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Henry Act 1 Scene 5 Essay

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Henry V is strongly focused on its protagonist, King Henry V. He is the young monarch of England. Henry is an optimistic, merciful, charismatic, and perceptive leader who takes his royal duties very seriously and will stop at nothing to attain a goal. Henry displays his commitment to duty when he sentences his childhood friend to death for stealing. The kingdom’s laws against stealing were clear and he chose to make an example out of Bardolph. He had to uphold the kingdom’s values over his personal feelings. Henry also proves to be a great orator by giving speeches throughout the play to inspire his troops with messages of nationalism, honor, and glory that propel them to major victories against overwhelming odds. According to Christopher Dowd, Assistant Professor at Missouri Southern University, “He seems particularly fascinated with the various connotations of the word ‘brother’ and with the varying sense of closeness and distance implied in fraternal …show more content…

The set, made of wood, was constructed into three tiers. Most of the stage and seating was open and exposed to the elements. These theatre setups did not have a front stage curtain forcing scenes to flow one after the other. The actors regularly wore costumes often bright in color, elaborate in frills and design, and contained excessive padding that often disguised the shape of the actor. The play performances occurred during the day using natural lighting for viewing and lacked artificial lighting effects. Henry V used few scenery and prop devices, however; a key prop, The Tun of Tennis Balls symbolizes the French King’s disdain for Henry and also Henry’s ambition to conquer France. In conjunction with other production qualities, music and musical tunes were used to emphasize various moods or emotions the playwright wished to convey to the audience. These traditional and symbolistic tools all aid in immersing the audience into the

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