Author Description

Upon opening their expensive new book in 1623, buyers of the folio collection of William Shakespeare's plays were promised The Life of Henry the Fift. What they went on to read, however, was not a full "life" in the modern biographical sense. The battle of Agincourt is the play's main event; every scene leads up to or follows directly from the climax of one of England's most one-sided and famous victories. The play's ambiguous portrayal of war has spurred critical debate for centuries, and its performances have reflected shifting political and cultural views. James D. Mardock's Introduction provides an extensive discussion of Henry V's critical and stage histories and explores the play's complex relationship with other history plays (and with history itself). The appendices provide materials on the play's historical background and sources, as well as documents on contemporary warfare. Additional materials, including an annotated text of the 1600 quarto (Q1) edition, are available on the Internet Shakespeare Editions website.