Widely acknowledged as the greatest of Shakespeare’s history plays, Henry V depicts the intrepid young monarch who expanded the power and territories of the crown, while grappling with such perennial questions as: What makes a great ruler? What makes a nation great? What is the proper balance between diplomacy and aggression, caution and valor, mercy and retribution? The patriotism evoked by such rousing language as the Saint Crispin’s Day speech helped to canonize Henry V as the founding myth for an emerging nation. The play’s violence and bloodshed are tempered by a romantic happy ending, witty word-play, and comic scenes such as the lewd connotations in the “vocabulary lesson” for the French Princess Katherine. Each session focuses on an act (or part thereof), with excerpts of films and video-recorded stage performances. Following each class (gratis to course registrants), there’s an optional ½-hour session, in which participants may perform (or just listen to) a dramatic reading of the part discussed in class.

Text: All required texts and related materials will be supplied online by the instructor (at no additional cost).