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    Henry VI, Part II
    Henry VI, Part II
    Henry VI, Part II
    Ebook211 pages1 hour

    Henry VI, Part II

    By William Shakespeare

    3.5/5

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    Preferring a life of spiritual contemplation, Henry VI leaves politics to his nobles. The resulting power struggle pits the Houses of York and Lancaster against one another for control of the crown. Against a backdrop of violent rebellion, the play explores the relationship between law and justice and the extent of a ruler's authority.
    The second of three plays based on the life of England's fifteenth-century monarch, this historical drama chronicles the conflicts behind the War of the Roses. Each part of the trilogy is self-contained and can be appreciated without knowledge of the others. Vivid characterization, dark comedy, and powerful language combine for a memorable portrait of a country devastated by civil war.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDover Publications
    Release dateJul 8, 2015
    ISBN9780486790022
    Henry VI, Part II
    Author

    William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare is the world's greatest ever playwright. Born in 1564, he split his time between Stratford-upon-Avon and London, where he worked as a playwright, poet and actor. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two, leaving three children—Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. The rest is silence.

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    Reviews for Henry VI, Part II

    3.5/5

    135 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Shakespeare's histories are best read back to back in sequence, which gives a broader context and more of a historical sense. It can be a bit confusing to just take in one at random, more or less like dropping in on the middle of a story.That is particularly true here, in the second part (of three) about the reign of Henry VI. There is a lot going on in this play, and some of the acts seem to be there mainly to move us along in the historical narrative as efficiently as possible. There are some interesting characters who Shakespeare takes some extra time to develop a bit more, but most of them are just various plotters in various factions who get killed off by each other in short order.The most interesting part of this play is Act IV, which is all about Jack Cade's rebellion. Shakespeare portrays him as nothing more than a rabble-rousing, populist demagogue, and brutally satirizes such movements as pandering to the lowest common denominator. Cade promises his followers, who are mostly petty criminals, a sort of communist utopia, with an unending supply of free booze. Then, as his first official act, he executes a clerk for being literate enough to be able to sign his own name, rather than simply making a mark like a plain, honest man---and likewise promises to "kill all the lawyers." And things go downhill from there.This isn't one of Shakespeare's best histories, but it has its merits and is definitely not bad either.
    • 3/5
      Fairly good as it sets in motion the plot and factions that come to a climax in the third part. The War of the Roses roars into full swing. The weak Henry and the virago Margaret of Anjou start to show their stripes. The traitorous Suffolk gets his comeuppance. Rchard, Duke of York, rules the day but his victory is short-lived.
    • 4/5
      Yes, there are way too many Dukes in this play, and they are not sufficiently differentiated. Reading this, you get the feeling it's like one of those old "Masterpiece Theatre" miniseries, and you really wish that Alistair Cooke were around to give you some tidy and well-spoken background info. Not to mention the fact that the central character Henry VI probably should never have been king in the first place. Given Queen Elizabeth's political sensitivity in the 1590s, Shakespeare had to be careful not to impugn the entire concept of inherited monarchy. That said, "Henry VI Part II" contains a number of very interesting things, and I was tempted to give it four stars. For one thing, the Queen - Margaret of Anjou - is a great character, one of the best Shakespearean villainesses. It's a well-written part, with enough depth that on a certain level you have to sympathize with her plight, particularly her infidelity. I mean, it's not _her_ fault that she was married off to such a schlub as King Henry VI. Then there's the whole Jack Cade rebellion, which is portrayed with a lot of gusto, even if Cade is presented in a one-sided manner as an ignorant demogogue. In some ways, the episode is eerily reminiscent of some 20th century dictators. Oh, the fickle mob! And this is play that contains on the most famous of all Shakespearean tags, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, the Bard himself was NOT sympathetic to that idea: clearly, lawyers and clerks were among the most important of his fan base in the early 1590s when he wrote this play at the start of his career. Of course, Shakespeare's chronicle plays bear the same relationship to the "real history" of 15th century England as Oliver Stone's films do the history of our own time, but that doesn't mean that they can't be appreciated on their own merits.
    • 3/5
      The play deals with the end of the English wars in France, and the beginning of the conflict between the Party of Henry VI, and his wife Margaret and her lover the duke of Suffolk, and the party of the duke of York, Richard Plantagenet. There's also a revolt of the ordinary people, led by Jack Cade, to muddy the waters. A lot of killing ensues.I have recorded this as read 7 times.
    • 4/5
      The star rating is based on my enjoyment/engrossment in the play, and not the quality of the writing. I couldn't stop reading this, even though it was painful. Each character I started to like either became repulsive in their actions, or died. It did inspire me to look up the actual histories of many of the characters, and though the timeline is a bit condensed, and the characters are extreme for drama's sake, it isn't that far off from what I read.
    • 5/5
      A Saintly King no Match for Headless CoqsIn the fifteenth century the age of chivalry had long since passed and Shakespeare with his first history play written in the late sixteenth century shows how personal the barbarity had become. Warrior Queens and ambitious wives add to a fatal mix for the Noble families of England.Lady Eleanor:Were I a man, a duke and next of blood,I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocksAnd smooth my way upon their headless necks.Testosterone drives the events forward, which rapidly threaten the king himself with the Duke of York happy to stir up a popular revolt to gain the crown. It was quite simply all or nothing if you didn't get to wear the crown you lost your head. This had always been the case, but the wars of the roses between the houses of York and Lancaster threatened to plunge the country into chaos and Shakespeare shows how close it was for the the Lord of Misrule to triumph. If ever the Elizabethan state needed a history lesson as the queen aged with no heir to the throne then Shakespeare provided it. Reading and watching a performance of the play today shows just how well the play works. It makes for great drama and an interesting interpretation of the history of England.The majority of the play is centred around the the scheming of the powerful Dukes of England as they break into various factions to secure the crown from a king who has proven to be weak in the art of politics and leadership. However interspersed are scenes and one whole act of the blackest of black comedy involving non noble characters, which are also relevant to the plot. In act one it is Eleanor; wife of the Lord Protector to the king and the most powerful man in the kingdom who hires a sinister group of charlatans to prophesy the fate of the king and his advisers. The scene ends with their arrest and puts in train the events that will lead to the Protectors downfall. In act 2 there is the miracle cure claimed by Simpcox which is foiled in the public domaine by the Lord Protector, then there is the trial by combat of Horner the armourer and Peter his assistant. Peter has accused Horner of uttering treasonable words and the king has ordered a trial by combat. These trials usually took place between men of noble birth and Peter and Horner are provided with long poles and sandbags as weapons (as befits their station). However Peter kills Horner and this turning upside down of the way things should be is a portent of Jack Cades rebellion in act 4. This starts with the execution of Suffolk at the hands of pirates; dark in the extreme before moving onto a tremendous piece of theatre as Jack Cade acts out a real Lord of Misrule, hanging and ordering the death of innocent people on a whim, stirring up a mob and making a mockery of law and justice. Act 5 starts with the ignominious killing of Cade before the play ends in an orgy of death and destruction as York makes his play for the crown aided by Warwick and Salisbury. The Arden Shakespeare edition contains most of what you would want for a reading of the play. As is usual with this series it pays some attention to the productions of the play on stage since the 1590's. How different productions can emphasise the particular themes that run through the play. For example the carnivalesque aspects which could be toned down and played for a more gentle comedy instead of a more Rabelaisian saga of violence. The relationship between King Henry and his queen Margaret could either be played as a respectful queen towards her saintly husband, or as a strong willed woman contemptuous of a weak and indecisive monarch who is losing his grip on his crown. Ronald Knowles introduction covers many of the themes and he is particularly strong on providentialism: the belief that God controls events on earth and works in mysterious ways and the great chain of being; everybody has and knows their place in society and should stick to it. These ideas are challenged by the machiavellianism of the nobles and the violent challenges from those lower down the order. He is also very good on the burlesque distortion of society occasioned by Jack Cade's rebellion. He also covers issues relating to text and authorship including the quarto publication of The Contention (this is included in a facsimile reproduction as an appendix). There is a section on sources and of course as you would expect there are copious notes which explain where Shakespeare found his history and where he adapted it to fit into a drama that played well on stage.This is an early play by Shakespeare, perhaps the first where he was the main author, but his skill and artistry is evident. The animal imagery in evidence throughout may appear a little overplayed in places and repetitive, but it does link the actions within the play and hammers home one of the main ideas that the actions of both the nobles in their lust for power and the lower orders in their lust to destroy is hardly better than the primitive natural world. There are interesting parallels between the actions of the nobles and the ordinary people and the death scenes are well handled. The violence both on and off stage is extreme with a central motif of decapitation and defilement. "Yes, Poll!" says the pirate lieutenant; "Pole!" corrects Suffolk (he is William de la Pole) whose head does not end up on a pole as do other characters in this play, his head ends up in the lap of his lover Queen Margaret (unfortunately not attached to his body). Characterisation is pushed up to another level by Shakespeare; the strident assertive females, the essentially good and holy King, The world weary Duke of Gloucester who can hardly believe what is happening to him and who has a tremendous scene with his wife the lady Eleanor who is just finishing a two day ordeal of public penance; the cunning Duke of York and the bravado of the kingmaker Warwick.The BBC 1983 television production directed by Jane Howell is a must see for anybody that likes this play. It sticks closely to the text that has come down to us and proves how well the play works in the theatre. Peter Bensen as King Henry is portrayed as a weak king in the traditional sense of being out of touch and fearful of what is going on around him. He needs the support of his Protector the good and sensitive Duke of Gloucester. His new Queen: Margaret played by Julia Foster is a feisty woman intent on asserting her authority in love perhaps with Suffolk, but is able to let him go when her position is threatened. The Jack Cade scenes are excellent as is the fighting at the conclusion, many of the themes highlighted by the Arden edition can be followed in this production.Shakespeare's Henry VI part 2 shows a world that is gripped by greed where violence always lurks just below the surface and rises up with the least provocation. It is a world where pageantry and order can no longer paper over the cracks, it is a world sinking into barbarism where the strongest survive and religion is only for the foolish. A martial society where the ability to bear arms is of the upmost importance. It is all here in Shakespeare's play and the words on the page can come alive on the stage. Brilliant 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      An absolutely wonderful edition of this play, acknowledging it both a single entity and part of a much larger sequence. The informative introduction discusses critical and theatrical approaches to the work over the centuries, and the notes are second-to-none.

      My only issue with the Arden series is in the advertising. Their website and promotional materials suggest these are the best Shakespeare editions for students, including highschool and undergraduate. I'm just not sure I agree. For instance the astoundingly deep introduction opens with a lengthy look at performance history which includes extensive discussions of how the other plays fit, which can often casually discuss political and narrative elements in them without really explaining it. The second section, on the play's critical history, again uses a lot of in-depth terms or academic asides without detailing these for younger or inexperienced students. This isn't the fault of the editor, since he is writing for an academic and knowledgeable audience; it's the fact that - while I acknowledge capitalism is above all - perhaps Arden could subtly shift their marketing toward the academic crowd, or produce school texts with similar textual notes but a slighter introduction.
    • 4/5
      Henry is a bit slow and easily led by those around him, and facing multiple challenges to his throne. I’m not going to go into too much detail critiquing Shakespeare, because I think most people are familiar enough to be able to discern whether or not they would be comfortable. I’ve never read any of his other history plays, so I’m not sure how this compares, but I was definitely aided in my attempt to understand what was going on by the fact that I had some previous knowledge of the events of Henry VI’s reign, even though Shakespeare didn't write the most accurate histories, being a playwright and not an historian.
    • 5/5
      Shakespeare’s histories have always felt less accessible to me than his other work. But I realized the other day that it’s probably because I’m not that familiar with the people involved. What is the musical “Hamilton” if not our version of Shakespeare's histories? It’s a theatrical show based on our own country’s history. Shakespeare's histories are not as easy for us to understand because we they are covering a time period that we don’t always learn about. But during Shakespeare's time everyone knew who those dukes and kings were, just as we know names like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.Anyway, all of that to say that these three plays worked much better for me than some of the other histories of his I've tackled and I think it’s because I finally made that connection. It was also incredibly helpful to me to watch the Hollow Crown series before reading the plays. It covers all three of these plays although it's called Henry VI Part one and two, it's really a combination of parts 1, 2 and 3.They are so well done and watching those first helped me picture a face with a name while reading the place, which helped me keep all the characters straight.These plays are part of the eight plays that make up the War of the Roses. Henry VI Part 1 includes the original scene where the characters pick a white or red rose to declare their allegiance. From there it’s a constant stream of battle and betrayal as they all fight for the thrown. Poor King Henry VI is thrust into his role as monarch when he’s only a baby. The death of his father meant a life time watching others attempt to steal his throne. Almost everyone in the plays comes to a bloody end by the final curtain. A few thoughts: Margaret was such a bad ass. She was conniving, but she was strong where her husband, King Henry VI, was weak. I have to admire her and she certainly has some of the best lines. We meet the infamous Richard in these plays. I'd read and seen Richard III before, so reading these gave me a better understanding of his character's background. He’s a delicious villain and one that I loved getting to know. “Why, I can smile and murder whiles I smile,And cry 'content' to that which grieves my heart,And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,And frame my face for all occasions”BOTTOM LINE: I ended up loving them. I was surprised by how hooked I got on the War of the Roses drama, but it’s like a soap opera. It’s amazing to see how power seems to corrupt all the touch it. Even those who are not driven with a desire for power are often the easiest to steal power from, because they aren’t as vicious as others. I would definitely read part 1, 2, and 3 back-to-back because they work better as one continuous story. I also highly recommend watching the Hollow Crown series first, but just dive into the plays and enjoy them! “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.”“For where thou art, there is the world itself,With every several pleasure in the world,And where thou art not, desolation.”“Unbidden guests are often welcomest when they are gone.”
    • 4/5
      The action in Henry VI, Part II is mostly treachery amongst, and depopulation of, the dramatis personae. Those few not removed from the living are responsible for the newly missing. Quite a jolly old England Shakespeare’s England of old.The play resembles a pro wrestling battle royal except instead of being tossed over the ropes the combatants are tossed into their graves, and not always with their heads. The heads, less willing to cede the limelight, at times continue as dramatis personae without the personae themselves.Amazingly, there is much talk of honor from this group among whom honor is most loved as an ideal to be breached. The survivor with a royal stake whose potential for dishonor is not yet heartily embraced is Henry VI himself, the man who would not be king:Was ever king that joy’d an earthly throne,And could command no more content than I?No sooner was I crept out of my cradleBut I was made a king at nine months old:Was never subject long’d to be a kingAs I do long and wish to be a subject.One hardly can be optimistic he will hold the scepter much longer. All in all, despite Shakespeare’s habit of messing with biographical and historical facts, Part II is an absorbing enterprise in political misbehavior and violence in the service of ambition.
    • 4/5
      Listened to LibriVox full cast audiobook & read in Kindle omnibus "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare"Not quite as compelling to me as Part 1 but still much less difficult than I expect of Shakespeare. And now I know the context of the famous line "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."!

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    Henry VI, Part II - William Shakespeare

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