Henry V The Word \'Wild\'

Henry V

The Word 'Wild' in Shakespeare's Henry V

In Shakespeare's Henry V, the word wild or wildness is used throughout the play to describe the character of King Henry V, the characters of men in general, and the circumstances in England and France. The Oxford English dictionary defined wildness as "being in its original natural state." This links directly with the meaning of wildness as it is used in the play, because it refers to people being in their natural state, while wildness is something that needs to be overcome and replaced with rationality.

The first use of the word is in describing Henry's temperament in his youth. Canterbury described how Henry changed after his father's death saying,

The breath no sooner left his father's body,

But that his wildness, mortified in him" (I, i).

This both describes how Henry's character was initially wild and how it changed. Canterbury goes on to say that,

Consideration, like an angel, came

And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him,

Leaving his body as a paradise,

To envelop and contain celestial spirits" (I, i).

This further suggests that Henry's loss of his wildness made room for better things to take its place. In describing this, an image is created of a wild and overgrown garden being weeded so better things can grow there. This is what Canterbury describes as happening to Henry. This suggests that his wildness was associated only with his youth, that it was a negative part of his character, and that the loss of the wildness has allowed him to become a greater person.

The change in Henry is the subject of the conversation in the next use of the word wild. This use occurs as Ely and Canterbury continue to discuss the change in Henry. Canterbury appears more accepting of the change in Henry than Ely is, with Ely seeming to question and consider it more. Ely than continues the link created between Henry's wildness and the image of a garden saying,

The strawberry grows underneath the nettle

And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best

Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality:

And so the prince obscured his contemplation

Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt,

Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night,

Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty (I, i).

This statement by Ely suggests that Henry was intelligent all along, but hid this under his wildness. In effect, his wildness acted as a cover for his real character, while it flourished underneath. In addition, it is also suggested that Henry was not able to show his full character while his father was still alive. This creates a sense that Henry was always waiting to take the position of king and finally allowed his real character to show when his father's death granted him the position. The most important aspect of this statement by Ely is that it suggests that Henry was never really wild at all, instead just using this as a cover as he developed his character.

The next use of the word wild is by Henry himself as he enter into conversation with Exeter. Henry speaks of the future when England will conquer France and says,

Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler

That all the courts of France will be disturb'd

With chaces. And we understand him well,

How he comes o'er us with our wilder days,

Not measuring what use we made of them.

We never valued this poor seat of England; (I, i).

In this statement, King Henry refers not to his own wilder days, but to the wilder days of England. The last sentence where he refers to having never valued the seat of England shows that his complaint is against how England has been managed under his father's rule. He considers that France thinks it is better than England and sees his father as not being a strong enough leader to drive England to victory over France. In this context, the wilder days of England is a negative description of the way England was. He is describing England as being poorly managed and overgrown, as if his father was not able to unite England into one. This establishes that Henry also sees wildness as something negative. Clearly, Henry is not a character where he believes that a wild character will help him lead his country. Henry values honor and courage and appears brave, but he is also intelligent and considerate. Most importantly, he does not take action based on rash, wild ways. Instead, he takes decisive rational actions. Henry also refers to France not measuring what use we made of the wilder days. This is similar to the way that Ely described Henry's personal progress as being hidden under his wildness. It seems that this is a statement that Henry agrees with, the wildness in the way England was managed hiding the real progress that was taking place.

The next use of the word wild occurs when Henry is giving a speech before a battle. He tells his men to be ready for battle, starting the speech by noting the difference required of men in peace and in battle. As he states,

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage; (III, i).

While this part of the speech does not use the word wild, it does request that the men become like a wild animal. This shows that Henry does see a need for the wildness of a man's character and does consider that part of the character to be present. However, he also understands that wildness is not a positive quality in everyday life. This reinforces that Henry V is not a wild man himself, but a considerate and self-controlled man who is able to call on his wilder parts when he needs them. This adds new meaning to the earlier description of Henry's character, with it seeming that his wild ways were a real part of his character. The question remains as to whether he was forced to learn self-control when his father died and granted him the throne, or whether he had self-control all along, but was experimenting with his own character to see what he was made of. In the same speech, Henry does use the word wild in reference to the ocean,

Let pry through the portage of the head

Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it

As fearfully as doth a galled rock

O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,

Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean (III, i).

This statement is asking people to allow themselves to be filled with fear and to use this to push them on. The people become fearful like the rock that has a turbulent ocean at its base and use the turbulence to push them on. The reference to the "wild and wasteful ocean" shows that the turbulence of the ocean will do no harm. In this case, the wildness is wasted action. Rather than take this wasted wild action, Henry is calling for people to use the fear to drive them to considered purposeful action. This is another case showing that Henry does not consider wildness a positive feature, instead seeing it as undirected and useless.

The final important use of the word wild occurs in a speech Burgundy gives while negotiating the peace agreement between King Henry and the kings of France. Burgundy refers to the decay of France and describes it as a beautiful garden that has been overgrown. Just as in the beginning of the play, the link is created between wildness and an overgrown garden. Burgundy then further describes it saying,

Alas, she hath from France too long been chased,

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps,

Corrupting in its own fertility.

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart,

Unpruned dies; her hedges even-pleach'd,

Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair, (V, ii).

The term "widely overgrown" shows that the wildness is negative and suggests that the wildness has taken away all that is good. In effect though, what is good still remains underneath the wildness and Burgundy is requesting that France be returned to its goodness. Just like Henry's good character emerged from under the wildness when the time was right, the good of France can return again when it is right. Burgundy continues his speech and refers to wildness again saying,