How Does Shakespeare Present Henry In Act 4 Scene 1

Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays Henry V as a man of great kingly qualities, who can lead a tired and outnumbered group of people to demolish a fresh strong French army on the battlefield of Agincourt. Yet Shakespeare shows the audience a different side to the King, a side where he is portrayed as a ordinary man.

One example of this is in Act 4 Scene 1, where Henry has decided to walk around the English camp on the night of the battle of Agincourt in disguise to see what his subjects are saying about him and the battle the nervous night before. This is Dramatic irony, as his soldiers do not recognize him when he is in disguise, also showing that when he is not in front of his men in the king’s clothes and jewels, he is unrecognizable as anything but an ordinary

This shows the audience what Henrys royal status brings him mentally in the fact that how could an ordinary man be in charge of so many people’s lives and well being. Henry replies by saying that he is not to be held responsible for the deaths that may occur as “ Every subject’s duty is the king’s, but every subject’s soul is his own.” This is Henry saying that he is just an ordinary man and that he is not a special man who should be blamed for the war and deaths. This encounter shows that Henry can, when hidden, talk and behave like an ordinary man without people getting suspicious as to him being the king. In a few ways he shows this, as Bates and Williams don’t question that his language is not that of an ordinary man and that he can take opinions of others, not thinking himself as being above others opinions as he is the king. It also shows that he has the calmness to be able to take abuse of his actions as king without changing his tone just expressing his thinking behind those