No. 354 Analysis of the monarch in William ▪ Shakespeare's masterpiece Henry V

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"A man's mind is inspired, and it goes without saying that the organ, though it has atrophied and stiffened, will also be lifted from its dead paralysis and begin to move again, like a molted snake gaining the power of rebirth." To use this phrase to describe Henry V, I think it is very appropriate. The once ignorant Prince Hal, after being kindly reminded and admonished by his father Henry IV, embarked on the bumpy road of personal growth and transformation with a brave heart.

Henry V is a famous historical play by William ▪ Shakespeare, which depicts the story of the Defeat of the French army by the British army between 1414 and 1420. Most of the characters and events in the play are true and well-founded, and Henry V's personal image and concept of governance have been fully demonstrated.

When Henry V was crown prince, he could not bear the boring court life, and he was in the company of rogues and hooligans in the streets and alleys of the city, and when he took the throne, he realized that he had a heavy responsibility, and he made up his mind to change from evil to righteousness, determined to eliminate internal traitors, defeat strong enemies, and enable the people to live a happy and prosperous life.

As a continuation of "Henry IV", "Henry V" inherits the previous play in terms of storyline, character shaping, and style presentation. In Act 1 of the first part of Henry IV, the young prince Hal (i.e., Henry V, who had not yet ascended the throne), sincerely confessed his heart:

"I know you all too well, and though I am bored with you now, I am imitating the sun, which tolerates its solemn appearance by filthy floating clouds, but when it breaks through the ugly fog barrier and shines brightly, people will be particularly amazed and admired by it because they have looked up to it for a long time. If all year round, it is all the holidays of the game, then the game will become as annoying as work; only because they are infrequent, people will look forward to their arrival; only occasional and rare events will have the power to seduce the world.

So when I abandon this act of debauchery and pay off debts which I have never allowed to be repaid, I will overthrow the erroneous prejudices of the people and prove that my own worth is far above what I usually say and do; just as the dangling gold and silver are placed on the dark bottom, my changes will be particularly dazzling, and it will be particularly easy to win the favor of the people. I want to use my debauchery as a means to turn against my old ways when people are surprised. ”

From the later performance, it is inferred that the young prince Hal's heartfelt words are serious and bold. As a hot-blooded young man, in his efforts to become a wise monarch, he did prove his bravery, resourcefulness and foresight with his actions.

The young Henry V was strategic, good at using soldiers, and was deeply loved by the majority of his subordinates in the army. Unwilling to be insulted by the French prince, he sent troops to France on an expedition to the battlefield of the Aigi Palace. With great strategy and courage, Henry V led the princes and nobles and the small people of the city to defeat the French army in the great war, forcing the French king to sign a peace treaty and marry the French princess Catherine as his wife, becoming the heir to the French throne.

After the great victory, Henry V did not have any pride in his achievements, but declared to everyone that this was God's grace and favor. For his subordinates who wantonly offended him, he did not retaliate and throw stones into the well, but on the contrary, he rewarded and treated them with courtesy. Such an attitude of humility and open-mindedness and generosity has won the respect and support of the princes and nobles down to the common people, and everyone worships him as a god.

Of course, "Henry V" is not a main war drama, nor is it an anti-war drama, but takes the reader into the war, feel what the war is, and the cost of the war. A large-scale war can not only reflect the military strength of the two sides participating in the war, the quality of the general's combat strategy and the outcome of the war, but more importantly, it has triggered the reader's calm thinking and sober understanding of the war. In the tit-for-tat battlefield, there will be both rats who hold their heads and flee, and there will also be brave people who stand up.

Henry V is undoubtedly the king who grew up under the test and devastation of war. It is precisely because he saw the fierceness of the court struggle and the cruelty of the war that he was more clear about the direction of his struggle, that is, to unify the country and spread the light. How can such a humble and pious monarch, open-minded, fearless in the face of danger, and with great talent not occupy a noble position in the hearts of the people?