King Henry Character Analysis

What do a queen, a rooster, a miller, and a mistress have in common? They all share heroic qualities with the titular character in Shakespeare’s Henry V. Though some scholars doubt the King being a hero at all, as expressed by author David L. Perry, he certainly exhibits many heroic qualities throughout the play. The main characters in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales are those of a wide range of attributes and status. By examining the tales of the Miller, the Reeve, the Nun’s Priest, and the Wife of Bath, individual values commonly attributed to heroes in the 15th century encompass the quality of chivalry. Though some of the characters may have flaws, a true hero is never free from small faults. Chivalry among the Middle Ages was a heroic quality that can be seen in both Henry V and The Canterbury Tales. A true hero possesses many favorable qualities. In Theodor Meron’s book, Bloody Constraint: War and Chivalry in Shakespeare, he lists some of these qualities: loyalty, courage, honor, and mercy (Meron 5). If this list is broken down, King Henry can be …show more content…
His chivalrous ways are presented numerous times throughout the play, and individual qualities often make their way into the tales of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, helping to distinguish his character even more. Henry exhibits loyalty as does the heroine of the Miller’s Tale. His courage never falters as he wages war with a more powerful country, and this can partly be attributed to his honor for his country. The Reeve’s and Nun’s Priest’s tales showcase characters who share these values with Henry. Lastly, Shakespeare’s King is akin to one of the same rank in the Wife of Bath’s tale, the Queen, as they both present themselves as merciful rulers. Put together, these four qualities make up one of society’s greatest heroic qualities during the Middle Ages: