Henry IV, Part 1 is a great play that is worth producing. Especially on a college campus like Vanderbilt, the audience can identify with the themes of the coming of age of Hal and the father/son dynamic. The play is entertaining through both comic relief scenes and fights. One strength of the play is the complex characters that make good roles for actors. Many scenes include the actors delivering lines alone and have to illustrate character development to the audience. Hotspur is conflicted and has a temper. Falstaff has the humorous lines in the tavern but then shows his explotativeness in battle. He refers to his recruited soldiers as “good enough to toss; food for powder”. My favorite scene is Hal’s rejection of Falstaff. A production really succeeds if the audience can understand both the personal cost and political necessity of the decision to Hal.
Challenges of the play include the fact that Henry IV is part of a set of plays. Because I came in unaware of Shakespeare’s history plays and even of England’s history of kings, the first scene of the play was very confusing for me. I was unsure of the relationship between the King, Hotspur, and Mortimer. Since Part I is only a snapshot of the action, the production must ensure that if the audience only watch this one play they don’t feel like they are missing some of the beginning and the end. Including context of Richard II through an additional scene at the beginning would be helpful. Since it is a history play, the production has to consider whether to use period costumes. Could the play be adapted to a different setting or time period? Does Owen Glendower have a Scottish accent? Another decision the director has to make includes Falstaff’s monologues. Often in a scene he is “solus”. Does he deliver his lines to the audience? The battle in V.iii could be hard to stage with the multiple deaths. Does the fighting
Henry VI was born on December 6, 1421 to Henry V and Catharine of Valois. When his father died on August 31, 1422, he became King of England at the age of eight months old. Just a few weeks later, his grandfather, Charles VI, died, leaving Henry as the King of France in accordance the Treaty of Troyes, which was written in 1420. On September 28, 1423, the nobles of England swore their loyalty to King Henry. They then called Parliament together in his name and established a regency council -- a…
William Shakespeare English poet & playwright, famous for comedies, tragedies, historical plays and sonnets. Most well-known author in English literature. EARLY YEARS Probably born April 23rd 1564 (no one knows his true birthday) in Stratford-upon-Avon in England He lived and wrote during a period of time known as the Elizabethan Era, when Queen Elizabeth I ruled England. He attended Grammar school to study arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, and Latin (international language in Europe)…
1. Elizabeth I “Virgin Queen” was never married because she was “married to England.” Henry IV When he becomes king he changes religion to Catholicism to unite France “Paris is worth a mass Ends Spanish influence, unites country Signs Edict of Nantes Catherine de Medicis Plays both sides of civil war Sides with Guises to avoid war with Spain Supports both Catholic League and Protestants 2. Discuss…
I. Essays The Beginning of the Tudor Dynasty, 1485- 1509 Who was Richard III, and why was he vulnerable to a challenge to his right to rule? Who was Henry of Richmond, and on what basis could he claim the throne? Given the difference between these two men’s claims, why did Henry of Richmond manage to win so much support? Richard III (1452-1485) was the third son of Richard, Duke of York, (1441-1460) and Cecily Neville (1415-1495), and the younger brother to Edward IV (1442-1483), King of England…
2/1/15 History 4370 War of the Roses and the Connection with the Hundred Year War Bibliography Abbott, Jacob, History of Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VI of England. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishing, 1871. Gormley, Larry. “Wars of the Roses.” (2005) <http://www.warsoftheroses.com/> (22 December 2005). Griffiths, Ralph A. The Reign of King Henry VI. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited, 1998. Mauer, Helen." Margaret of Anjou ” Richard III Society, American Branch (2001) <http://www.r3…
as it had York put back onto the royal roster, and had Henry know there was a threat. However, in 1459 the Battle of Ludford bridge commenced – this was very significant as the King’s wife, Margaret of Anjou commanded the Lancastrians against Richard, Duke of York. Richard fled to Ludlow, and his army refused to fight as King Henry turned up and they said their fight was against ‘Henry’s evil councillors’ this was significant as it showed Henry what their true cause was. The battle of Wakefield…
Henry VII (1485-1509) Financial Problems: Britain was financially weakened by the hundred years War and the wars of the Roses. There were too many ‘over-mighty’ noblemen who used their own wealth to build-up private armies of their own which could be of use against henry himself. Issues of legitimacy: Henry VII’s claim to the throne was scrutinised for being illegitimate. Three people had a stronger claims to the throne (Elizabeth of York; The Earl of Warwick; The Earl of Lincoln) Henry…
Why were the Yorkists successful in gaining the crown by 1461? By 1461 Henry VI was already in hiding up North leaving England under no real leader. The conflict that led to Henry’s flee was his weak personality and his poor control and authority. However this isn’t the only reason why the Yorkists were successful in gaining the crown by 1461 there are many other reasons. One main factor for the Yorkists gaining the crown was their military strength. The Yorkists had huge military power. The…
Peter. He was taught by John Gratian, later Pope Gregory VI, introducing him to the world of the papacy. While Hildebrand served as a chaplain under Gregory VI, he also witnessed the act of simony for which the Pope was exiled (Blumenthal). This act of simony, or the purchase of a religious office, was later to be one of the primary corruptions against which Pope Gregory VII would fight. After retiring to Cologne with the exiled Gregory VI until his death in AD 1047, Hildebrand accompanied the newly…
How did Henry VII solve his problems? After Henry VII defeated Richard III in the Battle of Bosworth, he had himself crowned the new king on the battlefield. This was probably because he had a very weak claim to the throne, and did not want anyone to interfere. He was probably also scared of the remaining Yorkist family, who had a much stronger claim to the throne than him. In order to settle the feud that started a very long time ago, Henry VII married Elizabeth of York, who was also the daughter…