Henry V

Battles are a recurrent motif in Henry V, both in terms of plot and setting and in relation to characterization, theme development, and imagery.

The role of King Henry as a warrior-king and patriotic figurehead is supported by the play’s presentation of his talents as a leader, inspiring his army to win a war of great cultural significance in the English popular consciousness (both in William Shakespeare’s time and now). The siege of Harfleur and the Battle of Agincourt are essential to this characterization and to the play’s narrative, although the demands of visually representing a large-scale medieval war were beyond the staging capabilities of Shakespeare’s day. These limitations mean that the battles portrayed in Henry V have an important symbolic effect, and that their import is focused on the characterization of Henry and expressed through language rather than setting or stage effects. The play does not focus on the historical or tactical intricacies of military action in the field; rather, the battles represent broader ideas about character and narrative.

In particular, the play’s emphasis on English army as the underdog is key to Henry’s characterization as a great leader and to the suspense and heightened patriotism of the play.