Henry the 5th

¶ … Henry V, by William Shakespeare [...] how Shakespeare depicts the various nationalities of the play that appear as either enemies or allies to the English cause. Henry himself was Welsh, but what qualities or characteristics constitute the ideal "Englishman?" Is there such a thing? If so, where do the play's cast of "others" fit in?

HENRY V

According to Shakespeare's "Henry V," many believe the "ideal Englishman" is brave, bold, and convinced of his own righteousness, and this could certainly describe King Henry as he leads his men off to battle. The perfect Englishman may not enjoy the fight, but he will not turn away from it if necessary. "The sum of all our answer is but this: / We would not seek a battle, as we are; / Nor, as we are, we say we will not shun it" (Shakespeare III vi). Hopefully, this "ideal Englishman" is the king, who embodies all that is English, and all that monarchy stands for. A "monarch" is supreme, and so, the man who rules England should also be supreme - someone other Englishmen can look up to and emulate. Is Henry the "ideal" Englishman? At the beginning of the play, when he is manipulated into war by the Archbishop of Canterbury, he is certainly not ideal, and perhaps this is Shakespeare's way of noting Henry is Welsh, and so has some catching up to do to become the ideal of his people.

In fact, at the end of the play, the soldiers make fun of Fluellen, who is Welsh, and does not speak the "King's" English. "I have seen you gleeking and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, / because he could not speak English in the native garb, he could / not therefore handle an English cudgel. You find it otherwise; / and henceforth let a Welsh correction teach you a good English / condition. Fare ye well" (Shakespeare V i). Shakespeare portrays Fluellen as a kind of country bumpkin, walking around with a leek in his hat to celebrate a holiday, and so he is ostracized by the others, except those who realize he can fight along with the best of them.

Thus, the ideal Englishman gives up his native tongue, and speaks like a "real" Englishman, as Henry must have done to earn the respect and adoration of his people that he finds when he returns home from France. In fact, in his speeches, it would be difficult to tell he was Welsh, she sounds just like the "ideal" Englishman.

Conversely, Shakespeare portrays the French as cocky and arrogant - they always have the "best" armour and the best horses, and believe their fighting against the British will be over in a matter of minutes. Two French soldiers talking say, "You have an excellent armour; but let my horse have his due. /: It is the best horse of Europe [...]When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk. he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; / the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes" (Shakespeare III vii). These are typical stereotypes of the French at the time, and since Henry won the war, Shakespeare seems to be saying they have little to be arrogant about.