Category: 2 Henry VI

History Timeline
Continue reading “Henry the Sixth is History (part deux): Historical and Military Timelines”

Remember when we were discussing Act One, Scene One of The Second Part of Henry the Sixth, and I commented on Salisbury and Warwick:

Both Salisbury and Warwick (father and son) bemoan the loss of territories won in war (and here Shakespearean history falters again: these two speak as if they were the military Salisbury and Warwick of The First Part… only they are NOT: they are the sons-in-law of their respective title-holders in the first play… remember THAT Salisbury was killed in Act One of the play, and THAT Warwick (in reality) died before the end of the play… THIS Warwick was only 17 years old at the time of Henry and Margaret’s wedding (so in no possible way did he “win them both” [I.i.116] himself).

Let’s explain how all of this went down.
Continue reading “Meet the New Salisbury and Warwick”

A couple of months back, when we were in the midst of The Taming of the Shrew, we discussed the difficulty of the play, especially as it relates to the depiction of women.  The play, especially in recent decades, has been seen as a horrible example of dramatic misogyny.

Two months down the line, however, as we find ourselves deep in the Henry the Sixth histories, I see that women actually had it pretty good at Shakespeare’s hands back in Taming, for what have we seen since?
Continue reading “Women in Henry VI: witches and bitches”

just wanted to remind you about the

The Bill / Shakespeare Project:
Shakespeare’s English Succession of Kings

I still haven’t gotten around to publishing play-specific PDFs of family trees… just haven’t had the time (and I’m not sure when that WON’T be the case)…

Regardless, I hope this Flash page helps with your reading of The Second Part of King Henry VI…

Act Five, Scene One of The Second Part of Henry the Sixth begins with the entrance of Richard Duke of York and his army onto an open field between St. Albans and London.  Richard makes his intention plain to his followers: “From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right, // And pluck the crown from feeble Henry’s head” (V.i.1-2).  Buckingham arrives as a messenger from King Henry, desiring to know York’s reason for raising an army; York, seemingly realizing that he cannot mount a full rebellion yet, states his cause is “to remove proud Somerset from the king, // Seditious to his grace and to the state” (V.i.36-37).  When Buckingham tells York that Somerset is already in the Tower of London, York immediately disbands his army and sends them off, agreeing to give Henry not only his “fealty and love” (V.i.50), but that of his sons as well, as long as Somerset is put to death.  Buckingham commends York’s “submission” (V.i.54), and tells Henry as much when he arrives with his attendants a few lines later.
Continue reading “Act Five: the Duke of York’s First Claim Unto the Crown”

With Suffolk dispatched in Act Four, Scene One of The Second Part of Henry the Sixth, the remainder of the fourth act is devoted to (as the original title’s subtitle puts it) “the Notable Rebellion of Jack Cade.”
Continue reading “Act Four, the Remainder: Rebel, Rebel”

Act Four, Scene One of The Second Part of Henry the Sixth takes place on a ship, one that has just boarded the ship taking Suffolk off to banishment.  The captain of the ship disperses the three prisoners (including a disguised Suffolk) to his cohorts (so that they may be ransomed).  Suffolk is ready to pay his ransom for release until he hears the name of his captor: Walter Whitmore.  When he hears the name, however, he “starts” such that Whitmore asks, “What does thee affright?” (both IV.i.33).  Suffolk’s answer is simple:

Thy name affrights me, in whose sound is death.
A cunning man did calculate my birth,
And told me that by Water I should die

— IV.i.34-36

Continue reading “Act Four, Scene One: Murdered by Pirates is Good (yeah, I know they’re not pirates, but I couldn’t resist)”

Act Three, Scene Two of The Second Part of Henry the Sixth begins with a bit of stage direction:

The curtains are drawn apart, revealing Duke Humphrey of Gloucester in his bed with two men lying on his breast, smothering him in his bed.

— III.ii.begin s.d.

Continue reading “Act Three, the Remainder: Death, Banishment, More Death, and a Little TLC”