Shakespeare’s play, Henry V, portrays the newly crowned king of England, King Henry V, as a committed, fearless, and relentless leader. France is England’s archenemy and their relationship only worsens after the Dauphin delivers a mocking message to England’s new king. The Dauphin frequently mocks the English and King Henry whereas, the King of France, Charles VI, does not underestimate Henry and England as his son does.(Source B ) Throughout the play, the two leaders display their differences in terms of personality, leadership, communication skills, and ethics.
When Henry V first claimed the throne, England was in a state of disorder and dismay after endless wars. Furthermore, to gain the respect of his court and people, he felt that he must ‘live down’ his wild, adolescent and irresponsible past when he used to roam with thieves and ‘drunkards’ on the shabby side of London. (Source A ) King Henry V
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Once he sets a goal, he uses every resource and focuses all his energy on accomplishing that goal; clearly, he takes his position as a king very seriously. He claims that he does not have the privilege of the ‘untroubled’ sleep of a common man indicating that he is serious about his position and dedicated to fulfilling his obligations as a leader. Furthermore, Shakespeare intend for us to view Henry as a hero by making him seem so committed to his responsibilities above his own personal feelings. (Source B ) Other than his dedication, King Henry possess another extraordinary quality; his facility with speech. This characteristic is a weapon- equal to the strength of a sword; with his words he inspires his followers, intimidates his enemies, and persuades everyone and anyone who hears him. Evidently, this is seen in his speech at the siege at Harfleur where he gave words of encouragement to his beaten down soldiers to continue the siege.(Source B