Shakespeare and Henry V: Instinct Over Intellect
In Shakespeare's Henry V, the title character is a king renowned for his various strength as a leader. The Bishop of Canterbury, in conversation with another priest, attests to his skills as a speaker primarily. "The air," he says "is still" when the king speaks in "sweet and honeyed sentences" (l.i.51-53). Henry uses his talents as an orator to impress or to debate just as often as he uses them to persuade his enemy of something. In Act lll, scene i, Henry delivers a speech to his troops in the middle of the siege in Harfleur. This scene highlights King Henry's gifts as a speaker as he appeals to his soldiers’ emotions in rallying them for one final assault on the walls surrounding the city. …show more content…
As King Henry is rallying his troops to fight alongside him, he summons the courage of his soldiers by alluding to their socioeconomic statuses. King Henry first does this is by calling on the noblemen to serve as examples to the commoners. While addressing his knights, Henry acknowledges their nobility and informs them of their inherent duties when he says, “Be copy now to men of grosser blood / And teach them how to war” (3.1.25-26). Here, Henry is telling the nobles to be leaders to those of a lower rank. The knights have a noble responsibility inherited by birth. This duty is an obligation, not a choice, and Henry reminds them of that. Furthermore, Henry commands his knights to teach the yeoman soldiers “how to war.” Like a father expects his son to watch over his younger brother, Henry expects these men to show the commoners their expertise on the battlefield. King Henry is then able to summon the courage of his common soldiers by speaking about their upbringings. He says to them, “show us …show more content…
Throughout his speech, Henry is urging the soldiers to forgo their human thoughts and rationale. For instance, King Henry alludes to the predatorial instincts of a big jungle cat when he says, “But when the blast of war blows in our ears / Then imitate the action of the tiger / Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood” (3.1.7-8). Henry understands that with war comes a certain savagery, and because of that, he needs his men to channel their most primitive behaviors. A wild animal does not think before it acts. Henry’s soldiers, when given the choice to fight or flight, need to remain still, summon up their courage, and face their threat. Henry believes that if the soldiers emulate the nature of a tiger, that of a wild, bloodthirsty beast, they will stifle their fears and perform better on the battlefield. Furthermore, Henry attempts to have the soldiers channel their inner hunting dog when he says, “I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips / Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot” (3.1.34-35). Whereas tigers kill to survive, greyhounds hunt for sport. Henry wants the soldiers to view the battle as a hare coursing, except the prize here is not wild game, it is the town of Harfleur. Similar to a hunting dog searching for wild rabbits, the soldiers need to have a nose for victory. Henry, in dehumanizing his men, is enabling the soldiers to act before they
In Shakespeare's Henry V, the title character is a king renowned for his various strength as a leader. The Bishop of Canterbury, in conversation with another priest, attests to his skills as a speaker primarily. "The air," he says "is still" when the king speaks in "sweet and honeyed sentences" (l.i.51-53). Henry uses his talents as an orator to impress or to debate just as often as he uses them to persuade his enemy of something. In Act lll, scene i, Henry delivers a speech to his troops in the middle of the siege in Harfleur. This scene highlights King Henry's gifts as a speaker as he appeals to his soldiers’ emotions in rallying them for one final assault on the walls surrounding the city. …show more content…
As King Henry is rallying his troops to fight alongside him, he summons the courage of his soldiers by alluding to their socioeconomic statuses. King Henry first does this is by calling on the noblemen to serve as examples to the commoners. While addressing his knights, Henry acknowledges their nobility and informs them of their inherent duties when he says, “Be copy now to men of grosser blood / And teach them how to war” (3.1.25-26). Here, Henry is telling the nobles to be leaders to those of a lower rank. The knights have a noble responsibility inherited by birth. This duty is an obligation, not a choice, and Henry reminds them of that. Furthermore, Henry commands his knights to teach the yeoman soldiers “how to war.” Like a father expects his son to watch over his younger brother, Henry expects these men to show the commoners their expertise on the battlefield. King Henry is then able to summon the courage of his common soldiers by speaking about their upbringings. He says to them, “show us …show more content…
Throughout his speech, Henry is urging the soldiers to forgo their human thoughts and rationale. For instance, King Henry alludes to the predatorial instincts of a big jungle cat when he says, “But when the blast of war blows in our ears / Then imitate the action of the tiger / Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood” (3.1.7-8). Henry understands that with war comes a certain savagery, and because of that, he needs his men to channel their most primitive behaviors. A wild animal does not think before it acts. Henry’s soldiers, when given the choice to fight or flight, need to remain still, summon up their courage, and face their threat. Henry believes that if the soldiers emulate the nature of a tiger, that of a wild, bloodthirsty beast, they will stifle their fears and perform better on the battlefield. Furthermore, Henry attempts to have the soldiers channel their inner hunting dog when he says, “I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips / Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot” (3.1.34-35). Whereas tigers kill to survive, greyhounds hunt for sport. Henry wants the soldiers to view the battle as a hare coursing, except the prize here is not wild game, it is the town of Harfleur. Similar to a hunting dog searching for wild rabbits, the soldiers need to have a nose for victory. Henry, in dehumanizing his men, is enabling the soldiers to act before they