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Summary: Someone please give this book to Bush
Review: "Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."
Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.
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Summary: Every soldier should carry a copy.
Review: 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.
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Summary: Excellent. Author shows some promise.
Review: Although some of Shakespeare's writing no longer speaks to our time, this one rocks.
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Summary: The best edition of "Henry V"
Review: Andrew Gurr's brilliant editing of Shakespeare's "Henry V" makes this essential to anyone seriously interested in this play. Gurr's introduction could almost stand on its own as a first rate scholarly article on the origins of Shakespeare's "Henry V" and the historical background in which the play was written. Domestic turmoil concerning the earl of Essex, threat of foreign invasion with the Spanish Armada, and foreign war in the Spanish Netherlands (where Sir Phillip Sidney met his untimely death) among other factors provide the impetus behind Shakespeare's most rhetorically soaring play. Of course the actual play itself is what would draw most readers, and Gurr's editing is brilliant. Based (I think) on the original so-called "Folio" version of Shakespeare's play, and including an easy to use page by page gloss, you could not ask for a better version of this play. Having written an honors thesis on this particular subject and having read Gurr's edition several times I can attest that this is the most useful and accessible edition of Shakespeare's finest play.
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Summary: the great king henry v
Review: Having read Henry V, I think I can sum up the plot as follows: the French insult King Harry, Harry get royally ticked-off, goes to kick some French butt, and comes home with a damned saucy wife. Right now I enjoy any play that shows a contemptuous French government getting smacked down, but this play is not numbered among Shakespeare's heavy-hitters. For one thing, King Harry is not a very interesting character. In fact, I can't stand him - he is a faithless, glorified basher of heads. Shakespeare knows this, that's why he only struts around giving rabble-rousing speeches.There is a host of other colorful characters in the play (such as Ancient Pistol) but Henry V suffers in comparison with the two parts of Henry IV because of the absence of Falstaff. Falstaff is the most interesting character in the Henriad. By this time, King Harry has treacherously banished Falstaff and he has died of a broken heart. Therefore, there is no cynical commentary in Henry V. If Falstaff had been around, he would have completely undermined King Harry's posturing. The induring legacy of the play seems to be the films made of it by Olivier and Branagh. Ironically, these are two of the best films made of Shakespeare - partially because the play is so direct and accessible. It is a short, brutal piece about war. King Harry is so good at making speeches, most readers miss Shakespeare's subtle judgement on his central character's hypocrasy.
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Summary: A crowd pleaser, but not Shakespeare's best.
Review: Having read Henry V, I think I can sum up the plot as follows: the French insult King Harry, Harry get royally ticked-off, goes to kick some French butt, and comes home with a damned saucy wife. Right now I enjoy any play that shows a contemptuous French government getting smacked down, but this play is not numbered among Shakespeare's heavy-hitters. For one thing, King Harry is not a very interesting character. In fact, I can't stand him - he is a faithless, glorified basher of heads. Shakespeare knows this, that's why he only struts around giving rabble-rousing speeches. There is a host of other colorful characters in the play (such as Ancient Pistol) but Henry V suffers in comparison with the two parts of Henry IV because of the absence of Falstaff. Falstaff is the most interesting character in the Henriad. By this time, King Harry has treacherously banished Falstaff and he has died of a broken heart. Therefore, there is no cynical commentary in Henry V. If Falstaff had been around, he would have completely undermined King Harry's posturing. The induring legacy of the play seems to be the films made of it by Olivier and Branagh. Ironically, these are two of the best films made of Shakespeare - partially because the play is so direct and accessible. It is a short, brutal piece about war. King Harry is so good at making speeches, most readers miss Shakespeare's subtle judgement on his central character's hypocrasy.
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Summary: Henry V - An Intriguing, Contradictory Heroic King
Review: Henry V remains today as the most heroic of English Kings. The battle of Agincourt in English legend engenders patriotic emotions the way that we Americans reflect upom Washington and his army at Valley Forge. Superb leadership overcomes great adversity. While many scholars have not judged Henry V as one of Shakespeare's more successful plays, I found Shakespeare's portrayal of Henry V fascinating and intriguing, a complicated and contradictory character. With each rereading of Henry V, I value it more. Was he indeed "the mirror of Christendom and the glory of his country" or a cruel, calculating king willing to risk the lives of his devoted followers? On one level Shakespeare portrays the former (particularly in the voice of the Chorus), but on another level he leaves me puzzled, unsure of Henry's motives. In the first act we see two bishops manipulate Henry V for their purposes, but on closer reading we wonder whether Henry is actually manipulating the bishops to gain justification for war against France. Shakespeare's genius allows us to interpret events in a multitiude of ways, and we find ourselves rereading Henry V again and again to rethink our previous conclusions. If you are new to Henry V, I highly recommend reading the Cambridge School Shakespeare edition. I particularly like its use of the "facing page" format with the Shakespeare on the right page and context information, explanations, and analysis on the left. It's a little more expensive, but you will find the slight increase in cost quite worthwhile.
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Summary: "...in that small most greatly lived this star of England."
Review: How does one review Shakespeare? Well, I shall try... A history buff (more specifically, a medieval history buff) I am probably the only person who enjoys Shakespeare's history plays above all others (except "Macbeth"--always excepting "Macbeth"). After that intriguing (and sly!) introduction, the action of the play dies down for a bit, until Harry arrives in France and takes it by storm. THEN the play unfurls itself into what turns out to be Shakespeare's greatest tribute to England and literature and history's greatest tribute to "that star of England," Henry V, surely one of England's greatest monarchs. The star of three plays, Harry also stands out as one of Shakespeare's most interesting and fully-realized characters. If you are familiar with the Henry IV plays, it is fascinating to discover how Harry's past adventures (and misadventures) have contributed to make him the man he proves himself to be in "Henry V." This is truly one of Shakespeare's best plays, and Harry's "Saint Crispin's Day Speech" is one of the most inspirational and well-crafted speeches in literature, I think. (Hamlet's speeches were always so convoluted!)
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Summary: Suspenseful and Captivating
Review: I don't feel this is quite as good as "1 Henry VI," "2 Henry VI," or "Richard III." Nevertheless, it is a phenomenal piece of literature that I value highly. This play offers several memorable speeches, including Henry's orations in 3.1 and 4.3. In 2.2, we can see how effective Henry is against treason. I could not forget 4.1 if I tried. The scene where King Henry V disguises himself as a soldier and shares the burdens of his troops is a scene of such rare beauty (even to me an English Major)! And yet, Shakespeare still manages to squeeze in some comical touches. To be sure this is history, but Shakespeare paints the picture with his mastery of the language very well. If Shakespeare had not written "1 Henry VI," "2 Henry VI," or "Richard III," I probably would have given this 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and Captivating
Review: I don't feel this is quite as good as "1 Henry VI," "2 Henry VI," or "Richard III." Nevertheless, it is a phenomenal piece of literature that I value highly. This play offers several memorable speeches, including Henry's orations in 3.1 and 4.3. In 2.2, we can see how effective Henry is against treason. I could not forget 4.1 if I tried. The scene where King Henry V disguises himself as a soldier and shares the burdens of his troops is a scene of such rare beauty (even to me an English Major)! And yet, Shakespeare still manages to squeeze in some comical touches. To be sure this is history, but Shakespeare paints the picture with his mastery of the language very well. If Shakespeare had not written "1 Henry VI," "2 Henry VI," or "Richard III," I probably would have given this 5 stars.
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