he made so emphatic an apology for disregarding the unities of time and place, nor put forth so clear a vindication of the rights of the imagination in the romantic drama; he seems, indeed, to point directly to Sidney's famous comment on the scenic poverty of the stage,1—“Two armies flye in, represented with four swords and bucklers, and then what hard heart will not receive it for a pitched field," when his Chorus makes the mock avowal: “O for pity;—we shall much disgrace` With four or five most vile and ragged foils, Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous, The name of Agincourt." 2 The theme, as well as its treatment and the spirit which informs the whole, is essentially epic and lyrical rather than dramatic, and the words addressed by Ben Jonson to the arch-patriot among English poets, the poet of the Ballad of Agincourt, "his friend, Michael Drayton," 3 might more justly be applied to the patriot-dramatist of Agin court: "LOOK HOW WE READ THE SPARTANS WERE INFLAMED SO SHALL OUR ENGLISH YOUTHS URGE ON, AND CRY 1 Cp. Apology for Poetry (Arber's Reprint, pp. 63, 64). 2 Prol. iv. 49-52. 3 Ben Jonson's Vision on the Muses of his Friend, Michael Drayton. Jonson seems to have objected to Shakespeare's method in Henry V. Cp. Prologue to Every Man in his Humour (added to the play after 1601):— "He rather prays, you will be pleased to see One such, to-day, as other plays should be; Where neither chorus wafts you o'er the seas," &c. Towards the end of his career, in his Winter's Tale, Shakespeare spoke again, in the person of the Chorus Time, in defense of his "power to overthrow law and in one self-born hour to plant and o'erwhelm custom. DRAMATIS PERSONE KING HENRY the Fifth DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, Duke of Bedford, } brothers to the King DUKE OF EXETER, uncle to the King DUKE OF YORK, cousin to the King EARLS OF SALISBURY, WESTMORELAND, and WARWICK ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY BISHOP OF ELY EARL OF CAMBRIDGE ! LORD SCROOP SIR THOMAS GREY SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM, GOWER, FLUELLEN, MACMORRIS, JAMY, officers in King Henry's army BATES, COURT, WILLIAMS, soldiers in the same PISTOL, NYM, Bardolph Boy A Herald CHARLES the Sixth, King of France LEWIS, the Dauphin DUKES OF BURGUNDY, ORLEANS, and BOURBON The Constable of France RAMBURES and GRANDPRÉ, French Lords Governor of Harfleur MONTJOY, a French Herald Ambassadors to the King of England ISABEL, Queen of France KATHARINE, daughter to Charles and Isabel ALICE, a lady attending on her Hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap, formerly Mistress Quickly, and now married to Pistol Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, and Attendants Chorus SCENE: England; afterwards France SYNOPSIS By J. ELLIS BURDICK ACT I Henry V resolves to claim the throne of France, basing his authority on the old Salic law. He first demands certain provinces and in reply the Dauphin sends him a bag of tennis-balls, evidently thinking that the English king has not outgrown his wild youth. Henry then declares war. АСТ II Sir John Falstaff and his friends cannot understand the commendable change in the character of the king, who has dismissed the wild associates of his youth. Falstaff dies of a broken heart. All England wishes success and conquest to attend the king in his invasion of France. The French, fearing for their country, bribe three English nobles to murder the king before his embarkation at South Hampton. But the plot is discovered in time and the conspirators put to death. ACT III The city of Harfleur in France is besieged and taken by the English. Sickness and lack of food weaken the English army, but nevertheless the king, relying upon the bravery of his men, pitches his camp at Agincourt, wellknowing that the French will give battle there. ACT IV The English prepare energetically for the battle, the king himself in disguise going through the camp and talk |