Susanna. Anne gave birth to
Berkeley Shakespeare Program calls the play's stage history
twins—Judith and Hamnet—a few years later. Church records
"uneven" and suggests plotting as the main problem: "Its
reveal Hamnet died in childhood.
complex tapestry of English history," Richmond writes, is a far
cry from the "tightly sequential plot required by Aristotle" (and
more closely approximated in Shakespeare's comedies). The
search for a tighter narrative structure has often led directors
Theatrical Life
to stage a trimmed-down version of the Henry VI trilogy rather
Shakespeare moved to London to pursue a career as an actor
than presenting any one play in its entirety. Peter Hall and John
and playwright, and over time he achieved success. He
Barton took this approach in their Wars of the Roses (1963), a
became a shareholder in the open-air Globe Theatre in London
medieval-dress production broadcast on BBC TV in 1965.
and had widespread fame as a playwright whose works
Adrian Noble, also of the Royal Shakespeare Company,
included romantic and classically inspired comedies, histories,
followed suit in The Plantagenets (1988). More recently
and tragedies. He is credited with writing at least 37 plays and
Dominic Cooke has adapted the Henry VI plays for the screen
over 150 sonnets.
as part of the BBC TV series The Hollow Crown: The Wars of
the Roses (2016).
Throughout his career Shakespeare and his fellow actors were
supported by the patronage of the nation's monarchs—first by
Other leading English directors have presented the trilogy
Elizabeth I (1533–1603), under whose reign Shakespeare's

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Characters 4
company was known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men. When thinks it will serve the English cause. Poignant scenes with his
James I (1566–1625) assumed the throne in 1603, the company son John reveal his paternal affection. Feared by the French,
was renamed The King's Men. Although many of Talbot is responsible for the major English victories in Acts 2
Shakespeare's plays were written for performance at the and 3. His death in Act 4 strikes a heavy blow to the English
Globe, the King's Men also performed at the nearby Blackfriars war effort.
Theatre, a smaller indoor space, after 1608.
Gloucester
Retirement and Legacy
Apart from Talbot, Gloucester is the closest thing to an
In 1610 or 1611 Shakespeare retired, moving back to Stratford- unequivocal "good guy" in the play. He advises King Henry, his
upon-Avon. Despite his retirement from London life, the nephew, with an eye to England's best interests—even when
playwright continued to do some writing, contributing to Henry the young king does not like what he has to say. Gloucester
VIII and Two Noble Kinsmen as well as to another play, despises Winchester, whom he sees as a political schemer
Cardenio, now lost. Scholars believe these final works to be hiding behind the sanctity of the Church.
collaborations with John Fletcher (1579–1625), another
playwright.
Shakespeare most likely died on April 23, 1616, leading to the

Winchester
romantic notion he was born and died on the same date,
In the early acts the Bishop of Winchester is important mainly
although there are no records of the exact date of either event.
as a rival to Gloucester, who (rightly) sees him as worldly,
He was 52 at his death and was buried on April 25 at Holy
ambitious, and not at all pious. In Act 5 Winchester is
Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. Over 400 years after
somewhat confusingly elevated to the rank of cardinal, even
his death, Shakespeare is still regarded as the greatest
though he has previously been referred to by that title. He
playwright of the English-speaking world.
wields great power over the Church in England, but Gloucester
and his allies try to limit his influence on secular politics.
h Characters
Somerset
King Henry VI The Duke of Somerset is a leading member of the House of
Lancaster, which obtained control of the English throne by
force two generations ago. In Act 2 he and Plantagenet quarrel
From the moment he first appears on stage, it is clear King
about a personal matter, essentially forcing their fellow lords to
Henry will have trouble reining in his feuding noblemen, most of
pick sides. Somerset generally comes across as more petty
whom are older relatives of his. Henry's speeches reveal him to
and vindictive than Richard Plantagenet (later Duke of York). In
be a pious and peaceable young man who lacks the
Act 4 he refuses to provide aid to the besieged Lord Talbot
experience (or the guile) to deal with his uncles' politicking.
because Richard has not specifically asked him to.
During Part 1 Henry is protected by his uncle Gloucester, but
his innocence and vulnerability are apparent to allies and
enemies alike.
Richard Plantagenet
Talbot Richard Plantagenet first appears in Act 2 of the play, where
his quarrel with Somerset pushes the country one step closer
to civil war. Although he begins the play as a yeoman (i.e., not a
Lord Talbot is a warrior's warrior: courageous, noble, and
knight or a nobleman), he eventually recovers the ancestral
willing to undertake even the most desperate gambit if he
title of Duke of York, much to Somerset's dismay. He later

replaces the deceased Bedford as Regent of France.

Plantagenet's (later York's) growing feud with Somerset is one
of the more important subplots of the play, though open war
does not develop until Part 2. Of the two Plantagenet appears
as more heroic than Somerset, who is selfish and underhanded
in his feud with Plantagenet.
Joan la Pucelle
When Joan first makes herself known to the French Dauphin,
she is seen as a literal godsend: a warrior-saint who will help
France to throw off the shackles of English rule and end the
war for good. Early in the play she helps the French to a
notable victory at Orléans, but her later efforts are less
successful. Only in Act 5 does the audience learn the true
source of Joan's powers: diabolical magic. Joan ends the play
in disgrace, captured by the English and led offstage to be
burned as a witch.

Character Map
Talbot
Legendary English warrior
Enemies
Joan La Pucelle Gloucester

Military savior of France "The Good Duke"
Liege Vassal
Nephew
Military Uncle
Enemies
adviser Admirer
King Henry Great-

Pious but naive
Enemies nephew
young monarch
Great- Winchester
Charles the Dauphin
uncle Scheming, vindictive
Claimant to French throne
churchman
Cousins
Richard Plantagenet Somerset

Dispossessed Yorkist heir Rivals Haughty Lancastrian duke
Main Character
Other Major Character
Minor Character

Full Character List The Bastard of Orleance (Orléans) is a

high-ranking French nobleman and
cousin to Charles the Dauphin; he
Bastard
introduces Joan la Pucelle to Charles,
Character Description
hoping she will lift the siege from his
city.
King Henry VI assumes the English
throne after the death of his father,
The elderly Duke of Bedford is Regent
King Henry VI Henry V. He struggles to control his
of France and a once-great warrior; he
noblemen in the drawn-out conflict with Bedford
dies onstage after witnessing the
France.
English victory at Roan (Rouen).
Lord Talbot is the heroic commander of

Talbot The Boy is the son of the Master
the English forces in France.
Gunner of Orleance (Orléans); acting
Boy
on his father's orders, he fatally shoots
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, is the the Earl of Salisbury.
Lord Protector of England, the man
Gloucester
responsible for overseeing the realm
The Duke of Burgundy is a French
until Henry VI reaches adulthood.
nobleman collaborating with the
Burgundy
English; he later abandons the English
The Bishop of Winchester is the king's cause and joins the Dauphin.
great-uncle and adviser; he plans to
Winchester
exploit his high rank within the Church
Captains of the French and English
to amass power and wealth.
armies appear in military scenes
Captains throughout the play; most do not speak,
The Duke of Somerset is a member of but one (in Act 3) upbraids Sir John
the House of Lancaster and the main Fastolf for his cowardice.
rival to Richard Plantagenet; his quarrel
Somerset
with Plantagenet undermines the
Charles, the Dauphin of France, is the
English campaign in France and later
Charles the leader of the French army and (in the
escalates into the Wars of the Roses.
Dauphin eyes of the English) the pretender to
the French throne.
Richard Plantagenet is the son of the
Earl of Cambridge, legally barred from
The Countess of Auvergne invites Lord
Richard his inheritance because his father was
Talbot to her castle in the hope of
Plantagenet declared a traitor; he is later restored to
Countess capturing him there; she gives up the
his birthright and given the further title
attempt when she realizes Talbot has
of Duke of York.
brought his entire army along.
Joan la Pucelle is better known as Joan

The Duke of Exeter, great-uncle to King
of Arc, la Pucelle ("the Maiden"). She is
Joan la Henry, is part of the "old guard" from
brash and obnoxious in the play but has Exeter
Pucelle the days of Henry V; he fears England's
a kind of noble humanity that makes her
future will be marred by civil war.
character memorable.
Sir John Fastolf is a cowardly knight

The Duke of Alanson (Alençon) is a
who leaves Talbot to be captured at the
French nobleman who gives advice and
Alanson Fastolf Battle of Patay; he is later stripped of
military aid to his countryman, the
his knighthood and banished by the
Dauphin.
king.
Basset is a lower-ranking follower of

the Duke of Somerset; he engages in a
Basset
brief but violent quarrel with Vernon,
who serves the Duke of York.

The nonspeaking Fiends are summoned A Messenger appears in the opening

by la Pucelle in a final attempt to save scene to inform the English of their
Fiends France from defeat; they refuse to help recent losses in France; in later acts
Messenger
her, and she is captured soon messengers keep the English and
afterward. French noblemen (and the audience)
apprised of developments in the war.
Sir Thomas Gargrave, an advisor to the

English at Orléans, is killed by cannon The Second Messenger brings further
Gargrave Second
fire in the single scene in which he bad news to the English court in Act 1,
Messenger
appears. Scene 1.
The General commands the French The Third Messenger appears just
forces at Bordeaux; when Talbot comes Third once, in the opening scene; he brings
General
to besiege the city, he scoffs at the Messenger the worst news of all: Talbot has been
Englishman's threats. captured by the French.
Sir William Glansdale is an English Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, is the

Glansdale knight who serves as a military advisor dispossessed uncle of Richard
during the siege of Orléans. Mortimer Plantagenet; he was imprisoned long
ago for asserting his claim to the
English throne.
The Governor of Paris appears at King
Governor of
Henry's coronation, where he pledges
Paris
obedience to the new king. Of the many officers in Henry VI, Part 1
only one has a speaking part; in Act 1,
Officer Scene 3 he reads the proclamation that
The Lawyer, a minor character, pledges breaks up the fight between
Lawyer himself to Richard Plantagenet's faction Gloucester's and Winchester's servants.
in the Temple Garden quarrel.
The Porter assists the Countess of

Sir William Lucy is a military officer sent Porter Auvergne in her attempt to capture
to bring reinforcements to the besieged Lord Talbot.
Lucy
Talbot; he is disgusted by the nobles'
refusal to cooperate.
Reignier (René) is the Duke of Anjou
and Maine, the king of Naples, and an
Margaret of Anjou is the daughter of Reignier important military aide to the Dauphin;
Reignier and the eventual bride of King in Act 5 he consents to the betrothal of
Margaret Henry; her marriage to the king is his daughter Margaret to King Henry.
engineered by Suffolk, who becomes
her lover in Part 2.
The Earl of Salisbury is commander of
the English forces at Orléans while
The Master Gunner of Orleance Salisbury
Talbot is imprisoned; he dies early on in
(Orléans) spies for a chance to shoot the play, felled by French cannon fire.
Master
down the Englishmen besieging his city;
Gunner
he leaves the stage before he can
accomplish the deed. A French Scout appears in Act 5 to
Scout inform his commanders of an imminent
battle with the English.
The Mayor of London is responsible for
maintaining peace and order within his
Mayor of
city; in Act 1 he breaks up a street brawl Two Sentinels stand guard over the
London
between servants of Gloucester and Sentinels walls of Orleance (Orléans) but are
Winchester. ambushed by English forces.

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Plot Summary 9
The Sergeant oversees the defenses of Woodville is the lieutenant of the Tower
Sergeant Orleance (Orléans) but is caught off of London; he appears in only a single
Woodville
guard by an English ambush. scene, where he denies Gloucester
entry to the Tower.
Servingmen with occasional speaking

parts form the entourages of
Servingmen Gloucester and Winchester; their
frequent brawling is an extension of the
conflict between their patrons.
k Plot Summary
The Shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle,
Shepherd
appears only once in the play; as Joan
is being led to the stake the Shepherd
Act 1
bemoans the bad end to which his
daughter has come. The great warrior-king Henry V has died, leaving England in a
state of general disarray. The English are losing ground in their
Soldiers appear throughout the play on ongoing war against France, and the nobles at court can barely
Soldiers both the English side and the French, contain their contempt for one another. Two noblemen in
generally without speaking roles.
particular—the well-intentioned Duke of Gloucester and the
scheming Bishop of Winchester—fight for influence over King
William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, is a
Henry VI, who is still a mere boy. Soon their supporters take to
minor character until Act 5, when he
captures Margaret of Anjou and brawling in the London streets.
Suffolk
convinces Henry to make her his queen;
he reveals his treasonous plans in the In France, English forces continue to besiege the city of
final soliloquy of the play. Orleance (Orléans), despite thinning numbers and a lack of
supplies. An initial French attempt to lift the siege fails utterly,
John Talbot is the son of Lord Talbot but the arrival of a "holy maid" named Joan la Pucelle inspires
and joins him in battle at the siege of
John Talbot the French with new confidence. The Dauphin, France's
Bordeaux; he survives only two scenes
before being killed by the French. hereditary crown prince, is enthralled by Joan and impressed
by her seemingly prophetic powers. He asks her to lead the
Vernon is one of Richard Plantagenet's effort to reclaim Orléans for France. Her victory against the
supporters in the Temple Garden English is sudden and complete, lending some credence to her
Vernon dispute; he later quarrels with Basset
claims of divine inspiration.
about the merits of their respective
leaders.
Two Warders guard the Tower of Act 2

London. Acting on Winchester's orders,
Warders
they deny Gloucester admission to the
Lord Talbot, a famed English warrior, leads a successful
Tower.
clandestine mission to retake Orléans. Soon afterward he finds
himself invited to the chateau of the Countess of Auvergne,
The Earl of Warwick is an English
nobleman who sides with Richard who briefly attempts to imprison Talbot but changes her mind
Warwick Plantagenet in his quarrel with when she realizes his army is waiting outside. The two part on
Somerset; he later helps Plantagenet to friendly terms after enjoying a rare respite in the Anglo-French
regain his ancestral titles.
hostilities.
Watchmen populate several scenes in Meanwhile more trouble is brewing on the home front. In
Henry VI, Part 1; they speak only once,
Watch perhaps the most famous scene of the play, Richard
when they are duped into admitting
Joan la Pucelle into Roan (Rouen). Plantagenet (later the Duke of York) quarrels with the Duke of
Somerset in the Temple Gardens, prompting the other lords

and gentlemen in attendance to choose sides. The partisans

pluck roses to indicate their allegiances, with white signaling Act 5
Plantagenet's cause and red indicating Somerset's. Richard
Plantagenet then visits his dying uncle Edmund Mortimer, who Back in London, King Henry holds court with a group of
has been imprisoned for many years in the Tower of London. European ambassadors who have urged him to negotiate an
Mortimer reveals that he was jailed for asserting his lawful end to the war in France. He approves of their request; to
claim to the English throne; his brother, Richard's father, lost secure the truce he even agrees to marry the daughter of the
his life in the same cause. Richard begins to see the current Earl of Armagnac. A revolt in Paris momentarily revives the
English dynasty as a tyrannical conspiracy, but Mortimer urges French resistance, but the English succeed in driving off the
his nephew to be cautious, lest he suffer as well. Dauphin's forces and capturing Joan la Pucelle. Joan's
supposed miracles are revealed to be the result of demonic
magic, and she is sent to the stake to be burned as a witch.
Act 3 Suffolk, one of the remaining English commanders in France,

captures the French noblewoman Margaret of Anjou. He falls
The feuding between Gloucester and Winchester deepens, in love with her on the spot and decides to convince King
despite King Henry's rather feeble attempts to control his Henry to marry her, thereby granting Suffolk a powerful ally at
unruly subjects. Richard Plantagenet is granted the title of court. Charmed by Suffolk's description of Margaret, Henry
Duke of York, shifting the balance of his ongoing conflict with hastily offers to make her his queen. In doing so he overrules
Somerset. In France Joan leads a stealthy assault on Roan Gloucester, who points out that the king will first have to break
(Rouen) but is quickly rebuffed by the forces of Lord Talbot. off his previous engagement with the Earl of Armagnac's
She then changes tack and convinces the Duke of Burgundy to daughter. The king's rash decision ends the play on an
break off his alliance with the English. King Henry arrives in ominous note, setting the stage for a deepening civil conflict in
France amid growing strife between the York and Somerset Part 2.
factions.
Act 4
King Henry is crowned at Paris and, learning of Burgundy's
treachery, sends Talbot with an army to punish him for his act
of rebellion. He then returns to London to await news of the
expected English victory. Talbot arrives at the French city of
Bordeaux, which he intends to besiege, but he finds himself
surrounded by the Dauphin's forces. He requests aid from the
Duke of York, who in turn requests a troop of horsemen from
the Duke of Somerset—but Somerset holds off on providing
the reinforcements because of his ongoing grudge against
York. The English commander Sir William Lucy eventually
shames Somerset into sending the horsemen, but by then it is
too late: Talbot and his young son John die fighting the French
at Bordeaux. Having lifted the siege, the Dauphin and his army
head for Paris.

Plot Diagram
Climax
7
Falling Action
6
Rising Action
5 8
4
9
3
Resolution
2
1
Introduction
7. The French successfully defend Bordeaux.

Introduction
1. Henry V dies and is succeeded by the young Henry VI.

Falling Action
8. England seeks peace with France.
Rising Action
2. England receives word of devastating losses in France.

Resolution
3. Joan leads the French to a further victory at Orléans.
9. King Henry agrees to marry Margaret of Anjou.
4. Tensions escalate among the English nobles.
5. The English repel a French assault on Rouen.
6. Henry VI is crowned at Paris.
Climax

Timeline of Events
Early in the 15th century
Prior to the beginning of the play, Henry V of England

dies.
During the funeral
Word arrives of a massive defeat in France.
Meanwhile
Talbot is released from French captivity.
Soon afterward
Joan la Pucelle lifts the siege of Orléans.
That very night
Talbot leads a stealthy assault to recover Orléans.
Meanwhile in London
Richard Plantagenet and Somerset quarrel in the Temple

Gardens.
Not long after
King Henry tries (and fails) to stop his uncles from

feuding.
Minutes later
Richard Plantagenet is restored to the title of Duke of

York.
Back in France
Joan and her soldiers fail to retake Rouen.
Just after the battle
The Duke of Burgundy defects to the French side.
Meanwhile
King Henry arrives in France.

Soon afterward
King Henry is crowned at Paris.
After the ceremony
King Henry leaves for England.
Simultaneously
Talbot marches on Bordeaux to subdue the Duke of

Burgundy.
As the battle rages
Somerset refuses to send aid, thereby dooming Talbot.
At the battle's end
Talbot and his son are slain.
Back in England
King Henry seeks peace with France.
As the French war ends
Joan is captured and led to execution.
Shortly afterward
King Henry agrees to marry Margaret of Anjou.

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Scene Summaries 14
Struck by this succession of disastrous news, the lords leave

c Scene Summaries off their mourning for Henry V and spring back into action.
Bedford exits to prepare for his voyage to France. Gloucester
decides to survey the "artillery and munition" at the Tower of
Act 1, Scene 1 London; then, as Lord Protector, it will be his duty to proclaim
Henry VI the new king of England. Exeter leaves for Eltham to
protect the young king. The Bishop of Winchester, last to
speak, confesses in an aside that he plans to "steal" the king
Summary from Eltham, thereby gaining indirect control of the throne.
The play begins at Westminster Abbey, where the funeral of

the late Henry V is being held. The dukes of Bedford, Analysis
Gloucester, and Exeter lead a solemn procession (a "dead
march") onto the stage, accompanied by the Bishop of For the three dukes presiding over this funeral scene, there is
Winchester. All four men are close relatives of the late king; no mistaking what makes a good king: strong leadership in
they are also uncles or great-uncles to his son, the yet wartime and a good track record of military victories.
uncrowned Henry VI. The Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Everything they say about Henry V circles back to the matter
Somerset are also in attendance but do not have speaking of his almost legendary success in battle: his mighty arm, his
roles. terrifying gaze, his bright sword. (Shakespeare's own later play,
Henry V, exploits this legend to extraordinary effect.)
Bedford, the first to speak, eulogizes Henry V as the best king
Gloucester transforms the late Henry into a veritable god of
England has ever had. The other lords concur in their own
war, and Exeter exhorts his fellow noblemen to mourn "in
short speeches. Winchester, in his brief eulogy, claims the
blood"; that is, by going to fight Henry's longtime enemies, the
Church deserves credit for Henry V's successes. This
French. Even the Bishop of Winchester adorns his speech with
provokes Gloucester, who counters that Henry was not
warlike images from the Bible. Having lost such a leader, the
popular with churchmen, who prefer "an effeminate
English noblemen are understandably panicked about
prince/Whom like a schoolboy you may overawe." The
England's prospects in the ongoing Hundred Years' War. The
argument between Winchester and Gloucester devolves into
Messenger's announcement—that Roan (Rouen) and Paris
personal bickering, which is finally interrupted by Bedford.
have been lost—only aggravates the anxieties to which they
As Bedford continues his funereal speech, a messenger have already given voice.
arrives, announcing that the war in France has taken a drastic
In this scene it may initially seem that the bad news about the
turn for the worse: eight cities have been lost, including the key
war is causing the English noblemen to turn on each other.
strategic holdings of Paris and Roan (Rouen). Asked how this
Actually the messengers have it right: infighting among the
could happen, the messenger lays the blame on "want of men
English is causing them to lose ground in France since they
and money," along with constant quarreling among the
cannot decide on a proper strategy and keep undercutting one
noblemen. Bedford decides to leave for France immediately to
another's plans. The first glimpse of such internal conflict,
try to turn things around.
though hardly the last, is given in this scene, when Gloucester
Just then a second messenger appears and declares that and Winchester start hurling insults at each other on the
"France is revolted from the English quite": several of its slightest pretext. As Winchester reveals in his aside at the
leading noblemen have rejoined the Dauphin (France's scene's end, it is Gloucester who holds the moral high ground
hereditary crown prince) and are now fighting the English on here. In defending it, however, Gloucester will spill a great deal
his behalf. As the lords are pondering this development, a third of English blood—including, eventually, his own.
messenger comes in to inform them that Lord Talbot, a
In his 1998 book Shakespeare: the Invention of the Human,
renowned English commander, has been captured. This
critic Harold Bloom notes that the vastly popular Tamberlaine
mishap, he says, is the fault of Sir John Fastolf, a knight who
by Marlowe may have been lifted and paraphrased wholesale
"played the coward" by fleeing from the battle prematurely.
by a novice Shakespeare for this opening scene.

born out of wedlock. The key here is the Bastard's parentage:

Act 1, Scene 2 his father was Louis I, Duke of Orléans, brother to King Charles
VI and uncle to Charles VII (this play's Charles the Dauphin).
When Louis died in 1407, the title passed to his eldest son, also
Summary named Charles; under ordinary circumstances the new Duke
would have been among the most powerful men in France,
The scene shifts to a field in France, outside the city of rivaling even the Dauphin. Duke Charles, however, was
Orléans (which Shakespeare generally spells "Orleance"). captured by the English in 1415 and imprisoned overseas for a
Charles the Dauphin marches onto the stage, along with the quarter-century. Thus, his half-brother Jean, the so-called
Duke of Alanson; Reignier, king of Naples; and a retinue of Bastard of Orléans, became the house's de facto leader in the
soldiers. The French leaders observe that the Englishmen ongoing war against the English.
besieging Orléans have grown weak due to lack of supply.
They decide to raise the siege and rush offstage to confront During the real Hundred Years' War, Charles the Dauphin often
the English, but "are beaten back ... with great loss." Returning took a backseat to the Bastard of Orléans; Shakespeare
to the stage, they catch their breath and grudgingly praise the reverses this situation and gives the Dauphin more stage time,
English for their fighting prowess. along with much grander-sounding lines. The real star of the
French team, however, is Joan la Pucelle. Venerated by Roman
The Bastard of Orleance, another French commander, joins Catholics as Saint Joan of Arc, Joan is a French national
Charles and his generals. He announces that he has found a heroine, though she occupies a more ambivalent place in
"holy maid" whose miraculous abilities will help to ensure a English lore. The English, after all, were directly responsible for
French victory. Doubting the Bastard's claims, Charles asks her painful and ignominious death (though the historical Joan
Reignier to pretend to be the Dauphin in order to test the girl's was burned for heresy, not witchcraft).
prophetic powers. Joan la Pucelle, the "maid" in question, is
brought onstage and immediately sees through the trick. She Shakespeare, for his part, walks a fine line in his early
asks to speak to Charles alone, and the other French lords depictions of Joan. On the one hand she is the public face of
leave the stage. England's longtime political and military foe; as such she is
reviled by almost every Englishman who meets her—or even
Joan tells Charles she has seen a vision of the Blessed Virgin, hears of her—in Henry VI, Part 1. On the other hand Joan's
who has instructed her to "free [France] from calamity." She behavior in the first half of the play does nothing to justify
further claims that the Mother of God has blessed her with English accusations that she is a witch, a devil, or a harlot. She
great beauty and skill in combat. He challenges her to a sword may seem overeager in her desire to thwart the English, but
fight, and she overcomes him almost instantly. Charles, now her speeches in this scene are no more shrill or excessive than
smitten in multiple senses of the word, confesses his love for those of her archenemy Talbot in Act 1, Scene 5. At this point
Joan, who replies that her sacred duty leaves her with no time in the play the jury is still out on Joan.
for courtship.
Reignier and Alanson return to stage and exchange a few

saucy jokes about Charles and his new friend. Joan tells the
Act 1, Scene 3
three lords she will raise the siege of Orléans that very night,
ushering in a new era of easy French victories against the
English. Charles, Alanson, and Reignier all agree to place their Summary
trust in Joan, then exit to prepare for the assault on Orléans.
The Duke of Gloucester arrives at the Tower of London to
survey the weapons and ammunition stored there; he wants to
Analysis check for any "conveyance" (i.e., theft) since the death of
Henry V. His servants knock at the gates, but the guards
To a modern ear "Bastard of Orleance" does not sound like refuse to let him in. Gloucester grows angry, and his men rush
much of a title, since it emphasizes only that its bearer was the gates. In response Woodville—the man in charge of Tower

security—explains that Winchester has forbidden him from Gloucester responds with some rather silly put-downs. Then
admitting anyone to the Tower. the Mayor robs the scene of any remaining dignity by showing
up and breaking up the fight, as though he is the vice principal
Gloucester, who is losing his patience, threatens to storm the of England and not an elected official. Still the presence of the
Tower just as Winchester appears with his own retinue of servingmen hints that the feud is not all fun and games. As
servants. They trade insults, calling one another traitors. individuals Gloucester and Winchester can only do so much
Gloucester orders his servants to draw their swords; a fight harm to one another. As political leaders, however, they can
breaks out, and Gloucester's men temporarily drive away (and will) draw their servants and supporters into a conflict
Winchester's entourage. that ends up costing many lives. The next scene to highlight
the Gloucester/Winchester feud is Act 3, Scene 1; by that point
This skirmish draws the attention of the Mayor of London,
the carnage has begun.
whose duties include keeping the peace within the city limits.
He tries to intervene, but in spite of his efforts the fighting soon
starts up again. Finally, one of the Mayor's officers reads out a
proclamation forbidding the use of weapons, on pain of death. Act 1, Scene 4
Realizing they will not settle their score today, Gloucester and
Winchester part ways after exchanging a few more barbs. The
Mayor, left onstage with his officers, mutters to himself about Summary
how touchy and quarrelsome the nobility are.
Back in Orléans the French are still under siege by the English.
The master gunner (the officer responsible for the Orléans's
Analysis artillery) tells his son he has learned the location of the English
commanders, who are hiding out in a tower in the suburbs. He
Gloucester and Winchester get pretty creative in their insults, asks the boy to keep an eye on this tower through the window
some of which may require a little explanation. Proditor, which and let him know if any movement is spied within. After the
Winchester uses as a derogatory pun on Protector, is an old master gunner leaves, the boy resolves to deal with the English
Latin word meaning "traitor" or "betrayer." He is arguing, in himself if he happens to spot them.
essence, that Gloucester has exceeded his authority as Lord
Protector and is on his way to establishing a dictatorship. Up in the tower, a recently freed Lord Talbot is greeted by a
(Luckily for young King Henry, this turns out not to be the group of English officers, including the Earl of Salisbury, Sir
case.) A few lines later he pulls out the rhetorical "big guns," William Glansdale, and Sir Thomas Gargrave. Salisbury asks
likening Gloucester to Cain, the murderous son of Adam in the about Talbot's time in captivity; Talbot replies that he was
Book of Genesis. treated poorly by his French captors but managed to strike
fear into their hearts.
Gloucester, on the other hand, is concerned mainly with
making Winchester look ridiculous. He deflates Winchester's As the Englishmen confer, the gunner's boy crosses the stage
high ecclesiastical rank by referring to him as a mere "peeled with a linstock (a long, matchlike device for lighting cannon
[i.e., bald] priest." He then begins making fun of Winchester's fuses). Moments later, gunfire comes from offstage, and
scarlet robes and broad-brimmed hat, the symbols of his Salisbury and Gargrave are struck down. Gargrave dies almost
status as a cardinal. He threatens to "canvass" Winchester in instantly, but Salisbury lingers for a while. In a long and
the hat—that is, to toss him up and down in it, as one might do passionate speech, Talbot pleads with God to spare Salisbury,
with a stretched-out picnic blanket. If that does not work, but his prayer goes unanswered: Salisbury lives just long
Gloucester's next move will be to wrap Winchester up in his enough to hear that Joan and her party have arrived to raise
robes like a baby and haul him away from the Tower. the siege. As the earl breathes his last, an enraged Talbot
swears vengeance upon the French.
In a play full of war, death, and betrayal, the exchange between
Gloucester and Winchester comes as a welcome moment of
comic relief. Winchester shrieks his over-the-top accusations;

Analysis Act 1, Scene 5

This is the audience's first glimpse of the famous Lord Talbot,
who makes quite an impression with his gory, warlike
speeches. In Act 1, Scene 2, after the first failed attempt to
Summary
raise the siege of Orléans, Reignier likened the English to a
As the English flee Orléans, Talbot encounters Joan la Pucelle
group of wind-up automatons who were "set" to fight:
in single combat. He is startled to find he cannot defeat her,
though she exits before the fight is finished. Watching his
I think by some odd gimmers or fellow Englishmen continue to run away, Talbot helplessly
exhorts them to stand their ground. Finally, overcome with
device shame and anger, he retreats with the rest of the English
Their arms are set, like clocks, still forces.
to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so Analysis
as they do. This brief scene serves to establish two important points: Joan
is extremely (perhaps supernaturally) strong, and Talbot does
Talbot, who seems never to weary of battle, has a lot in not handle defeat well. Overcoming the Dauphin in a sword
common with these imagined clockwork soldiers. He seems, fight (Act 1, Scene 2) does not necessarily establish Joan as a
indeed, almost programmed to fight. In fact he continues to do great warrior: the French prince may merely be weak, love-
so even in captivity with whatever weapons are struck, or unskilled in combat. Going toe to toe with Talbot is a
available—stones, his bare hands, even threatening looks. much more substantial test of Joan's abilities: he expects to
(Eventually the French wise up and place Talbot under twenty- defeat her handily, but she puts up enough of a fight that he
four-hour armed guard, which slows him down somewhat.) He accuses her of possessing hellish powers. (He's right, but the
is eager to return to the fray and readily joins his fellow lords in audience doesn't know it until Act 5, Scene 3.)
planning the next assault. This untiring pursuit of combat will
Talbot himself is livid at the sudden English defeat. He likens
be a hallmark of Talbot's character right up to his death in Act
his retreating troops to "whelps," "sheep," and "oxen,"
4, Scene 7.
suggesting that their flight from Orléans is an unthinking
What truly makes Talbot "tick," however, is honor. During his stampede rather than a tactical decision. Even worse, he
captivity, he informs his fellow officers, he was offered the accuses them of "consent[ing] unto Salisbury's death," since
chance to be ransomed in exchange for a "baser man-of-arms" none of them will stick around and try to avenge him.
(i.e., a lower-ranking soldier). Refusing to be sold so cheaply, Fortunately for Team England, Talbot will cool off somewhat
he held out until he could be "redeemed ... as [he] desired": by Act 2: enough, at least, to formulate a plan for retaking
namely, exchanged for a worthier French prisoner. Closely Orléans.
related to Talbot's love of honor is his thirst for vengeance
when he or his allies have been wronged. He views the gunning
down of Salisbury as an underhanded French trick and vows Act 1, Scene 6
revenge in extraordinarily gruesome terms, promising to stamp
out the Frenchmen's hearts and spill out their brains into a
"quagmire." Summary
The siege of Orléans has been lifted. Joan la Pucelle now
stands on the walls of the recaptured city, alongside Charles
the Dauphin, Reignier, and Alanson. All are in a celebratory

mood, but Charles is positively giddy with victory. He makes a Pucelle soon join them.
series of extravagant promises to Joan: he will divide his
kingdom with her, he says, and erect magnificent monuments Once it's clear everyone is all right, the French commanders
in her honor. After her death, Charles prophesies, Joan will fall to bickering among themselves. Charles blames Joan for
even replace Saint Dennis as the patron saint of France. As not preventing the English attack; Joan blames the night
Charles says, "No longer on Saint Dennis will we cry,/But Joan watch, of which Alanson is the captain. Alanson responds that
la Pucelle shall be France's saint." his quarters were secure, so it must have been someone else's
fault—perhaps the Bastard's, or Reignier's. As the French
Once the Dauphin's speech concludes, a flourish of trumpets continue to argue, an English soldier runs onstage, crying "À
sounds, and the French leaders exit to enjoy a night of Talbot!" (i.e., "[rally] to Talbot!"). The French run away so
banqueting and bonfires. quickly that they drop their clothes, which the soldier proceeds
to take as spoils of war.
Analysis
Analysis
Charles's initial encounter with Joan (Act 1, Scene 2) revealed
him to be a man of great emotional volatility, capable of falling The English, as this scene shows, do not have a monopoly on
head over heels in love in the middle of a sword fight. His florid infighting. In times of victory, the French act like one big happy
language in this scene continues this somewhat unflattering family, but when they meet with a setback, they are quick—like
trend. Joan, at this point, has helped the Dauphin to win exactly the English—to point fingers and deflect blame. Charles's harsh
one battle—admittedly, not one the French expected to win, words to Joan are particularly striking: in Act 1, Scene 6 he was
but still only one battle. Charles, however, is ready to have ready to proclaim a National Joan la Pucelle Day, complete
Joan both crowned and canonized after the victory at Orléans. with parades and processions. Now however, he calls her a
To recap: the Dauphin is going to build a pyramid—the biggest, "deceitful dame" and asks whether the French defeat was part
best pyramid—for a woman he met less than a week ago. of her plan all along. The Dauphin, if it isn't clear yet, is a
These are not the words of a sane man: they are the words of volatile man who makes snap judgments only to reverse them
a Frenchman in a Shakespeare play. Whatever glory Charles soon thereafter. This is not a great trait to have as a military
and his party gained through their victory at Orléans is dulled commander.
somewhat by displays like this, making hotheads like Talbot
look sober by comparison. Shakespeare uses a similar strategy Coming soon after the rout of Act 1, this scene is also a
in Henry V: the sheer silliness of the French characters patriotic reaffirmation of English courage against French
prevents the audience from taking their military conquests too cowardice. To an early English audience, the spectacle of the
seriously, helping to prepare for the "surprise" English victory French lords running away in their nightgowns likely relieved
at Agincourt. the sting of Act 1, Scene 5, where English soldiers fled the city
like a flock of panicked sheep. Shakespeare is willing, from
time to time, to show the English acting disgracefully; in fact, to
Act 2, Scene 1 write a trilogy about the Wars of the Roses, he has to portray
the English as ignoble on occasion. Scenes like this one help to
soften the blow.
Summary
The French have posted a guard on the walls of Orléans, but
Act 2, Scene 2
Talbot has a plan to circumvent their watch. Using a ladder, he
scales the wall under cover of night, accompanied by Bedford
and Burgundy. The gambit works: Alanson, Reignier, and the Summary
Bastard of Orleance are terrified by the surprise attack and
flee from their quarters half-dressed. Charles and Joan la As dawn breaks, Talbot, Bedford, and Burgundy sound a
retreat, having retaken Orléans from the French. In the town

square, Talbot holds a brief funeral for Salisbury, who was

gunned down in Act 1, Scene 4. He asks Bedford what has
Summary
become of Joan la Pucelle and the Dauphin, and Bedford
The setting shifts to the castle of the Countess of Auvergne,
informs him that the French leaders leapt over the walls and
who is awaiting Talbot's arrival. She gives a cryptic instruction
fled the town. Burgundy suggests pursuing the Dauphin's
to her porter, the servant responsible for escorting people into
forces as soon as Orléans has been secured.
and out of the castle. Then in a brief soliloquy, she
A messenger arrives, bearing an invitation from the Countess congratulates herself on the "plot" she has laid. Talbot enters,
of Auvergne. She wishes Lord Talbot to visit her castle, "that escorted by a messenger, and the Countess immediately
she may boast she hath beheld the man/Whose glory fills the insults him with a mocking speech.
world with loud report." Flattered by the Countess's invitation,
Seeing that he is not welcome, Talbot makes for the door. Just
Talbot agrees to go and see her. He asks if Bedford and
then the porter comes in with the keys, and the Countess
Burgundy will accompany him, but they demur, saying it would
declares that Talbot is now her prisoner. Talbot merely laughs,
be rude to invite themselves. Before he leaves the stage, he
which aggravates the Countess. He claims she has captured
whispers some instructions into the ear of one of his captains.
only his "shadow" and proceeds to blow his horn. In response
drums sound, cannons fire, and a squad of English soldiers
bursts into the castle. Finding herself at a clear disadvantage,
Analysis the Countess begs for Talbot's forgiveness. Talbot, chivalrous
warrior that he is, asks only for wine and refreshments for his
This short scene is a breather for the English, just as Act 1,
troops.
Scene 6 was for the French. In his funeral speech for Salisbury,
Talbot lays out a rather disturbing calculus of revenge in which
"every drop of blood" drawn from the slain earl merits the
deaths of "at least five Frenchmen." This attitude contrasts
Analysis
sharply with the mild and peaceful rhetoric of King Henry, who
This scene helps to build out the legend of Talbot even as it
in Act 5 seizes his first opportunity to bring the war to a halt.
adds a further dimension to his character. Throughout Act 1,
For the young king, the blood being shed on both sides is
and again in Act 2, Scene 2, Talbot presents himself as a
Christian blood, first and foremost; he never attempts, as
severe and warlike figure who slays Frenchmen almost by
Talbot does here, to suggest that French blood is categorically
instinct. Here his behavior is much more cordial: he settles his
worth less than English. Henry's ability to think beyond national
differences with the Countess over wine and "cates"
rivalries is admirable, but the English are lucky that it is Talbot
(delicacies). He makes a show of force when she attempts to
who commands the "boots on the ground."
capture him, but he never follows through with any actual
In responding to the Countess's flattery, Talbot might violence.
momentarily seem vain or even gullible. Given the way his
Moreover, Talbot keeps up his smooth and courtly demeanor
character develops in the rest of the play, however, a more
despite some truly outrageous behavior on the Countess's
plausible explanation is that he is simply being chivalrous.
part. She locks him in her castle, which is a pretty inhospitable
Despite the ego-stroking tone of the message, Talbot is not
start to their visit. Then she makes a series of increasingly rude
fooled into assuming the Countess's intentions are friendly: his
jokes about his size, calling him a "child," a "silly dwarf," and
brief exchange with the captain, which is not heard by the
finally a "weak and writhled [shriveled] shrimp." To see the
audience, shows that he suspects a trap.
difference in Talbot's character here, consider the likely
outcome if a French man had called him a "shrimp" on the
battlefield.
Act 2, Scene 3

determined expression on his face and thrusts the white rose

Act 2, Scene 4 forward almost like a weapon.
As evocative as Shakespeare's dramatization may be, the

Summary Temple Garden dispute almost certainly did not happen in the
way the play depicts it. In fact it may not have taken place at
This scene, one of the best-known in Shakespeare, takes place all: a curator for the British Parliament's art collection
in London's Old Temple Gardens. Richard Plantagenet, a describes the scene as "an event that supposedly happened in
disinherited descendant of the House of York, is quarreling the mid-15th century but in all likelihood was produced by
with the Duke of Somerset over some unnamed legal issue. Tudor propagandists and popularized by Shakespeare." If it did
This is a fitting place for such a dispute: the gardens get their happen, historian John Ashdown-Hill suggests, the Temple
name from the neighboring Middle and Inner Temple, centers Garden quarrel likely took place in the spring of 1455, mere
of legal activity in early modern England. Also present are the months before the Wars of the Roses officially began.
Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Suffolk, a gentleman named
Whatever its origins, the Temple Garden scene is a moment of
Vernon, and an unnamed Lawyer.
crisis for the English nobility. What looks like an
Plantagenet and Somerset ask the others for their opinion on inconsequential tiff between Richard Plantagenet and the Duke
the case, but neither Suffolk nor Warwick is willing to give a of Somerset is, in fact, a thin fault line dividing the Houses of
clear answer. Frustrated, Plantagenet plucks a white rose from Lancaster and York. That fault line will deepen throughout the
one of the garden's rosebushes and instructs those who favor remainder of the trilogy, leading to betrayal in Part 1, civil war in
his cause to do the same. Somerset responds by plucking a Part 2, and regime change in Part 3.
red rose. One by one, the lords and gentlemen declare their
allegiances by plucking roses: Warwick, Vernon, and the
Lawyer join the "white" team, while Suffolk sides with Somerset Act 2, Scene 5
on the "red" team.
Realizing he is outnumbered, Somerset tries a different tactic:

insulting Plantagenet on the grounds of his rank. Plantagenet,
Summary
as Somerset eagerly points out, is a mere yeoman (i.e., not a
Galled by his treatment in the Temple Gardens, Richard
knight or a nobleman), since his father (the Earl of Cambridge)
Plantagenet goes to the Tower of London to visit his aged
was executed for treason and the family line was legally
uncle Edmund Mortimer, who has been imprisoned there for
suppressed. Having scored points against Plantagenet in this
many years. Before Plantagenet arrives, Mortimer gives a
fashion, Somerset turns heel and exits, accompanied by
gloomy monologue about the ravages of old age. He is cheered
Suffolk. Warwick consoles Richard with the thought that he
a little by news of his nephew's visit, though he remarks to
may yet be restored to his hereditary titles. He promises to
himself that Plantagenet has suffered much by being
intercede on Plantagenet's behalf at the next parliament.
"obscured, deprived of honor and inheritance." Plantagenet
enters the room and, after exchanging pleasantries with his
uncle, asks Mortimer for the truth about his father's death.
Analysis Mortimer replies that Plantagenet's father was killed for his
role in an uprising, the goal of which was to install Mortimer as
The quarrel in the Temple Gardens is one of the most famous
the next king of England. His claim, Mortimer says, was a
incidents leading up to the Wars of the Roses. It is the subject
legitimate one, but the forces of Henry IV (and later Henry V)
of Henry Albert Payne's mural Plucking the Red and White
proved too strong. Thus it befell that the titles of Duke of York
Roses (c. 1910), which adorns the East Corridor of the Palace
and Earl of Cambridge were suppressed, rather than passed
of Westminster. This iconic painting, done in a late Pre-
down the Mortimer family line.
Raphaelite style, takes some liberties with costuming, but it
gets the essentials right. Somerset wears a disgusted sneer Sensing his imminent death, Mortimer urges Plantagenet to be
and reaches for his sword; Plantagenet has a defiant, discreet in his dealings with the House of Lancaster. He

bestows his blessing upon his nephew, then expires peacefully. Mayor of London appears and announces that Gloucester's
Plantagenet is not overly saddened by his uncle's passing: the and Winchester's men have begun fighting in the streets.
old man, he reasons, has spent much of his life in captivity and Weapons are outlawed, so they are throwing stones at each
is now finally free. other, breaking windows and terrifying the citizenry in the
process.
Analysis Three servingmen—two of Gloucester's faction and one of

Winchester's—rush onstage in midbrawl, and the king urges
Act 2, Scene 4 showed the immediate state of the dispute them to "hold [their] slaught'ring hands and keep the peace."
between York and Lancaster. In this scene Shakespeare The servingmen ignore the king and continue to scuffle until, at
"zooms out" and gives the audience the backstory. The Henry's urging, Gloucester offers Winchester his hand in truce.
antagonists in Mortimer's narrative—Henry IV and Henry V—are At first Winchester refuses this gesture of goodwill, but Henry
members of the House of Lancaster, descended from John of shames him into making peace with Gloucester—or at least
Gaunt. Mortimer, in contrast, claims descent from Lionel, Duke pretending to. He then commands the servingmen to stop
of Clarence, John's older brother. According to the system of fighting and "join in friendship as [their] lords have done." This
male-preference primogeniture, this puts Mortimer and his time, they listen.
descendants before the Lancastrians in order of succession to
With that settled, Warwick asks that Richard Plantagenet be
the throne. The Lancastrians, however, overthrew Richard II by
"restorèd to his blood"—the hereditary titles he was barred
force of arms and had ruled ever since.
from when his father was arrested for treason. Henry assents
Thus, England in the time of Henry VI has two competing to Warwick's request and confers on Richard Plantagenet the
dynasties: the House of Lancaster, which is new to the throne title of Duke of York. This decision displeases Somerset, but
and seeking to establish its legitimacy, and the House of York, everyone else seems to approve, proclaiming, "Welcome, high
which has a hereditary claim on the throne but lacks the means prince, the mighty Duke of York."
to enforce it. The execution and imprisonment of Yorkists
Last on the agenda is the coronation. Gloucester urges King
under Henry IV and Henry V was thus part of a campaign to
Henry to hold the ceremony in France, saying that it will be
suppress potential rivals for the crown, ultimately leading to a
good publicity: "The presence of a king engenders
situation in which the Lancastrians ruled by default. In restoring
love/Amongst his subjects and his loyal friends." Henry agrees,
Richard to his ancestral titles, as he will do in Act 3, Henry VI is
and all but Exeter leave the stage. In a closing soliloquy, Exeter
unraveling the work begun by his father and grandfather.
predicts that the "dissension" among the English peers will only
grow, even if they make a show of "forged love" in the
presence of their king. He mentions an old prophecy "that
Act 3, Scene 1 Henry born at Monmouth should win all/And Henry born at
Windsor should lose all." (Henry V, famed for his conquests in
the Hundred Years' War, was born at Monmouth Castle; Henry
Summary VI, his son, was born at Windsor.)
This scene takes place at the court of King Henry VI. He enters
the stage with a retinue of high-ranking English noblemen, Analysis
including Exeter, Gloucester, Winchester, Warwick, Somerset,
and Suffolk. Richard Plantagenet (not yet Duke of York) is also This is the first time King Henry has appeared onstage, and his
in attendance. first actions do little to instill confidence in his ability to rule.
For one thing, he lets his noblemen carry on quarreling for
Almost immediately, Gloucester and Winchester begin trading
several minutes before he finally tries to break up the fight.
insults, each accusing the other of treason. In fact, they and
Then when he orders the servingmen to stop brawling, he finds
their partisans Somerset and Warwick bicker for nearly 70
he cannot even get their attention. King Henry's subjects are
lines before King Henry finally intervenes, urging the two men
occasionally willing to humor him, but that's about all he can
to reconcile. As Henry is attempting to break up the fight, the

expect from this point onward. has already been mentioned (in Act 1, Scene 1) as the cowardly
knight responsible for Talbot's capture. Fastolf runs across the
This scene is also important as a further development in the stage, accompanied by an unnamed captain who admonishes
Gloucester/Winchester feud. In earlier scenes featuring these him for fleeing the battle. Fastolf says he has no qualms about
two powerful figures, Shakespeare has generally portrayed betraying his commander: he would abandon "all the Talbots in
Winchester as the "bad guy" in the quarrel, less forgiving and the world, to save [his] life."
more self-serving than Gloucester. This scene continues the
trajectory: Winchester won't even shake hands with his At last the English win the day, driving out Joan and the
kinsman until the king asks him to. Then in an aside, he Dauphin. Bedford, content with having seen "our enemies'
immediately reveals that his truce with Gloucester is all for overthrow," dies quietly and is carried off by his two retainers.
show: he has no intention of giving up his campaign against the Talbot and Burgundy reenter, cheered up considerably by their
Duke. sudden victory. The next stop, they agree, is Paris, where King
Henry awaits. Before they leave Roan, however, Talbot and
Burgundy decide to arrange the "exequies" (the funeral) of the
Act 3, Scene 2 late Bedford.
Summary Analysis
In the war scenes of Henry VI, Part 1 Talbot generally gets most
Meanwhile in France, Joan la Pucelle and her soldiers are
of the attention, not to mention several of the best speeches.
attempting to gain entrance to the English-occupied city of
Bedford, however, is another prime example of the English
Roan (Rouen), disguised as farmers with sacks of grain. They
valor that the play was written to celebrate. In Act 1, Scene 1
slip past the watch without difficulty. Soon afterward Charles
Bedford is a minor character, part of a chorus of grieving lords
the Dauphin appears, escorted by the French noblemen
whose intentions have not yet been sounded by the play's
Alanson, Reignier, and the Bastard of Orleance. Joan signals to
events. He loudly laments the death of Henry V, predicting that
them from the ramparts, and the French leaders follow her into
the passing of the late king will mean the demise of England's
the city, then begin killing off the English guards.
military might. Later, despite his advanced age, he participates
No sooner does the fighting begin than Talbot appears on the in Talbot's daring assault on Orléans. This scene, however, is
scene. Joan, now joined on the walls by the Dauphin and his the one that establishes him as a hero: he remains on the
nobles, taunts Talbot from above. More reinforcements for the battlefield to encourage the troops, even though he has neither
English side arrive, including the Duke of Burgundy (a the strength to fend off an attacker nor the mobility to flee.
Frenchman collaborating with the English). The Duke of
Incidentally, when Talbot uses the word crazy to refer to
Bedford, too sick and aged to fight, is brought in on a chair by
Bedford, he does not mean "mentally unsound"—he is not, for
two servants. Joan mocks the old duke, calling him a
example, questioning the sanity of Bedford's decision to stay
"graybeard" and asking if he will "break a lance/and run a-tilt at
on the battlefield. That later, more familiar sense of crazy does
Death within a chair." This infuriates Talbot, who challenges the
not show up in writing until the very end of Shakespeare's
French to combat in the field outside the city. They decline his
career; in Elizabethan English the word literally means
offer.
"cracked," like a piece of broken glass. Talbot uses this image
Now worked up into a proper rage, Talbot swears to retake to connote Bedford's physical fragility and, perhaps, his
Roan if it's the last thing he does. Burgundy swears a similar wrinkled face. It's a term of pity, in other words, and not one of
oath, but before they can carry out the plan the two warriors contempt.
must decide what to do with Bedford, who is in no condition to
fight. Bedford insists that he be left in his chair to watch the
battle, and Talbot and Burgundy honor his wish.
Into this already confusing scene comes Sir John Fastolf, who

French were the ultimate victors. Even with the benefit of

Act 3, Scene 3 historical hindsight, however, this change of fortune helps to
keep the play moving forward, preventing either the short-term
truce or the eventual French victory from seeming like too
Summary much of a foregone conclusion. It also provides an immediate
pretext for Talbot's attempted invasion of Bordeaux in Act 4,
Outside of Roan (Rouen), Joan la Pucelle and the other French which is where the fighting between the French and the
leaders (Charles the Dauphin, the Bastard of Orleance, and the English really heats up.
Duke of Alanson) are regrouping after their recent defeat. Joan
tells them not to worry: she will find a way to retake the city
before too long. Charles and the rest reassure Joan of their Act 3, Scene 4
trust in her, then ask what plan she has in mind. Joan suggests
trying to lure the Duke of Burgundy back to the French side,
since he is a Frenchman by birth.
Summary
As luck would have it, Burgundy's army passes by on the way
out of Roan; Joan and Charles call for a parley (a negotiation). King Henry has arrived in France and is now holding court at
Burgundy halts his march, and Joan urges him to consider all Paris, with most of his high-ranking noblemen—Gloucester,
the harm his defection has done to his native France. The Winchester, Exeter, York, Warwick, Somerset, and Suffolk—in
English, she insinuates, are merely using him and will "thrust attendance. Talbot arrives and informs Henry that he has
[him] out" of his territories "like a fugitive" as soon as they win conquered "fifty fortresses,/Twelve cities, and seven walled
the war. Burgundy, "bewitched" by Joan's words, agrees to towns of strength" in the king's name; Henry, as thanks, gives
rejoin his countrymen and help them take back France from Talbot the newly created title of Earl of Shrewsbury.
the English.
The king and his nobles exit the stage, leaving Vernon (the
Yorkist from Act 2, Scene 4) and Basset. Vernon, because he
supports the Duke of York, is wearing white roses; Basset, who
Analysis favors the Duke of Somerset, wears red roses. Because of
their partisan differences, the two men have evidently been
Throughout the play Shakespeare has included several
arguing throughout the sea voyage from England to France.
moments of anti-French humor, but these jokes are usually
uttered by English characters. Here, however, even Joan la Looking for a fight, Vernon now dares Basset to "maintain" his
Pucelle gets in on the action. When she succeeds in convincing earlier words. Basset defiantly responds that Somerset is "as
Burgundy to leave the English side, she turns to the audience good a man as York," and Vernon strikes him in anger. In
and says, "Done like a Frenchman: turn and turn again"; in other response Basset says he would cut Vernon down on the spot if
words Burgundy is behaving like a typical Frenchman in it weren't a capital offense to draw one's sword on a fellow
changing his mind so suddenly. This is an odd joke for Joan, a Englishman. The two decide to petition the king for permission
Frenchwoman, to make, though her own later deceitfulness to fight a duel.
also contributes to the stereotype of the French as unreliable.
Spoken by a boy actor, the line probably got some laughs from
its initial Rose Theatre audience. Analysis
On a more serious note, Burgundy's defection in this scene
Henry VI, Part 1 dramatizes an overlapping network of political
counterbalances the English victory at Roan (Act 3, Scene 2).
and military conflicts: Gloucester versus Winchester, Yorkists
The English may have retained the city, but the French have
(White Team) versus Lancastrians (Red Team) ... and, of
gained an additional army. Shakespeare's first audiences
course, England versus France. This is a lot for an audience (or
would have known, at least in broad strokes, how the Hundred
a reader) to keep track of, and Shakespeare seems to know it.
Years' War turned out: although the Treaty of Tours
Here, he uses the characters of Vernon and Basset to "pivot
(dramatized in Act 5) bought the English a few years, the
back" from the English/French warfare that has dominated the

previous two scenes, and to remind audiences of the trouble immediately, raise an army, and punish Burgundy for his
on the home front. After the uncomplicated English victory in betrayal. He leaves at once to carry out the king's orders. At
Act 3, Scene 2, it's easy to forget that England's nobility is that moment Vernon and Basset (the Yorkist and Lancastrian
being torn apart from within. This scene and the next one (Act who quarreled in Act 3, Scene 4) come into the king's
4, Scene 1) will bring that problem back into focus. presence and beg him to let them settle their disagreement by
combat. As they rehearse the details of their dispute, York and
The earlier exchange between King Henry and Talbot sheds Somerset begin to argue as well.
light on the personalities and motivations of both characters.
After his rather disastrous attempt at governing in Act 3, Henry tries to stop his noblemen from fighting, but York throws
Scene 1, Henry now gets a chance to look (and sound) truly down his gage (a glove or gauntlet), ceremonially challenging
regal: he accepts homage from one of his loyal subjects and Somerset to a duel. Gloucester and Henry intervene to break it
repays him with an earldom. The speech in which Henry up, and Henry gives a long speech imploring his noblemen to
"reguerdon[s]" Talbot is rich, stately, and wholly appropriate to fight the French—not each other. During this oration Henry
such a formal occasion. Henry even works in a short anecdote puts on a red rose, claiming that there is no reason such
about his father, the illustrious Henry V, thereby positioning symbols should be a cause of strife in his kingdom. Finally he
himself as the rightful successor to that famous and warlike announces his intention to return to England via Callice
king. (Calais), bringing the royal audience to an end. He and most of
the others leave.
Talbot, for his part, is a career soldier who places a high value
on honor but has little interest in titles or other trappings of The Duke of Exeter remains onstage, as do York and his
nobility. He "ascribes the glory of his conquest" to Henry supporters Vernon and Warwick. York muses that Henry's
because he understands this act of submissiveness will do choice of a red rose (the Lancastrian team symbol) could spell
nothing to diminish his own honor as a warrior. Contrariwise, an trouble down the road, but Warwick tells him not to read too
earldom cannot really add to Talbot's achievements, which much into it. Exeter, the last to leave the stage, prophesies that
begin and end on the battlefield. Other characters seem to the king's youth and the noblemen's infighting will bring
recognize this as well: unlike most other Shakespearean England to "ruin" and "confusion."
characters who are "promoted" to noble rank, Talbot continues
to be known by his given name throughout the play.
Analysis
Act 4, Scene 1 This scene, like Act 3, Scene 1 before it, underscores King
Henry's weakness as a leader compared to the strong-willed,
battle-hardened noblemen who make up his court. In principle
Henry is their ruler, but the dukes and earls in Part 1 are much
Summary older and more politically experienced than Henry; moreover,
many of them are his uncles. For much of this play and well into
King Henry is crowned at Paris in the presence of a large
Part 2, Henry is sheltered from the consequences of his nobles'
retinue of English noblemen: Gloucester, Talbot, Exeter, York,
quarreling by Gloucester, who does an excellent job of living up
Warwick, Suffolk, and Somerset are all in attendance.
to his title of Lord Protector.
Winchester performs the actual coronation, and the Governor
of Paris, also present, kneels to swears an oath of allegiance to Henry is essentially right when he claims that infighting among
Henry. As the governor rises to his feet, Sir John Fastolf the English nobility will lead to the loss of France, though it
arrives, bringing a letter from the Duke of Burgundy. Talbot takes several more years for his prophecy to come true. He
denounces Fastolf as unworthy of knighthood after his makes a few critical mistakes, however, in delivering his
cowardly performance at the Battle of Patay. Henry agrees conciliatory speech. For one, he assumes his subjects "love
and banishes Fastolf "on pain of death." [his] favor" enough (i.e., care enough about his opinion) to do
as he says. This quickly proves not to be the case. The more
With Fastolf gone, Gloucester opens the letter and reads aloud
insidious problem is Henry's wearing of the red rose: whether
of Burgundy's treachery. Henry orders Talbot to go forth

or not Henry means to take sides, this gesture marks him

publicly as a part of Somerset's team.
Analysis
Exeter, too, is right on the money when he predicts that the From this scene onward, Act 4 consists of fast-paced
inexperienced King Henry will not be able to patch up the vignettes that dramatize the last battles between the English
"unkind division" among his lords. In fact, this ongoing "White and the French. A secondary but still important aim of these
versus Red" animosity will only worsen over the course of Act scenes is to build up the character of Talbot as a war hero,
4, with York and Somerset peevishly refusing to cooperate on showing his gallant behavior even in the face of defeat. Like
the battlefield. By the end of this act their feuding will have the better-known Harfleur scene in Henry V, this scene is a
resulted in the loss of many soldiers and the death of the vehicle for a grand speech that shows off the protagonist's
heroic warrior Talbot. courage and resolve. In a monologue replete with hunting
imagery, Talbot urges his troops to behave like "moody-mad
Readers of the Henry IV plays may wonder if the "Sir John and desperate stags" rather than cowardly deer:
Fastolf" presented here is the same as the "Sir John Falstaff"
who plays such a large role in Shakespeare's other English
histories. The short answer is "no." It is true that Shakespeare
Turn on the bloody hounds with
presents both men as disgraced knights who flee from battles heads of steel
at inopportune times. Fastolf, however, was a real knight,
famous for his exploits in the Hundred Years' War; he did, in
And make the cowards stand aloof
fact, retreat from the battle of Patay, but historians seldom see at bay.
this as sufficient grounds to call him a coward. In any case,
neither the real nor the fictional Fastolf has all that much in Sell every man his life as dear as
common with Falstaff, a comic buffoon who spends most of his
mine
time in taverns.
And they shall find dear deer of us,
my friends.
Act 4, Scene 2
Talbot's punning ("dear deer") might seem a little inane, given
that he is facing an apparently unwinnable battle. This gallows
Summary humor, however, serves as a further illustration of Talbot's
warlike character. It was easy enough for Talbot to scoff at the
Talbot arrives at the gates of Bordeaux with a retinue of
French forces when he was ambushing them in Orleance
English soldiers. He demands the city give up its resistance
(Orleans) in Act 2, Scene 1 or chasing them out of Roan
and return to acknowledging Henry as its rightful liege. If these
(Rouen) in Act 3, Scene 2. Now, faced with his own probable
demands are not met, Talbot warns, he will raze Bordeaux to
demise, Talbot remains unshaken and vows that the French
the ground.
shall not take him without paying a heavy price.
The general in charge of the city appears on the ramparts and

scorns Talbot's threat, assuring him that Bordeaux can
withstand an English siege, especially with reinforcements Act 4, Scene 3
from the Dauphin on the way. Talbot, he says, is a marked man:
10,000 French soldiers have "ta'en the Sacrament" (i.e., sworn
an oath on the Eucharist) to aim only at "English Talbot." Summary
Hearing the Dauphin's troops approach, Talbot realizes he is
surrounded, but he vows to fight to the very end. The action moves to the fields in Gascony, the southwestern
French region surrounding Bordeaux. York learns from a
messenger that the Dauphin's forces, more than tripled by
reinforcements, are on their way to attack Talbot. Fearing this

would happen, York has requested a troop of horsemen, but Sir William Lucy arrives and implores Somerset to send aid to
Somerset has not yet sent the "promisèd supply." In York's Talbot at once. The siege, Somerset replies, is York's business:
eyes this delay can only be regarded as an act of treason. "York set [Talbot] on; York should have sent him aid." Lucy,
unsatisfied with this answer, points out how disgraceful it is
Sir William Lucy, freshly arrived from the siege of Bordeaux, that "the fraud of England, not the force of France" should be
urges York to go and rescue Talbot. York insists, however, that responsible for Talbot's death. This observation shames
this will be impossible without Somerset's horsemen. Lucy Somerset into sending the horsemen, though he says it will
mentions that Talbot's young son has gone to his father's aid, take them six hours to reach Bordeaux. Lucy counters that this
and the two men reflect that both Talbots will likely die in the is too little, too late: by this time Talbot has surely been
upcoming siege. York, cursing his luck, leaves the stage, and captured or killed.
Lucy ruefully remarks on the "vulture of sedition" that is
devouring the English from within.
Analysis
Analysis Somerset's initial speech in this scene is cold and unfeeling,
but it is difficult to object to his assessment of the situation at
This scene confirms Talbot's prediction from Act 4, Scene 2: Bordeaux. His argument with Sir William Lucy, however, shows
the English are likely to lose Bordeaux, and Talbot will almost that Somerset is clearly in the wrong. He knew, or at least
surely lose his life in the process. The mention of the young suspected, that Talbot would require reinforcements, but he
John Talbot further raises the stakes, since father and son are withheld them because he did not want to seem too eager to
now in mortal danger. At this point it may be premature to cooperate with York:
assume, as York does, that Somerset is a "traitor villain";
Shakespeare has not yet told Somerset's side of the story. Still
this delay does not reflect favorably on Somerset, especially in York lies. He might have sent and
light of his ongoing feud with York.
had the horse.
Sir William Lucy, who appears for the first time in this scene, I owe him little duty and less love,
carefully avoids taking a side in the York/Lancaster
dispute—for now. Like King Henry, Lucy is a Cassandra figure, And take foul scorn to fawn on him
a helpless but prophetic spectator: he sees England on a by sending.
collision course with defeat in France and civil war at home but
has no power to steer the country away from disaster. His
Somerset, as Lucy realizes, is letting his hatred for York get in
predictions for England's future are as grim as Henry's: "whiles
the way of his loyalty to England. This is no way to fight a war,
they [the commanders] each other cross,/Lives, honors, lands,
and both men seem to know it: Somerset grudgingly, perhaps a
and all hurry to loss."
little guiltily, agrees to send reinforcements after all. Lucy,
however, is unwilling to let him off the hook: by pointing out
that Talbot would rather die than flee, he implicitly compares
Act 4, Scene 4 the heroic commander to the craven and dishonorable
Somerset.
Summary
The scene shifts to Somerset's camp, which (like York's in Act
Act 4, Scene 5
4, Scene 3) is situated in Gascony, near Bordeaux. Speaking to
a captain from Talbot's army, Somerset explains that it is too
late to save Talbot, and that he is unwilling to risk his own
troops in such a "rashly plotted" venture.

praises for his courage in fighting the French. He asks again if

Summary his son will consider fleeing the battle, now that his brave
deeds prove he is no coward. John refuses again, preferring to
The action returns to Bordeaux for this and the two following
fight and die by his father's side.
scenes. Talbot, now joined by his young son John Talbot, has
been fighting a desperate battle and expects to be killed at any
moment. He urges his son to flee so the Talbot family line will
survive, but John refuses to abandon his father. Undeterred,
Analysis
Talbot makes a further attempt to reason with the boy: if John
This scene, like Act 4, Scene 5 before it and Act 4, Scene 7
survives, he can avenge his father's death and comfort his
after, derives much of its emotional power from Talbot's grand
widowed mother. John remains firm in his resolve, however,
style of speech. In earlier scenes, most notably Act 1, Scene 4,
saying that he will not dishonor himself or his father through an
Talbot's warrior spirit shone through a much rougher exterior:
act of cowardice. The older Talbot eventually relents, and the
his speeches, full of carnage and malice, often had a harsh and
two rush back into the battle "side by side."
breathless quality. Now, as he nears the end of his life, Talbot
seems to be honing the style of his own eulogy.
Analysis One of Shakespeare's main tools for creating these elevated

moments is the heroic couplet: a unit of two consecutive
This scene immediately picks up the "Talbot and son" subplot rhymed lines of iambic pentameter. Much of Henry VI, Part 1 is
introduced in Act 4, Scene 4. In earlier speeches (see written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), and
especially Act 4, Scene 2), Shakespeare has established portions of dialogue are even written in prose. In these scenes,
Talbot as irreproachably fearless and valiant. Now he pours on however, almost everything Talbot says is organized into
the pathos, showing a tender side to this warlike figure. The couplets. The rhyme scheme pulls his words away from the
Talbot who now begs John to flee the battlefield is practically a backdrop of ordinary dialogue and gives them a rhythm that
different man from the Talbot who, three scenes ago, led his stands aloof from the rush of battle.
troops charging into the face of certain death.
One cue to this shift is Talbot's willingness to bend the rules

for his son. In Act 1, Scene 5 Talbot was anguished at the
Act 4, Scene 7
thought of retreating from battle, even though the English
forces were thoroughly routed. Now, however, he is pleading
with John to do just that. He lists every excuse he can think of Summary
in order to make fleeing seem like an honorable choice rather
than an act of cowardice. In light of all this, the young man's The English have continued to lose ground at Bordeaux.
decision not to run away may seem like suicide; a more Talbot, injured, is led onstage by a servant. He is searching
ennobling interpretation is that John, like the elder Talbot, desperately for his son, whom he has lost in the heat of battle.
prizes deeds above words. He chooses to emulate Talbot the As he looks about the battlefield, some English soldiers arrive,
warrior and not to be swayed by the pleas of Talbot the father. carrying a mortally wounded John Talbot. This prompts a bitter
speech from the elder Talbot, who begs his son to speak to
him one last time. John, however, can only manage a weak
Act 4, Scene 6 smile. Talbot takes the boy in his arms, bids his soldiers
farewell, and dies.
Onto this grisly scene appear Charles the Dauphin,

Summary accompanied by Alanson, Burgundy, the Bastard of Orleance,
and Joan la Pucelle. Charles congratulates himself on his good
Still on the battlefield near Bordeaux, Talbot exhorts his fortune—if English reinforcements had arrived on time, he says,
soldiers to keep fighting despite their apparent abandonment this would have been a "bloody day" indeed. The French
by the Duke of York. He rescues his son John, whom he leaders then exchange stories of John Talbot's fierceness in

the day's battle. The Bastard offers to desecrate the Talbots' to do so since he is distressed by so much mutual bloodshed
corpses by "hack[ing] their bones asunder," but Charles urges between two Christian nations. Gloucester suggests that
him to forbear. Henry marry the daughter of the Earl of Armagnac, a
prominent Frenchman, in order to strengthen the "knot of
Sir William Lucy arrives, led by a French herald. Charles asks if amity" between the two countries. Henry is startled by the
the English have come to submit, and Lucy haughtily replies suggestion—he considers himself too young to get
that "submission" is "a mere French word." He inquires whether married—but he gives his consent to Gloucester's plan.
the French have taken any prisoners and asks what has
become of Lord Talbot. Joan contemptuously gestures toward Winchester, now dressed in a cardinal's robes, arrives along
the two corpses, and Lucy loudly laments Talbot's death. He with the two ambassadors and the legate. (Exeter, in an aside,
then demands the bodies for burial; the French willingly comments that Winchester's elevation to the cardinalate is bad
accede. Once Lucy and his attendants have left, Charles news for England.) Henry greets the ambassadors and voices
announces the French army's next destination: Paris. his desire for "a friendly peace." He gives one of the
ambassadors a jewel as a pledge of engagement to the Earl of
Armagnac's daughter, then asks Gloucester to escort the
Analysis entire delegation to Dover so they may cross over to France.
This scene brings the Talbot story arc to a tragic close and Henry exits with Gloucester, Exeter, and the ambassadors,
signals the end of the most vigorous phase of the fighting. It leaving Winchester and the legate alone on stage. Winchester
also contains some of the play's highest praise for Talbot, asks for a moment to go get the money he owes the pope "for
though it comes from an unexpected source: the French. As clothing [him] in these grave ornaments." (In other words,
earlier scenes have shown, the English are already well aware Winchester is notifying the audience that he has bribed his way
of Talbot's heroism and prize him as an ally. Lucy's short into the cardinalate.) The legate decides to wait offstage,
eulogy reaffirms this by likening Talbot to mythological figures: leaving Winchester free to make a villainous closing soliloquy.
he describes Talbot as the "Alcides" (i.e., Hercules) of the In his short but foreboding speech, he declares that he will use
battlefield and the "Nemesis" (avenging spirit) of the French. his high rank to compel respect and obedience from
Gloucester. If the Duke does not comply, Winchester will
What counts for even more, though, is the French leaders' proceed to "sack this country with a mutiny."
admissions of fear and respect. The Bastard of Orleance calls
Talbot and his son "England's glory, Gallia's [i.e., France's]
wonder"; the Dauphin is unashamed to confess that he fled Analysis
from Talbot "during the life." Of course, none of them will admit
this in the presence of a living Englishman: when Lucy comes This scene solves one major problem and quickly introduces
onto the stage, they treat Talbot's corpse as a mere nuisance, another. The Hundred Years' War is, for the moment, put on
to be disposed of as quickly as possible. hold—or at least it will be once word of the truce reaches the
European mainland. Marrying the daughter of a French
nobleman should help Henry to maintain good relations with
Act 5, Scene 1 France, even though an arranged marriage of this sort might
not be a very personally fulfilling decision.
Just as matters in France are cooling off, however, the Bishop

Summary of Winchester returns, having ominously leveled up to the rank
of cardinal. (In the Catholic ecclesiastical hierarchy, cardinals
King Henry has returned to London and is now holding court
are high-ranking clerics, "Princes of the Church," who advise
with his advisers Gloucester and Exeter. The first order of
the pope and participate in papal elections.) In earlier scenes
business is a peace treaty with the French. Ambassadors from
Winchester was already a little bit suspect: his haughty
the Earl of Armagnac and the Holy Roman Emperor, along with
demeanor, mocking asides, and general fondness for conflict
a legate (a representative of the pope), have written to Henry
made it hard to take him seriously as a churchman. He even, in
urging him to enact a truce as soon as possible. Henry is eager

Act 1, took steps to "steal" Henry away from the other the French forces would ride roughshod over the remaining
noblemen, the better to influence the young king's decisions. In English troops; in fact the opposite seems to have happened.
this scene, however, he graduates to a full-on, moustache- The Dauphin is now complaining of "drooping spirits" and
twirling villain. He casually lets drop that he has bribed the looking about for a glimmer of good news—hardly the attitude
pope, then announces to the audience that he is willing to of a commander flushed with victory. Together with Act 5,
instigate a civil war in England rather than see his rival Scene 3, in which the French are decisively defeated, this
Gloucester prosper. He does not quite voice an intention to scene helps to prepare the audience for the later truce
"make his cap [the symbol of his priestly rank] coequal with the negotiations with England. Without these two preparatory
crown," as Exeter prophesies. Even so Winchester will be a scenes, the weakened bargaining position of the French in Act
character to watch in Part 2, where he helps to engineer 5, Scene 4 would be difficult to explain.
Gloucester's murder and thereby leaves England open to
factional warfare.
If Winchester's elevation to the cardinalate seems like déjà vu,

Act 5, Scene 3
it's because he's already been described as a cardinal in earlier
acts, beginning with Act 1, Scene 3. This continuity error may
be a little jarring, but it doesn't have much effect on the overall
Summary
character of Winchester or his role in subsequent plays.
Joan la Pucelle enters and declares that the Duke of York
Whether he is already a cardinal at the play's start or becomes
(alias Richard Plantagenet) has routed the last of the French
one here, the general message is the same: Winchester is in
resistance. She summons a group of spirits—the stage
cahoots with the pope, who is corrupt enough to sell high
directions call them "fiends"—in a last-ditch effort to gain
offices within the church. This behavior is formally known as
victory for France. The fiends, however, refuse to accept any
simony, after Simon Magus, a biblical figure who tried to bribe
more sacrifices—blood, body, or soul—and instead leave la
the apostles for the ability to perform miracles (Acts 8:9–24).
Pucelle to be captured by York, who arrives moments later.
York mocks Joan with the name of the Dauphin, her supposed
Act 5, Scene 2 lover, but Joan curses both York and the French prince. York
leads her offstage as his prisoner.
Next, Suffolk comes onstage, escorting the young Margaret of

Summary Anjou. Although she, too, is a prisoner of the English, Suffolk is
utterly captivated by her beauty and almost sets her free. He
Charles the Dauphin and Joan la Pucelle are crossing the debates wooing her for himself, even though he is a married
plains of Anjou, accompanied by Burgundy, Alanson, Reignier, man, and at last resolves to court her as a prospective bride
and the Bastard of Orleance. Charles reports that Paris has for King Henry. He realizes this is a "wooden" (i.e., stupid) idea
revolted against its English occupiers, which seems like but is evidently too lovesick to care.
encouraging news for the French. Then, however, a scout
enters and tells Charles the English army is approaching, ready Conveniently, this scene has been taking place just outside the
to do battle with the Dauphin and his forces. Charles is caught castle of Reignier, who is Margaret's father. Suffolk dispatches
off guard by this news, but Joan urges him to be courageous. a herald to summon Reignier, who appears on the balcony and
agrees to parley (i.e., negotiate) with Suffolk. Reignier consents
to his daughter's marriage to the king, but only if he is allowed
Analysis to retain control of the French territories Maine and Anjou.
Suffolk hastily agrees to this condition and leaves Margaret
This short scene offers little in the way of character with Reignier.
development, but it helps to keep the action moving along. Its
main purpose is to show that the tide of battle has turned
against the French. After Talbot is slain, one might expect that

marriage plan) as the "wooden thing." This insult, if indeed it is

Analysis one, helps to prepare the audience for Suffolk's later, more
openly treasonous, speeches in Act 5, Scene 5.
This scene neatly (perhaps a little too neatly) resolves the
matter of Joan's mysterious victories. The language of Joan's
incantations suggests she has been a witch all along; she not
only knows how to summon demons but also is familiar with
Act 5, Scene 4
the price they demand for their services. By making Joan into
an evil magician, Shakespeare goes a long way toward
justifying the hatred and suspicion displayed by the English Summary
throughout the earlier acts. He also makes it clear that France
has essentially been "cheating" in this war, relying on demonic York and Warwick are bringing Joan la Pucelle to the stake
help to fight off the English. under armed guard. A French shepherd who claims to be
Joan's father follows the procession, but Joan spurns him and
With Joan's capture, it momentarily seems that the troubles in insists that she is of noble parentage. After unsuccessfully
France are over: a peace treaty is forthcoming (Act 5, Scene 1), pleading with Joan to recognize him as her father, the
France no longer has its sorceress, and the Parisian revolt has shepherd curses his offspring and leaves the stage.
failed. The second half of this scene shows that all is not yet
well: Suffolk has rather hastily contracted a marriage on behalf Joan, in a final attempt to save herself, now denies dabbling in
of King Henry, who (in Act 5, Scene 1) has already pledged to sorcery: she insists that she is a holy virgin, not a witch. When
marry a different French noblewoman. Suffolk was not present this fails to move York or Warwick, she changes tack and
in that scene, so he may not be aware of King Henry's "confesses" that she is pregnant, hoping this will spare her
engagement; even so he is not likely authorized to broker a from execution. She says first that the Duke of Alanson is the
marriage deal without consulting the king or the Lord Protector father, but when the two Englishmen scoff at this, she
(Gloucester). He is acting on impulse here and hoping for the backpedals and says the child is Reignier's. For York and
best. Warwick, the admission is just further proof of Joan's
wickedness; even if it is true (which they seem to doubt),
Evidence of Suffolk's rashness comes when he agrees to neither man is willing to spare Joan so that a French "brat" may
Reignier's terms on the spot rather than attempting to live. The guards escort Joan offstage to her death.
negotiate—even though he has taken Reignier's daughter
prisoner and is currently on the winning side of the war. Maine Next Winchester enters to announce that a French delegation
and Anjou are not especially large territories, but Suffolk cedes has come seeking a truce. York deplores the idea of an
them without a moment's thought, granting France a continued "effeminate peace," but Warwick argues that the English will
territorial foothold outside of the broader peace agreement have the advantage in the negotiations. Charles the Dauphin
detailed in Act 5, Scene 4. This concession—later affirmed by enters, accompanied by Alanson, the Bastard of Orleance, and
King Henry—proved to be a highly contentious issue in the Reignier. He asks the English for their terms, and Winchester
approaching Wars of the Roses. Commoners and noblemen replies that the French king must become a viceroy (a
alike were rankled by the idea that England, after a century of subordinate) of the English crown. The Dauphin balks at this
wars in France, would so easily give up its hard-fought suggestion, but his counselors draw him aside and tell him to
territories. accept the truce now, then break it when it suits him. The
Dauphin agrees, and the French swear allegiance to Henry.
Even though he is not acting in England's best interests,
Suffolk is not yet the traitor he becomes in Part 2. His brief
soliloquy at the end of the scene shows that he is still torn Analysis
between loyalty to Henry and infatuation with Margaret: to
think of Margaret as his paramour is to "wander in [a] labyrinth" In earlier scenes, Joan is an ambivalent character: she is
where "Minotaurs and ugly treasons lurk." Nevertheless, there fighting for the "wrong" side from an Elizabethan English point
are some glimmers of rebellion in Suffolk's language and of view, but she also has moments of genuine heroism and
behavior. He may even be referring to King Henry (and not the does not seem to deserve the contemptuous treatment she

receives from her enemies. In Act 5, however, Shakespeare parentage, her beauty, and her "valiant courage and undaunted
works overtime to present Joan as almost purely villainous. Her spirit."
denial of her father is cruel and haughty ("Peasant, avaunt!"),
and her claims of noble lineage directly contradict her earlier Henry, though he does not like the idea of breaking off his
statement that she is "by birth a shepherd's daughter" (Act 1, engagement with Armagnac's daughter, reluctantly orders
Scene 2). Likewise, her assertion that "I never had to do with Suffolk to arrange the marriage to Margaret, then bring her to
wicked spirits" is plainly a lie, since she summoned demons England to live as queen. The king exits, and Gloucester warns
(albeit uncooperative ones) in the previous scene (Act 5, Scene his fellow lords that this change in plans will lead to "grief ...
3). Finally, in "pleading her belly" to escape the stake, Joan both at first and last." Suffolk, in a self-congratulatory closing
makes a pathetic mockery of her reputation as a virgin saint. soliloquy, announces his plan to "rule the King" through
Margaret.
According to the list of characters at the beginning of the play,
the shepherd really is Joan's father, making her rejection of him
that much more galling. He appears only in this scene and adds Analysis
a rather jarring bit of comedy to the moments before Joan is
killed offstage. Like many "rustic" characters in Shakespeare, Although the play bears his name, King Henry has appeared in
the shepherd gets his words mixed up, calling Joan "obstacle" only a handful of scenes by the end of Henry VI, Part 1. His
when he means "obstinate." He casually and perhaps characterization in these scenes, however, has been quite
unintentionally suggests that Joan was born out of wedlock consistent: Henry is not a mature ruler but a child playing
("the first fruit of my bach'lorship"), then tosses out a few other dress-up in regal robes. In this scene Henry's childlike
jokes and insults before leaving the stage. Combined with qualities—his impulsiveness, his impatience, and his blind trust
Joan's outrageous lies, the shepherd's speeches serve to in the adults in his life—combine to override his reason. Suffolk
deflate the horror of the moment when Joan realizes that she is more than happy to exploit Henry's immaturity and
is about to be burned alive. Whether or not Joan is in league vulnerability: in suggesting that Henry choose his wife based
with the devil, this is a terrible fate, and Shakespeare uses on his "affect[ions]" and not practical considerations, Suffolk
comedy to blunt its impact on the audience. essentially excuses Henry from the responsibility of acting like
a king.
Act 5, Scene 5 With the close of this scene, Suffolk has officially joined the
dark side. In Act 5, Scene 3 Suffolk's intentions were not quite
clear: loyalty to Henry and a sense of shame prevented him
from wooing Margaret for himself, though not from stealing a
Summary kiss. Here he is completely frank about his desires:
King Henry enters with Suffolk, Gloucester, and Exeter. He has

heard all about Margaret from Suffolk and is now desperate to Margaret shall now be queen, and
marry her. Suffolk reassures the young king that he is making a
rule the King,
good choice: words cannot do justice to "that lovely dame."
Henry asks Gloucester to "give consent/That Margaret may be But I will rule both her, the King,
England's royal queen."
and realm.
Gloucester and Exeter object on two grounds. They remind
Henry that he is already engaged to the Earl of Armagnac's Elsewhere in this soliloquy, Suffolk likens himself to Paris, the
daughter; moreover, they point out that Margaret's father, prince from Greek mythology who abducted Helen and thus
though technically a king, is neither rich nor powerful. Suffolk precipitated the Trojan War. In making this comparison, Suffolk
rebukes his fellow lords by insisting on Henry's right to choose raises the possibility that his own actions will likewise result in
the woman he loves most ("whom his Grace affects"). He sings war. Elizabethan playgoers, familiar with this chapter of English
Margaret's praises a final time, reminding listeners of her kingly history, would have known that Margaret's installment as

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Quotes 32
queen did indeed help to instigate the Wars of the Roses.

potter's wheel./I know not where I
Historically, Margaret served as an informal regent during King am nor what I do."
Henry's bouts of mental illness, alienating the Yorkist faction
and bringing about the Battle of Saint Albans (1455). In the
— Talbot, Act 1, Scene 5
Henry VI plays, Shakespeare glosses over the king's mental
infirmity and presents him as the pious but naive victim of court
politics. The effect, however, is the same: Margaret comes to Talbot has just come from his brief sword fight with Joan. He is
power at her husband's expense, and Suffolk—briefly—enjoys amazed at her fighting skill but also—and more importantly—by
great political influence as her paramour. the way she frightens off his troops, driving them away from a
city that the English had been besieging for several months. As
English soldiers continue to race by in retreat, Talbot grows
g Quotes dizzy with anger and confusion.
"King Henry the Fifth, too famous "No longer on Saint Dennis will we
to live long./England ne'er lost a cry,/But Joan la Pucelle shall be
king of so much worth." France's saint."
— Bedford, Act 1, Scene 1 — Charles the Dauphin, Act 1, Scene 6
This bit of hyperbolic praise is not meant to set up low Charles's speech is presumptuous, even for royalty. It
expectations for the young king's reign but only to further illustrates the depth of his infatuation with Joan: he is willing to
glorify the late Henry V. Still Bedford's remark does seem to sweep aside centuries of tradition and install her as the new
establish an impossibly high standard for Henry VI. patron saint of the realm.
"Your hearts I'll stamp out with my "And here I prophesy: this brawl
horse's heels/And make a today ... Shall send, between the
quagmire of your mingled brains." red rose and the white,/A
thousand souls to death and
deadly night."
This is Talbot's immediate reaction to the death of the Earl of
— Warwick, Act 2, Scene 4
Salisbury, and it shows just who the French are dealing with: a
cold-blooded tactician who can suddenly and terrifyingly turn
into a hot-blooded madman. Although the onstage gore and Warwick is foreshadowing the broader arc of the Henry VI
guts are usually kept to a minimum in this play, Talbot does trilogy here. The factional dispute will not erupt into open war
symbolically make good on his pledge here, killing many until the end of Part 2, with the Battle of Saint Albans. In the
Frenchmen during the recapture of Orléans in Act 2. meantime however, the Yorkist/Lancastrian quarrel does
plenty of damage to the English cause in France.
Warwick's "thousand souls," which is meant poetically, ends up

"My thoughts are whirlèd like a
being a puny underestimate for the total loss of life in the

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Quotes 33
ensuing wars. The death toll numbered in the tens of Exeter's prophecy here is a somewhat obvious observation.
thousands, with the Battle of Towton alone claiming an King Henry VI is a child, not only in years but also in spirit.
estimated 28,000 lives. Keeping the realm together will prove to be beyond the
capabilities of the young king.
"Believe me, lords, my tender

"These eyes, that see thee now
years can tell/Civil dissension is a
well-colorèd,/Shall see thee
viperous worm/That gnaws the
withered, bloody, pale, and dead."
bowels of the commonwealth."
— General, Act 4, Scene 2
— King Henry VI, Act 3, Scene 1
This flippant answer comes down from the walls of Bordeaux

King Henry is precisely correct here: "civil dissension" (internal
when Talbot and his army arrive to besiege the city. Clearly the
conflict) is the one force that will do the most to weaken
general has not been around for Talbot's almost werewolf-like
England not only in this play but also in the subsequent two
spells of rage in previous scenes. As it happens he is correct in
parts of the Henry VI trilogy. Unfortunately, by the time Henry
predicting that Talbot will be slain, but he has no idea at what
grows up he will already have been branded as harmless,
cost.
softhearted, and easily outmaneuvered. Nobody listens to his
prophecy now, and few seem to remember it later.
"Now thou art come unto a feast

"And now I fear that fatal prophecy of Death,/A terrible and unavoided
... That Henry born at Monmouth danger."
should win all,/And Henry born at
Windsor should lose all."
Talbot utters these words to his son John at the Battle of
— Exeter, Act 3, Scene 1 Bordeaux, in which both father and son will lose their lives. The
English defeat at Bordeaux is indeed terrible and could have
Shakespeare never reveals where Exeter gets his prophecies. been avoided if Somerset had cooperated in sending
The duke claims this particular prophecy was something reinforcements. As badly as one might feel for Talbot, however,
children used to say in the time of Henry V, which is more than this battle is merely a single course—a grisly appetizer of
a little creepy. Much like King Henry's outcry against civil war, sorts—in the "feast of Death" that is the Henry VI trilogy.
Exeter's prediction proves sadly accurate, but it takes decades
to come true.
"I'll either make thee stoop and
bend thy knee,/Or sack this
"'Tis much when scepters are in
country with a mutiny."
children's hands."
— Winchester, Act 5, Scene 1
— Exeter, Act 4, Scene 1

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Symbols 34
In his feud with Gloucester, Winchester has resolved to take no — Richard Plantagenet, Act 5, Scene 4
prisoners, an unusually vindictive stance for a man of the cloth.
Winchester realizes he may not be able to overcome
Joan has evidently gotten under her captor's skin. Disgusted
Gloucester, but if he does he has no qualms taking England
by her lies and exhausted by her insults, York fires back with a
down with him.
few curses of his own just before leading her offstage.
"She's beautiful, and therefore to "Margaret shall now be queen, and

be wooed;/She is a woman, rule the King,/But I will rule both
therefore to be won." her, the King, and realm."
— Suffolk, Act 5, Scene 3
— Suffolk, Act 5, Scene 5
Margaret of Anjou, the subject of these lines, is one of only

For much of the play, the Earl of Suffolk is silent, though he
three women in a play dominated by men. Like the Englishmen
plays a modest part in the York/Somerset spat of Act 2, Scene
who mock Joan la Pucelle, Suffolk greatly underestimates
4. In Act 5 his political ambitions are suddenly awakened, a
Margaret, seeing her as merely a beautiful captive. In fact, as
process helped along greatly by his infatuation with Margaret.
the rest of the trilogy will show, Margaret is a force to be
Suffolk's confession here, spoken to an empty stage, amounts
reckoned with. In Part 2 she becomes an influential power
to a signal at the end of Part 1 that the story will be continued.
broker at the English court; in Part 3 she assumes de facto
leadership of the Lancastrian (Red Rose) faction.
Shakespeare uses an almost identical couplet in Titus

Andronicus (Act 2, Scene 1), though the context there is much l Symbols
more menacing.
"I prithee give me leave to curse White Rose of York

awhile."
Act 2, Scene 4 marks the formal beginning of the conflict that
— Joan la Pucelle, Act 5, Scene 3
erupts into the Wars of the Roses. In maintaining his side of a
legal quarrel against the Duke of Somerset, Richard
Joan, even when utterly thwarted, still has some fight left in Plantagenet invites his followers to pluck white roses from the
her. Surrounded by armed Englishmen, abandoned by her rosebushes in the Temple Gardens. The Earl of Warwick,
fiendish familiars, and facing an imminent fiery death, Joan initially hesitant to choose a side, plucks a white rose to
looks at her captor York and tells him to wait a minute while declare his allegiance to Plantagenet's cause; the gentleman
she finishes cursing. To be fair, she has a great deal to curse Vernon and an unnamed Lawyer do the same. Plantagenet is
about at this point. descended from the Dukes of York and (after Act 3, Scene 1)
holds that title in his own right. Thus, his followers are
described as Yorkists or the House of York.
"Break thou in pieces, and In placing these two colors of roses within the Temple
consume to ashes,/Thou foul Gardens, Shakespeare is simply following tradition. For
Plantagenet and his followers, however, the color of the roses
accursèd minister of hell!" is far from coincidental: to them the white rose represents

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Themes 35
purity and innocence. Vernon calls it a "pale and maiden

blossom," reflecting the "truth and plainness" of Plantagenet's m Themes
case. For Warwick the white rose symbolizes a lack of flattery
or falsehood: punning on the rose's lack of hue, he declares
himself a man who "love[s] no colors," meaning he is not
interested in mere appearances.
The Boy King
The first two acts of Henry VI, Part 1 depict an England in

Red Rose of Lancaster general decline. The old king, a fabulously successful military
leader, has died, to the great sorrow of his people. France,
subdued but not conquered in Henry V's time, is now in a state
of general revolt, with new cities being lost seemingly every
Like the Yorkist white rose, the red rose first appears in the
day. To make matters worse, the noblemen who should be
Temple Garden scene (Act 2, Scene 4). Somerset plucks a
holding the country together are instead gradually pulling it
rose of this color, and his supporter Suffolk follows suit as a
apart, allowing personal grudges to deepen into political rifts.
show of solidarity. The red rose is commonly described as a
As the successor to Henry V, Henry VI has some big shoes to
Lancastrian symbol, which may seem odd given that there is no
fill, a fact of which he is doubtless aware. If he is to stand a
character named Lancaster or Duke of Lancaster in the Henry
chance of solving England's problems at home and abroad, the
VI plays. This reflects the fact that, by the time depicted in this
young King Henry will need to grow up in a hurry.
trilogy, the Duchy of Lancaster had been merged with the
crown. Thus Henry VI himself is technically the Duke of
Instead Henry VI vacillates—almost on a scene-by-scene
Lancaster, though he is never referred to as such. (Henry does,
basis—between acting like a king and acting like a child. In Act
however, signal his connection to Somerset's faction in Act 4,
3, Scene 1—his first appearance on stage—Henry asks his
Scene 1 when he dons a red rose in the course of a
subjects to stop fighting and is ignored outright. This is a
peacemaking speech.) Somerset, though not strictly the head
shockingly contemptuous way to treat a king; nobody would
of the House of Lancaster, is one of its senior members and is
have dared to scorn Henry V in this way. But Henry VI, mild
older and more politically experienced than his royal cousin.
mannered and innocent as he is, either does not realize the
Other prominent Lancastrians in this play include the Duke of
insult or lets it slide. Act 3, Scene 4, in contrast, shows Henry
Gloucester and the Duke of Bedford, though neither is closely
fulfilling the ceremonial role of a king, where he has
involved in the York/Somerset quarrel.
considerably more success. He makes an impressive and
encouraging address to his courtiers at Paris, then gives Talbot
Somerset and his followers invest the red rose with its own
the medieval equivalent of a battlefield promotion.
symbolic properties, making it more than just a convenient
team color. As is pointed out multiple times in the Temple
The image of Henry VI as a competent, grown-up ruler does
Garden scene, red is the color of blood—the blood that causes
not last long. In Act 4, Scene 1 Henry has once more lost
enemies to blush when they are caught in a lie and that is
control of his courtiers and needs the help of Gloucester and
spilled with increasing frequency in England throughout the
Exeter to rein them back in. In the course of trying to make
Henry VI trilogy. By emphasizing this sanguinary quality,
peace between York and Somerset, he alienates one faction
Shakespeare molds the audience's impression of the two
(the Yorkists) by donning the symbol of the other. It's possible
faction leaders, painting Somerset as the more hotheaded and
to read this move as a deliberate provocation, but given the
violent of the two rivals. It is Somerset, for example, who
way Henry's character is presented in previous scenes a more
threatens to "dye [the] white rose in a bloody red" when he
likely explanation is mere thoughtlessness. Henry may be able
realizes that he is outnumbered by the Yorkists.
to give a rousing speech on a scripted occasion, but his
diplomatic skills are not yet ready for action.
Henry's behavior in the final act is even more childlike. He

allows Gloucester (fortunately one of the good guys) to dictate

England's diplomatic policy in Act 5, Scene 1. Then, when scene (Act 1, Scene 3) he unleashes a contemptuous
presented with the prospect of marriage, Henry responds with broadside against not only Winchester but also the entire
a blushing demurral, saying that he is too young to even think Catholic Church:
about "wanton dalliance with a paramour." This would make
sense if Henry were a normal teenager, making his first forays
Thou that contrived'st to murder
into dating while still trying to do a good job on his schoolwork.
As king of England, however, Henry is expected to put the our dead lord,
good of the realm before his personal feelings, including
bashfulness.
Thou that giv'st whores
indulgences to sin!
Henry, unsurprisingly, chafes against this constraint: if he
cannot choose when to get married, he at least wants to I'll canvass thee in thy broad
choose who his bride will be. This creates an opening for
Suffolk to swoop in and suggest Margaret of Anjou, captivating
cardinal's hat
the young king with tales of the French maiden's beauty. In If thou proceed in this thy
choosing Margaret, Henry likely believes he is following his
heart: when Gloucester disapproves of the match in Act 5,
insolence.
Scene 5 Henry asks his uncle to "censure me by what you
were/Not what you are." ("Don't judge me too harshly; you Here as elsewhere, he levels an insult at Winchester's priestly
were young once too.") In actuality he is playing right into the regalia (the "broad cardinal's hat"); making fun of Winchester's
hands of Suffolk, a political schemer who wants to seize hat and robes is a frequent Gloucester tactic. He also
control of the throne. reiterates a claim, introduced in Act 1, Scene 1, that the
prelates of the Church were praying for the death of Henry V
Ultimately Exeter is proven right in his assertion that "'tis much ("our dead lord") so that he would be replaced by a more
when scepters are in children's hands" (Act 4, Scene 1). In fact malleable young prince. The most specifically anti-Catholic
the scepter of kingship will eventually prove too much for element of his speech, however, is the claim that Winchester
Henry, who is deposed and murdered in later parts of the and his ilk are "giv[ing] whores indulgences to sin." This is a
trilogy. At the close of Part 1 his realm is already in a shaky reference to the late medieval practice of selling indulgences,
situation: the Treaty of Tours temporarily stops the bleeding in remissions of a soul's punishment in Purgatory in order to raise
France, but the York/Somerset and Gloucester/Winchester funds for Church projects (or in some cases for the personal
disputes continue to escalate. In Part 2 matters only get worse enrichment of the seller). Indulgences were popularly
as Henry continues to let his nobles rule the country in his construed as a sort of spiritual "get out of jail free" card that
stead; in Part 3 he is finally and decisively outmaneuvered by would shorten or lighten one's sentence in Purgatory.
his foes. Henry's political immaturity—his inability or refusal to Theologically speaking, however, Gloucester's description of
defend himself from enemies at court—is one of the "through the indulgence system is not quite correct: indulgences are not
lines" connecting the entire Henry VI trilogy. a "license to sin" but apply only to past sins that have already
been confessed and forgiven. Even so the abuse of
indulgences was one of the main issues leading to the
Protestant Reformation.
Church versus State
To be clear, Gloucester is not a Protestant, for the simple
reason that none existed in his time. (The Reformation would
not begin in earnest until 70 years after his death.) To
The Church is an ambivalent force in Henry VI, Part 1, visible
Shakespeare's audience, however, there was obvious political
mainly in the conflict between the Duke of Gloucester and the
value in seeing heroic figures as precursors of Protestantism
Bishop of Winchester. One of Gloucester's salient traits is his
and in making representatives of the Roman Catholic Church
disregard for the Church hierarchy, which he repeatedly
seem like villains. Gloucester, in his contempt for both the
scorns in his interactions with Winchester. In one exemplary
ceremonial trappings and the practices of Catholicism, might

be described as a "proto-Protestant." Henry "ne'er lift up his hand but conquerèd"—a hyperbolic way
of saying the late king never started a fight without winning it.
Winchester, in contrast, has an obvious vested interest in the
Church holding power over England. He is not, however, the Gloucester's funeral oration for Henry V is worth quoting at
sort of spokesperson one would want for one's religion. In length, since its images of war and violence offer a great
Henry VI, Part 1 Winchester is second only to Suffolk in his illustration of what kingship means to the Englishmen in this
attempts to undermine Henry's rule; in Part 2 he will show that play:
he is willing to have his enemies killed in order to consolidate
his power. Apart from Winchester, the only English character
His brandished sword did blind
who champions the Church is Henry VI, who is admired for his
piety but rightly judged by his uncles to be naive and idealistic. men with his beams;
When Gloucester claims (in Act 1, Scene 1) that Winchester
wants a "prince/Whom like a schoolboy [he] may overawe," he
His arms spread wider than a
is describing a character very similar to his nephew King Henry. dragon's wings;
Simony, the buying and selling of church offices, is another His sparkling eyes, replete with
contemporary ecclesiastical issue mentioned in Henry VI, Part
1. Winchester quietly admits to this crime in Act 5, Scene 1,
wrathful fire,
thereby weakening not only his own moral credibility but also More dazzled and drove back his
that of the pope and the entire Church by extension.
Elizabethan Englishmen were concerned with simony both as a
enemies
force corrupting the nascent Church of England and as a Than midday sun fierce bent
"foreign" and specifically Roman Catholic problem. The outcry
against simony at home took the form of sermons, pamphlets, against their faces.
and treatises. Comic plays, too, occasionally mounted a
criticism of the practice: George Peele, in his Old Wives' Tale Bedford and Exeter, the other noblemen present at the funeral,
(early 1590s), personified the vice as "Simon," a churchwarden contribute their own warlike metaphors to this verbal
who refuses to bury the parish dead unless a hefty fine is paid. monument. Exeter describes the king's passing as "Death's
Some authors, in contrast, persisted in seeing simony as a dishonorable victory," as though Death itself was the one
Catholic practice that threatened to "invade" and corrupt enemy Henry could not vanquish—and even then Death had to
Anglicanism: playwright Robert Wilson included his own cheat somehow. Even the Bishop of Winchester, who might be
personified Simony in Three Ladies of London (1580s), but this expected to take a more peaceable tack, uses theological
one was of Roman birth and counted monks and friars among imagery to burnish Henry V's reputation as a warrior,
his friends. Other Catholic practices, such as religious celibacy, comparing the king's exploits to "the dreadful Judgment Day."
are made ridiculous through their mere association with the Henry, he says, fought "the battles of the Lord of Hosts,"
French characters in the play. implicitly connecting the late king to a long line of biblical
victors.
The French, too, see their military successes as a validation of

Might Makes Right their divine right to rule. Joan la Pucelle claims inspiration from
the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, she says, has blessed her both
with prophetic skill and with fighting prowess. Her later
consorting with demons suggests that this is a lie, but until that
From the first scene onward, characters on both sides of the
point the French noblemen are ready to believe her. Charles
Hundred Years' War insist that victory in war is a sign of divine
regards Joan as a literal saint on earth, and Reignier does not
favor and moral superiority. According to this line of reasoning,
hesitate to declare that the victory at Orléans was a gift from
Henry V was a "good" king because he won battles, especially
God.
against the French. Gloucester goes so far as to say that

Henry VI, Part 1 Study Guide Suggested Reading 38
The partisans in the York/Lancaster quarrel apply a similar

principle to their own—as yet smaller—conflict. In the Temple
Garden scene, whoever has the most supporters is presumed
to be right; thus with his three supporters to Somerset's one,
Richard Plantagenet might seem to have won the argument. In
Part 2 however, Somerset will appeal the decision to the court
of open warfare. This, as Mortimer warns his nephew in Act 2,
Scene 5, is the ultimate test of a claim to a title, a crown, or a
realm: the ability to defend it by force.
e Suggested Reading
"About the Play: Henry VI Part I." Royal Shakespeare Company,
n.d.
Ashdown-Hill, John. The Wars of the Roses. Amberley, 2015.
Keen, Maurice. "The Hundred Years War." BBC History in

Depth, British Broadcasting Corporation, 17 Feb. 2011.
Quarmby, Kevin A. "Henry VI, Part I by William Shakespeare."

Internet Shakespeare Editions, U of Victoria, n.d.
Shakespeare, William, and Edward Burns. King Henry VI, Part 1.

Bloomsbury, 2000.
All material contained within this document/guide is protected by copyright law of the US and various other
jurisdictions and may not be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent. Contact Course Hero
with respect to reproduction or distribution. This document was downloaded from Coursehero.com on 07-19-2021
by 100000817764887.

Henry VI, Part 1: What's Inside in Context

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Henry VI, Part 1: What's Inside in Context

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Henry VI, Part 1

Study Guide by Course Hero

What's Inside d In Context

j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1

Perhaps the most remarkable departure is King Henry's age.

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

without major cuts or revisions. A particularly well-regarded

How would it have joyed brave

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Shakespeare most likely died on April 23, 1616, leading to the

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

replaces the deceased Bedford as Regent of France.

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Joan La Pucelle Gloucester

King Henry Great-

Richard Plantagenet Somerset

Other Major Character

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Full Character List The Bastard of Orleance (Orléans) is a

Lord Talbot is the heroic commander of

Joan la Pucelle is better known as Joan

Sir John Fastolf is a cowardly knight

Basset is a lower-​ranking follower of

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

The nonspeaking Fiends are summoned A Messenger appears in the opening

Sir Thomas Gargrave, an advisor to the

Sir William Glansdale is an English Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, is the

The Porter assists the Countess of

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Servingmen with occasional speaking

Two Warders guard the Tower of Act 2

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

and gentlemen in attendance to choose sides. The partisans

Act 3 Suffolk, one of the remaining English commanders in France,

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

7. The French successfully defend Bordeaux.

1. Henry V dies and is succeeded by the young Henry VI.

8. England seeks peace with France.

2. England receives word of devastating losses in France.

5. The English repel a French assault on Rouen.

6. Henry VI is crowned at Paris.

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

Early in the 15th century

Prior to the beginning of the play, Henry V of England

During the funeral

Word arrives of a massive defeat in France.

Talbot is released from French captivity.

Joan la Pucelle lifts the siege of Orléans.

That very night

Talbot leads a stealthy assault to recover Orléans.

Richard Plantagenet and Somerset quarrel in the Temple

Not long after

King Henry tries (and fails) to stop his uncles from

Richard Plantagenet is restored to the title of Duke of

Joan and her soldiers fail to retake Rouen.

Just after the battle

The Duke of Burgundy defects to the French side.

King Henry arrives in France.

Copyright © 2021 Course Hero, Inc. Downloaded on 07-19-2021 by 100000817764887

King Henry is crowned at Paris.

After the ceremony

King Henry leaves for England.

Talbot marches on Bordeaux to subdue the Duke of

Basset is a lower-ranking follower of