The Kings Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeares Henry V

Although tagged as a history, the strength of Shakespeares heat content V lies not in the events that occur in the gyp, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeares audience would earn already known the story of Henry Vs campaign on France and consequently would collect had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted quondam(prenominal) events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the troops whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind each(prenominal) that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the ability must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What grade of military personnel is he ? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many elaborate involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play. To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in tycoon Henrys decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic strive? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated a task made more intemperate by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting slaying that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It would be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. whole caboodle CitedDeats, Sara Munson. Rabbits and Ducks. Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992) 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994) 117-123 The Kings Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeares Henry VAlthough labeled as a history, the strength of Shakespeares Henry V lies not in the events that occur in the play, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeares audience would have al ready known the story of Henry Vs campaign on France and thus would have had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted past events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the man whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind all that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the king must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What kind of man is he? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many details involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play . To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in King Henrys decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic endeavour? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated a task made more difficult by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting performance that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It wou ld be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. Works CitedDeats, Sara Munson. Rabbits and Ducks. Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992) 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994) 117-123