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Henry V by William Shakespeare
SHORT STORYLINE
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Henry becomes king, kills a group of his old friends, and gets victorious over the French.
SHORT SUMMARY
Henry V by William Shakespeare
After the humiliation of the French Dauphin, King Henry V of England invades France to claim the throne, which he believes should be his. Henry V stops an assassination plot, delivers a powerful speech, and wins a battle against the odds. Finally, he marries the Princess of France, which unites the two countries.
DETAILED SUMMARY
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Act I
Henry V follows the events of Henry IV, Part 2, following the coronation of Prince Hal. A chorus introduces the play and celebrates the life of King Henry V of England. Henry himself demands proof of his right to rule France. The archbishop interprets the land laws for the king and his court. Later, an ambassador from Dauphin, the son of the French king, arrives with a gift of tennis balls to humiliate King Henry. His response to this challenge is to trigger an invasion of France. The scene in the play moves to Southampton, where a fleet prepares to sail.
Act II
Henry has rejected most of his former friends during his ascension. Three of these former friends are caught plotting his death, and Henry, in return, condemns the conspirators to their own deaths. Meanwhile, Pistol, Nim, and Bardolph, three of Henry's former fiery companions who appeared in the play Henry IV Volumes 1 and 2, decide to join forces. Hearing the news of the death of their leader, Sir John Falstaff, they all set out for battle. Everyone assumes that Falstaff dies of a broken heart after the young King Henry, affectionately known as Hal, avoids him.
Act III
The French King receives Exeter as King Henry's ambassador. The British then laid siege to and took the town of Harfleur. During this battle, Henry gives a rousing speech to his soldiers: 'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more'. He leaves a regiment of soldiers at Harfleur, passing slowly through the French countryside before travelling towards Calais. Meanwhile, the French courtiers mocked their invaders among themselves. Back at the French court, Princess Catherine reads an English lesson with her lady-in-waiting.
Act IV
In the English camp, Henry's friend, Pistol, ridicules the Welsh captain, Fluellen. After several battles, the two armies begin to prepare for battle near Agincourt. The night just before the battle, the King meets his soldiers in disguise, learns from them, and gives them comfort before the coming day. He prays that his responsibility will be awarded with victory. As dawn breaks, the French generals are confident in their superior forces. Henry encourages his troops to battle for success and disdains another French envoy's invitation to surrender.
Act V
The French army is defeated with heavy losses, while a few die on the English side too. Thanking almighty God for his victory, Henry returned to London in triumph. But not before he had an encounter with the Welsh captain, Fluellen. Henry makes peace with the French King and marries Princess Catherine before linking the two countries through marriage. The play ends with the chorus reminding the entire audience how little time it would be before Henry the infant inherits two war-torn nations, a tale told in Henry VI Part 1.
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HENRY VI PART 1 BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SUMMARY
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