Saturday 25 October 2014

Henry V by William Shakespeare


Well well, not so cute play this time, but anyways very good. This is a patriotic tell about the most patriotic political figure-king Henry V-and everything in this play is patriotic.

But first things first. What I liked about this play. I liked the character of Henry V, his amazing transformation through previous plays (Henry IV Parts 1&2), liked his speeches and witty jokes with common soldiers. Henry V must be the most patriotic figure in Shakespeare’s works, he made him that way. Shakespeare being a war poet (there were constant presentiments and apprehensions of war since the time he moved to London, what is more England had to deal with Spain and Ireland during his writing of Henry V) just had to write the patriotic story to keep up the spirits of the nation.

But what I didn’t like is an absence of Falstaff. The author gives us a hint in previous book that we will meet Falstaff again and now he’s dead. Shocking. I think there were people who were angry and tried to return their money as Falstaff was really popular among audience. Pistol tried sort of to replace Falstaff, not very successful attempt I assume. Another thing that bothers me is cruelty in Harry. He becomes the real king and makes royal decisions – like executing his friends because of treachery or killing all the French prisoners.

I liked this play, the author had quite reached his goal and created a patriotic tale about patriotic king.  

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