Shakespeare’s History Plays

1. Shakespeare’s History Plays

3. Shakespeare’s Histories • Why did Shakespeare write history plays? • National Identity and Mythology • Historiography has changed • Why did he write them in the 1590s? • Publication of popular chronicle histories • Defeat of the Spanish Armada • Succession Question • Analogous contemporary issues • What period of history interested him in the 1590s? • Hundred Years Wars (1337-1453) • Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) • What history plays did he write? • How did he interpret that history?

4. Why History Plays? National Identity and Mythology • The Tudor Myth from Henry VII • End of civil war between Lancastrians and Yorkists • Centralized authority dependent on personal and parliamentary power but theologically sanctioned

5. National Identity • Under Henry VIII, England becomes a world power for the first time • Henry VIII is both King and Head of the Church of England

6. National Identity • Under Elizabeth, England became an adroit player of European power politics

7. Changes in Historiography • From Histories of the world to Histories of cities or kingdoms (Machiavelli) • From Anglo-Saxon Chronicle histories kept by different people to popular Histories of Kings and of England • Robert Fabyan. The New Chronicles of England and France, In Two Parts (1516) • Edward Hall. The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke (1548) • Raphael Holinshed, Chronicles of England, Scotland, Ireland (1577)

8. Why the 1590s? • Holinshed’s Chronicles republished in 1587

9. Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588

10. 3. The Succession Question

11. Analogous Contemporary Issues • Civil unrest caused by • Enclosures • Demographic shifts • Bad Harvests • Plague • War • Fiscal woes • Social Instability • Perceived bad government

12. Sir Walter Ralegh, The History of the World, 1614 How-soeuer, I know that it will be said by many, That I might haue beene more pleasing to the Reader, if I had written the Story of mine owne times, hauing beene permitted to draw water as neare the Well-head as another. To this I answere, that who-so-euer in writing a moderne History, shall follow truth too neare the heeles, it may happily strike out his teeth.

13. It is enough for me (being in that state I am) to write of the eldest times: wherein also why may it not be said, that in speaking of the past, I point at the present, and taxe the vices of those that are yet liuing, in their persons that are long since dead; and haue it laid to my charge? But this I cannot helpe, though innocent. And certainly if there be any, that finding themselues spotted like the Tigers of old time, shall find fault with me for painting them ouer a new; they shall therein accuse themselues iustly, and me fully (falsly).

14. Oh by what plots, by what forswearing, betraying, oppressions, imprisonments, tortures, poysonings, and vnder what reasons of State, and politique subteltie, haue these forenamed Kings, both strangers, and of our owne Nation, pulled the vengeance of GOD vpon them-selues, vpon theirs, and vpon their prudent ministers! and in the end haue brought those things to passe for their enemies, and seene an effect so directly contrary to all their owne counsailes and cruelties; as the one could neuer haue hoped for themselues; and the other neuer haue succeeded; if no such opposition had euer been made. GOD hath said it and performed it euer: Perdam sapientiam sapientum, I will destroy the wisdome of the wise.

15. What periods of English history seemed especially analogous to the 1590s? • The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) • The Wars of the Roses (1453-1485) (Lancastrian – Yorkist struggle)

16. The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) Phase 1: The English Invasion Edward III of England claimed the French throne through his mother, Isabella of France

17. Edward III, 1312-1377

18. Edward III claims the throne of France In 1337 Edward III, King of England and Duke of Aquitaine, wrote to “Phelippe VI de Valois,” “qui se dit roi de France.”

19. Philippe VI receives homage from Edward III

20. Philippe VI de Valois

21. Edward III invades France • Edward’s forces invaded France in 1345, when Henry of Grosment, Earl of Derby attacked garrisons held by the French in Guyenne (Aquitaine), which was Edward III’s duchy. • In 1346, Edward III made a surprise landing in the Cotentin (Normandy), seizing, pillaging or burning the towns, including Caen

22. Edward III attacks Caen (1346)

23. The First Battle • On 26 August, 1346, the French and English armies met in pitched battle at Crécy-en-Ponthieu • Edward III adapted a defensive position and relied on the agility of his archers, longbow-men • Philippe VI could not control his badly disciplined chevaliers and crossbow-men • The French king was forced to leave the field

24. The Battle of Crécy, 1346

25. Siege of Calais • Edward marched north to Calais, where he ruthlessly beseiged the city for 11 months. • The terms of its surrender where to depopulate the town and colonize it with English

26. The siege of Calais, 1347

27. Auguste Rodin, Les Bourgois de Calais (1889)

28. The English Invade France: Phase 2 • Philippe VI died in 1350 • He was succeeded by his son, Jean II “le Bon” • In 1355, Edward III’s son, called Edward the Black Prince, entered Aquitaine and captured Bordeaux. • In 1356, the French and English armies again met in pitched battle at Poitiers • The Black Prince captured the French king, Jean le Bon, sent him to England, and held him for ransom

29. Edward the Black Prince, 1330-1376

30. Jean II, le Bon

31. Battle of Poitiers, 1356

32. Battle of Poitiers, 1356

33. Phase 3: • 1360 – the Treaty of Bretigny. The English keep Aquitaine, but give up their claims to the French crown. • 1364 – Death of Jean II, accession of Charles V, le Sage • 1369 – Charles V retakes Aquitaine • 1373 – John of Gaunt leads chevauchee from Calais to Bordeaux • 1376 – Death of the Black Prince • 1377 – Death of Edward III • 1380 – Death of Charles V

34. Charles V, le Sage

35. Period of Inactivity • 1377 – Accession of Richard II, uninterested in France • 1380 – Accession of Philippe VI, le Fou • 1381 – Peasants’ revolt in England • 1389 – Truce between England and France • 1399 – Deposition of Richard II and accession of Henry IV, uninterested in France

36. Richard II, son of Edward, the Black Princereigned 1377-1399

37. Charles VI, le Fou

38. Peasants’ Revolt, 1381

39. Bolingbroke and Mowbray before Richard II

40. Abdication of Richard II, 1399

41. Henry IV, reigned 1399-1413

42. Troubled reign of Henry IV • Unrest in England • Troubles with his son Henry

44. Phase 4: • 1412 – Duke of Clarence leads a chevauchee from Normandy to Bordeaux • 1413 – Death of Henry IV and accession of Henry V • 1415 – Henry V invades France, captures Harfleur and defeats the French army at the Battle of Azincourt • 1417 – Henry V begins the conquest of Normandy • 1419 – Rouen falls to the English • 1420 – Treaty of Troyes: Charles VI recognizes Henry V as heir to the French throne and Regent of France • The English occupy Paris • 1422 – Deaths of Henry V and Charles VI

45. Phase 5: • Henry VI recognized as King of France north of the Loire while France south of the Loire recognizes Charles VII • 1430 – Capture of Jeanne d’Arc • 1431 – Jeanne d’Arc burned in Rouen; Henry VI crowned at Paris • 1436 – Charles VII recaptures Paris • 1441-1451 – Charles VII reconquers France for the French • 1453 – English defeated at Castillon and finally lose Bordeaux

46. Henry V, king of England and Regent of France (reigned 1413-1422)

47. Battle of Azincourt, 1513

48. Henry VI, King of England and France, reigned 1422-1461

49. Charles VII, King of France

50. Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485 • Struggles between the two lines of Edward III’s descendants: • The Lancastrians (from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster) • The Yorkists (from Edmund Langley, Duke of York)