Henry V

Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled The Cronicle History of Henry the fift, and The Life of Henry the Fifth in the First Folio text. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry IV, Part 2. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In Henry V, the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army badly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt. Characters Chorus The English King Henry V Duke of Gloucester – Henry's brother Duke of Bedford – Henry's brother Duke of Clarence – Henry's brother Duke of Exeter – Henry's uncle Duke of York – Henry's first cousin once removed Earl of Salisbury Earl of Westmorland - Henry's uncle Earl of Warwick Sir Thomas Erpingham Capt. Gower – an Englishman Capt. Fluellen – a Welshman Capt. Macmorris – an Irishman Capt. Jamy – a Scot John Bates, Alexander Court and Michael Williams – soldiers Herald Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph – soldiers, former followers of Sir John Falstaff Boy – formerly Sir John Falstaff's page Mistress Quickly – hostess of the Boar's Head tavern, and Pistol's wife Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop of Ely The traitors Earl of Cambridge – Henry's first cousin once removed and the Duke of York's brother Lord Scrope Sir Thomas Grey