Henry V

The dogs of war are unleashed, and a charismatic warrior king emerges in Shakespeare’s breathtaking depiction of the Battle of Agincourt. But the events before and after the decisive victory temper the fervor of nationalism — and paint a nuanced portrait of the introspective Henry, who learns that the attributes that make an inspirational leader often come into conflict with those that make a good man.

Henry V, the history play by William Shakespeare written around 1599, tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years’ War. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; and Henry IV, Part 2. Audiences may know the title character from Shakespeare’s earlier Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined lad called “Prince Harry” or “Hal.”