Henry V

Just got back from watching Brannaugh's Henry V for my History of Christian Life and Thought II class. What a great show! I love Shakespeare and I think, every time I see one, that I was born in the wrong century. To speak with such a tongue! THe speech at Agincourt is about the only thing that makes this pacifist want to charge into battle! The movie was very good; I had not seen this version before, but I enjoy Brannaugh's work for the most part. Upon occasion he does get a bit melodramatic in the wrong places, but that's just my opinion. His reading of the text generally opens up new doors of understanding for me and so I enjoy them. Othello is my favorite Shakespeare he has done.

The trouble with watching Henry V, though, is that you don't know who half the characters are! The events of Henry IV are integral to some scenes of Henry V (i.e. Falstaff's death). More than that, it is difficult to understand any of Shakespeare's Histories without a firm grasp on English history of that period in general, which I cannot claim. A fellow student asked me after the film was over why they went to war and I didn't know how to answer with a short response. But, if I launched into a long response, I'm sure I'd muck it up. So, to you, I say, study medieval English history for your answer. Any answer I could give would be countered easily with, "Well, yes, but why?" And so you go, back and back, king after king, into the history and eventually arrive at an answer that amounts to little more than someone pissed someone else off, and those two someone's just happened to have armies to do their talking for them. Silly? Yes, and so is war. But it does produce some awesome speeches!!

"WESTMORELAND: O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING: What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

~William Shakespeare