The Kings Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeares Henry V

Although labeled as a history, the strength of Shakespeare's Henry V lies not in the events that occur in the play, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeare's audience would have already known the story of Henry V's campaign on France and thus would have had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted past events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the man whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind all that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the king must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What kind of man is he? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many details involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play. To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in King Henry's decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic endeavour? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated; a task made more difficult by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting performance that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It would be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson. "Rabbits and Ducks." Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992): 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. "Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V" Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994): 117-123 The King's Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeare's Henry V Although labeled as a history, the strength of Shakespeare's Henry V lies not in the events that occur in the play, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeare's audience would have already known the story of Henry V's campaign on France and thus would have had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted past events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the man whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind all that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the king must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What kind of man is he? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many details involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play. To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in King Henry's decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic endeavour? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated; a task made more difficult by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting performance that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It would be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson. "Rabbits and Ducks." Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992): 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. "Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V" Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994): 117-123