Whereas King Richard II is a tragedy written almost entirely in verse, its successors in Shakespeare’s historical sequence, King Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and King Henry V, intermingle high politics and comedy, verse and prose. This course hopes to show how the political intrigues and ambitions of the nobility are counter-pointed by the lowlife comedy of Falstaff, Pistol, and others; but also how Shakespeare treats the legend of the scapegrace youth of Prince Hal and his ‘reformation’ into Henry V, turning popular history into a serious exploration of kingship.
The first class will give some attention to King Richard II, which students are strongly advised to read, and also to the anonymous Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth which was an important source for both King Henry IV and King Henry V (photocopied extracts will be available). This will introduce various themes, most notably how the deposition and murder of Richard II destabilises England and haunts the consciences of his Lancastrian successors. We shall also consider honour and father-son relationships, which are comically travestied by Falstaff and Pistol; and how their reductive outlook serves to undercut the lofty professions of the great political figures. Attention will be given to the familiar issue of how far Shakespeare prepares us for the rejection of Falstaff; but also more importantly how Prince Hal is consciously playing a series of roles throughout, as he moves between Eastcheap underworld, battlefield and court.
Attention will be paid to how the problems of rebellion and legitimate succession were still very much relevant to the politics of Shakespeare’s own time; and how King Henry V is a patriotic play for a country still at war with Spain, which nevertheless raises questions of responsibility and motive for aggressive foreign war.
