Enduring Love Act 1 Scene 5 Analysis

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The play begins with the prologue, led by the Chorus who introduces the main conflict between the “two mighty monarchies”1 France and England, and asks the viewers to use all their imagination to “gently […] hear, kindly […] judge, [the] play”2. The first scene takes place in the King's Palace. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely discuss a bill that had been postponed because of “the scambling and unquiet time”3 of recent events. Since the bill would mean a great loss of money and land to the Church, both appeal to the king's grace, suggesting to provide the state with more money from the Church for the coming war with France. King Henry later on consults with them about his claim to the French throne. In a very detailed description, …show more content…

The Boy thinks 'his friend' to be a coward but helps him nevertheless. The viewer gets to know that not only Bardolph has been hung but Nym as well. The ranks of the French are already broken, yet they decide to ride back into battle and die with honour instead of contemplating suicide. Another turmoil from the French side stirs which is beaten down by the English yet again. Henry enters once more, sending a harold up the hill to ask the French if they still want to fight. Montjoy comes another time, now asking the king for permission to count and bury the dead on the battlefield. He proclaims England's victory. The battlefield is named “field of Agincourt, fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus”14. After having fooled around with Williams and Officer Fluellen, regarding the exchange of the gloves, Henry finally explains that he had been the one asking for the glove yesterday. Instead of punishing Williams, he rewards him. Another harold delivers the numbers of the dead. While the French have lost ten-thousand men, the English only have to suffer a loss of 29 men. Henry can now return victoriously to