Dang, this story is really actually kind of wild. So, obviously, I know how the War of the Roses happened in reality, but even with the historical context, I still got all up in arms every time somebody would defect to one side, then back to the other, and when the ending came, even though I knew it was coming... it's like... no wait! The play is called Henry VI, he's not supposed to lose!

I think that's something I can say in general about all of Shakespeare's histories, now that I've read a fair number of them - they're not unbiased in terms of the message or theme, but the characters on all sides of the conflicts are getting really weighty screen-time, if you will, and there are very few characters or perspectives that seem out-and-out evil. Even knowing the way history would turn out, you start to hope that those dang Lancasters and Yorks can talk out their differences and all just get along - a patently ridiculous idea, of course, but the play makes you sympathize juuuust enough with people from both sides.

The writing is lush, the battles are kind of intense, Margaret has some of the best dialogue given to a woman in any Shakespeare play... this is a play I'd definitely like to see on stage some time. I can see why the Henry VI plays don't get talked about quite as much as some of the others, but for my money they are really powerful works.