Henry V by William Shakespeare

I’d had a copy of this play for sometime, and recently I finally got around to reading it. Although I was aware of the Henry IV plays that preceded it, I didn’t really realise that they (and also Richard II) set up a lot of the events in this play, and so I was essentially starting a series with the fourth and final instalment. Nonetheless, this wasn’t apparent as I started reading (which speaks to its strengths) and I suppose to some extent, you’re always starting a story in the middle whenever you read something that’s based on real history.

I’ve often been averse to starting Shakespearean histories, as I’ve been worried that they might be a little too dry for me – and of course, I know that he was always writing to reinforce the version of history that was most favourable to Elizabeth I. However, when I finally got around to reading it, I found that my concerns were totally misplaced. I enjoyed this story quite a lot, to the extent that I’d say that it was one of the better Shakespeare plays that I’ve read so far.

The story is relatively simple: amidst growing tensions, Henry V grapples with the idea of invading France. In the end he does so, and there’s a lot of drama around the war (of course). Nonetheless, and despite the obvious pro-English bias, I actually found myself feeling pretty invested in this story. I think it as just a classic case of the writing being top notch, and if something is well written, I sincerely believe that anything can be engaging.

Speaking of the quality of the writing, “Once more unto the breach” has its origins in this play, which is pretty cool, and “band of brothers” also appears to have come from here too. As someone who always enjoys learning the etymology of words and phrases, this is something I always like about reading Shakespeare.

Also, while it deals with a lot of historic figures, Shakespeare still has a little bit of fun, as he always does. The characters Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph all stood out to me as particularly endearing, and they also happen to be unique Shakespearean characters. These soldiers add a element of comedy to the play, as they’re all quite ridiculous in one way or another and contrast nicely against the dramatic speeches about war and whatnot.

As I write this review, I find it genuinely difficult to put my finger on exactly what it was I liked about it. In the end, I think it’s just a fantastic combination of good writing with interesting characters. If, like me, you might have overlooked this for fear of Shakespearean histories being too dry, I strong recommend giving it a go.

Rating: 8/10

Buy it here.

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