Henry V: A Person Who Led

         William Shakespeare’s Henry V is the tale of a king who claims the throne of England and wishes to claim that of France and he is willing to use whatever means necessary to achieve this end, especially war. After gaining powerful allies (and financial backers) in the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely, he travels to France to fight the French king in a determined bid for the crown. There are strong undercurrents of corruption and selfishness in the events of this play, stemming mainly from Henry.  He is a fiery young man prone to outbursts of rage, both warranted and unwarranted. His cause for putting so many of his people in danger was most unjust, but he was nothing if not an effective leader. Examples of his leadership are apparent in his two speeches, before the siege of Harfleur and before the battle of Agincourt. He offers a moderately inspirational speech at Harfleur, but his “magnum opus” was not to come about until he, knowing that the morale of his soldiers was spiraling downward, gave his memorable speech on St. Crispin’s day.

The war with France was, according to all medieval standards “unjust.” Henry dragged his troops into a fight for what was not rightfully his—the French crown. Aside from an insult paid him as he was already  contemplating war, Henry had no reason to invade France. In fact, the French were so eager to avoid war that they offered their princess to be Henry’s bride—but he wasn’t having any of it. He would not take a part of what he wanted, he would take all that he wanted. So, he invaded France, laid siege to Harfleur, and then fought the bloody battle of Agincourt. Hot-headed as Henry was, he was not a complete fool, he was capable of spurring his men on to victory—no small feat when they did not consider

their cause to be just. 

After the English are handed  the village of Harfleur, the troops advance to Agincourt. In the time leading up to the battle, Henry descends from his “throne” and mingles incognito with his troops and talks with a couple of men of the coming battle. It is here that he meets a common soldier who expresses his true thoughts of the king and what he wishes the king would do instead of involving countless lives in battle: “ I would he were here alone…and many a poor man’s lives saved." Henry replies and says that he doesn’t mind accompanying the king, “his cause being just and his quarrel honourable,” but the soldier

does not agree. 

After this discouraging exchange, which one could only assume would represent  the opinions of most of the army, Henry makes his memorable speech.  In it, he plays to the need of humans to be remembered. He tells his troops that those who survive will someday “stand tip-toe when this day is named” and that they will be part of “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers." His eloquent speech is riveting and his men are spurred onto victory. It is not an ordinary leader who can so potently inspire those he leads.

Henry’s fight with the French is not just. It is based on selfish greed and appetite for more power. He drags his men into a war that is not honorable and they know it. They stop believing in him and his cause, a problem that no king wants to have. But Henry manages to pull them up with pride and hope of glory, a sign that he is an effective (if not particularly wise) leader. King Henry V is an example of the phenomenon that is seen in the modern day; a person is an stirring orator, one that can practically hypnotize those willing to be entranced—but whose experience and wisdom is not necessarily that of a great head-of-state. Someone who is good at leading is not necessarily a good leader.

Hamlet and Macbeth: Walking a Mile in His Shakespearean Shoes

William Shakespeare penned approximately thirty-seven plays during his lifetime. In these plays, he created such characters as Romeo, Juliet, Henry V, Othello, Hamlet and Macbeth. These last two are the ones to be discussed today. Hamlet was a Danish prince whose uncle murdered his father and then married his widowed mother. Hamlet harbored a festering anger toward both of them which morphed into a spirit of revenge after being visited by the ghost of his father. The play revolves around the theme of taking revenge for wrongdoing, even if it involves committing a crime of his own. Macbeth, on the other hand, is a Scottish king who kills innocence to gain power, not to wreak vengeance on someone who did him wrong. In fact, Macbeth’s motives and actual actions reflect those of Hamlet’s nemesis, Claudius. However, Macbeth and Hamlet are connected by the common actions of killing and scheming. It is always interesting to see just how two different people would act in the same situation. In this case, the situation is that of the story of Hamlet, but Hamlet has been exchanged for Macbeth.

Scene 1

[In castle, Macbeth appears out of the fog.]

Macbeth: O cursed world where my poor father was killed by that vile serpent, Claudius. He that did drip venom into his ear has now married my mother—improper deeds! And that, worst of all is his usurpation of that which ought to have been mine, the throne!

[Enter Claudius, Macbeth becomes brighter.]

Macbeth: ah, beloved Claudius! How goes it with one such as you?

Claudius: Macbeth! It goeth well with me, yourself?

Macbeth:  I yet mourn my poor father—such unlucky fate! But aye, glad am I to have been favored with such a replacement to him as yourself!

Claudius: Thou dost flatter me too much, my son. Glad am I to have gained such a son as you. Enough chattering, though—let’s away to sup!

Scene 2

[enter Macbeth and Ophelia]

Ophelia: Macbeth! Why dost thou hesitate in your revenge? Your father was killed by the serpent, it is true, but far worse is the offense that he paid you by taking your rightful throne. Why not strike his head from his shoulders?

Macbeth: I feel the desire to do away with Claudius, it is true, but has he not treated me kindly? I would feel as if I murdered someone who thought of me as their son, as he may well think.

Ophelia:  Hast thou not always told me that in this world, a person can not afford mercy or feelings? Believe my woman’s intuition—Claudius will kill if you do not strike first.

Macbeth: Thou speakest the truth, though I feel that your words appeal to my baser feelings. I must keep minded that Claudius has done me great wrong, and all right is pushed aside in favor of vengeance.

Scene 3

[Ophelia and Macbeth meet, Macbeth is covered in blood, Ophelia helps him wash his hands off]

Macbeth: My hands will never get them clean, not an ocean can wash the blood of vengeance from my hands.

Ophelia: Harden thy heart, Macbeth. Every sane-minded man would say that you were in the right.

Macbeth: I feel that I should not have done it in secret surprise, but in open challenge, like a man.

Ophelia: Harden thy heart, Macbeth. Think as a victor, not a man.

Scene 4

Macbeth: Vengeance is the sole property of the One above, the Holy Writ says. Those who take such a deed into their own hands in such unmanly fashion reap the desserts. Ophelia, the one who spurred my intent has drowned, both in insanity and water. And now, I also perish, poisoned by order of the man that I killed. Life is ended for me with shame and punishment, surely a fate not destined for a prince of a country!

[Dies][Exeunt]

Yes, Macbeth and Hamlet each had differences in their plays as to motive and circumstance, but they were connected by the theme of killing and violence that was not theirs to employ. Their actions reaped dire consequence that eventually led to tragic ends for them--and almost everyone around them. While Macbeth’s motive was a lust for power, and Hamlet’s a lust for revenge, Shakespeare makes quite clear that fact that coldly premeditated violence is not a good solution, whatever the reason.