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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2023 Shakespeare Complete works challenge
#17 - [b:Henry VI, Part 1|2529147|Henry VI, Part 1|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347765685l/2529147._SY75_.jpg|9933321]
Read - 5/20/23 - 5/21/23
Rating: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
——————————————————-
The untimely/early death of King Henry V led to chaos in his kingdom. His young son, King Henry VI, tried his best to keep things held together but France was revolting and a young warrior girl by the name of Joan la Pucelle, (aka Joan of Arc), bravely led her French troops to victory at the Battle of Orleans.
In the meantime, the War of the Roses started up with Richard Plantagenet (Yorks) using a white rose and the Lancasters identifying themselves with the red rose.
The English and the French battle some more with France getting a lot of its territory back but not completely winning everything. The come up with a truce and as part of that, Margaret of Anjou is betrothed to young King Henry VI.
The bravery of Talbot and his son John Talbot on the English side was very moving.
This play was very good and the plot moved so quickly I read it all in one sitting.
Next up will be [b:All's Well That Ends Well|104790|All's Well That Ends Well|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348276791l/104790._SY75_.jpg|3124595].
#17 - [b:Henry VI, Part 1|2529147|Henry VI, Part 1|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347765685l/2529147._SY75_.jpg|9933321]
Read - 5/20/23 - 5/21/23
Rating: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
——————————————————-
The untimely/early death of King Henry V led to chaos in his kingdom. His young son, King Henry VI, tried his best to keep things held together but France was revolting and a young warrior girl by the name of Joan la Pucelle, (aka Joan of Arc), bravely led her French troops to victory at the Battle of Orleans.
In the meantime, the War of the Roses started up with Richard Plantagenet (Yorks) using a white rose and the Lancasters identifying themselves with the red rose.
The English and the French battle some more with France getting a lot of its territory back but not completely winning everything. The come up with a truce and as part of that, Margaret of Anjou is betrothed to young King Henry VI.
The bravery of Talbot and his son John Talbot on the English side was very moving.
This play was very good and the plot moved so quickly I read it all in one sitting.
Next up will be [b:All's Well That Ends Well|104790|All's Well That Ends Well|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348276791l/104790._SY75_.jpg|3124595].
I listened to the Arkangel audio of the play along with reading the text from the Delphi Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Actually I was surprised to read that this was written two years after part 2 of Henry VI. In this play we find Henry VI in France where they are doing battle to retain the English holdings in the country and all for naught. Henry VI appears to be a weak king at best and the author has written into the story Joan of Arc and her campaigns to put the Dauphin on the throne. It is a subdued version of the other two plays which with Richard III would become the War of the Roses group. I enjoyed this immensely and thought the full cast production of the play highly entertaining.
For a play about Henry VI, he was barely even in it! There is quite a bit of jockeying for power that is easy to forget if you do not read this in one setting (and I did not). The first half is a bit lacking, but the back half is better. Joan of Arc (de Pucelle in the play) intrigued me, especially with her proclamations. Is she prophetic or deluded? The end is a fascinating cliffhanger, however, with hints that the move Henry is making will indeed be a bad one.
It seems as if both Shakespeare and George R.R. Martin drew inspiration from history for their work, and I am curious to see how Shakespeare pulls me into the royal drama. On to Part II!
It seems as if both Shakespeare and George R.R. Martin drew inspiration from history for their work, and I am curious to see how Shakespeare pulls me into the royal drama. On to Part II!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Henry VI Part 1 is the 19th Shakespeare play we’ve read as part of the #UpstartCrows2023 readalong.
This play serves as a prelude to the Wars of the Roses, and acts as a bridge between the heroics of Henry V and the internal conflicts that follow. Shakespeare introduces a kingdom in decline. The central themes include the fragility of peace and the emergence of power vacuums that lead to internal strife. Henry VI’s youth means he is vulnerable and this vulnerability opens the door to ambitious nobles and external enemies.
The two characters that stood out for me were those of Joan of Arc (La Pucelle) and Lord Talbot. Joan of Arc is portrayed as a fiercely patriotic and divinely inspired warrior, challenging English dominance in France, while Lord Talbot is depicted as the epitome of English honour and chivalric ideals, tragically undone by political infighting and betrayal.
The ambiguity created around Joan’s “divine” inspiration, draws on the supernatural and insinuations of witchcraft. How could a young woman so inspire the French troops without some external power?
Talbot seems similarly inspired, however fewer aspersions are cast on his abilities and he’s hailed as a hero, albeit one who succumbs to his own fixation with code and honour. The final scenes between him and his son were amongst the most moving in the play.
As a historical drama, Henry VI, Part 1 was enjoyable and provided an interesting continuation of the themes of power and legitimacy introduced in its predecessors in the first Henriad. However, the character of the King himself was underwhelming and the machinations of the nobles were frustrating. As an illustration of political intrigue and the perils of infighting, it worked well but it did feel like a set up for what’s to come.
This play serves as a prelude to the Wars of the Roses, and acts as a bridge between the heroics of Henry V and the internal conflicts that follow. Shakespeare introduces a kingdom in decline. The central themes include the fragility of peace and the emergence of power vacuums that lead to internal strife. Henry VI’s youth means he is vulnerable and this vulnerability opens the door to ambitious nobles and external enemies.
The two characters that stood out for me were those of Joan of Arc (La Pucelle) and Lord Talbot. Joan of Arc is portrayed as a fiercely patriotic and divinely inspired warrior, challenging English dominance in France, while Lord Talbot is depicted as the epitome of English honour and chivalric ideals, tragically undone by political infighting and betrayal.
The ambiguity created around Joan’s “divine” inspiration, draws on the supernatural and insinuations of witchcraft. How could a young woman so inspire the French troops without some external power?
Talbot seems similarly inspired, however fewer aspersions are cast on his abilities and he’s hailed as a hero, albeit one who succumbs to his own fixation with code and honour. The final scenes between him and his son were amongst the most moving in the play.
As a historical drama, Henry VI, Part 1 was enjoyable and provided an interesting continuation of the themes of power and legitimacy introduced in its predecessors in the first Henriad. However, the character of the King himself was underwhelming and the machinations of the nobles were frustrating. As an illustration of political intrigue and the perils of infighting, it worked well but it did feel like a set up for what’s to come.
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated