William Shakespeare

Michael Hattaway

Shakespeare's plays about the reign of Henry VI were for a long time undervalued, but a recent series of outstanding productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and others has demonstrated their theatrical vitality. This is the first major edition in over twenty-five years. It takes account of recent discoveries concerning Shakespeare's early career and the problems of authorship, and pays particular attention to recent theatrical history. This textually authoritative edition reveals King Henry VI as a dramatically innovative and politically radical account of key events in the Hundred Years War.

The First Part of King Henry VI

In their lively and engaging edition of this sometimes neglected early play, Cox and Rasmussen make a strong claim for it as a remarkable work, revealing a confidence and sureness that very few earlier plays can rival. They show how the young Shakespeare, working closely from his chronicle sources, nevertheless freely shaped his complex material to make it both theatrically effective and poetically innovative. The resulting work creates, in Queen Margaret, one of Shakespeare's strongest female roles and is the source of the popular view of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick as `kingmaker'. Focusing on the history of the play both in terms of both performance and criticism, the editors open it to a wide and challenging variety of interpretative and editorial paradigms.

Third Series

King Henry VI Part 3

Maxie Froelicher

I’m playing Richard in a livestream version of this show. Good times, long monologues, lots of death.

Read for the Around the Year in 52 Books 2020 prompt #27 - A history or historical fiction

Shakespeare's Henry VI plays dramatize contemporary as much as Elizabethan issues: the struggle for power, the manoeuvres of politicians, social unrest, civil war. This edition draws on experience of the play in rehearsal and performance to focus on both its theatricality and contemporary relevance in a wide-ranging introduction and detailed commentary.

The Oxford Shakespeare: Henry VI, Part Two

Brittney Wilson

The humour in this killed me. I loved it.

The play begins with the marriage of King Henry VI of England to the young Margaret of Anjou. Margaret is the protegee and lover of William de la Pole, 4th Earl of Suffolk, who aims to influence the king through her. The major obstacle to Suffolk and Margaret's plan is the Lord Protector; Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, who is extremely popular with the common people and deeply trusted by the King.Upon reaching the parliamentary chambers in London, York seats himself in the throne, and a confrontation ensues between his supporters and Henry's. Threatened with violence by Warwick, who has brought part of his army with him, the King reaches an agreement with York which will allow him to remain king until his death, at which time the throne will permanently pass to the House of York and its descendants. Disgusted with this decision, which would disinherit the King's son, Prince Edward, the King's supporters, led by his wife, Margaret, abandon him, and Margaret declares war on the Yorkists, supported by Clifford, who is determined to exact revenge for the death of his father at the hands of York during the battle of St Albans.

Part 2 - Original Edition

Henry VI

Novel Ideas

King Henry VI Part 2 takes place following the events of King Henry VI Part 1, and focuses on Henry's attempts to control his nobles- Queen Margaret, The Duke of Gloucester, The Duke of Suffolk, and The Duke of York. Shakespeare uses these characters to explore betrayal, manipulation, and Henry's weakness as a ruler. 

The play is split into five acts, same as the first installment of the trilogy, but King Henry VI Part 2 is slower paced than Part 1, focusing more on character interactions than the conflict between France and England. Like with Part 1, the language is typical Shakespearean and isn't the most accessible at times. 

I would recommend this play to anyone who read Part 1 and wants to continue on in the trilogy, and those looking for a more character driven example of Shakespeare's histories. 

The acclaimed Pelican Shakespeare series edited by A. R. Braunmuller and Stephen Orgel The legendary Pelican Shakespeare series features authoritative and meticulously researched texts paired with scholarship by renowned Shakespeareans. Each book includes an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare’s time, an introduction to the individual play, and a detailed note on the text used. Updated by general editors Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller, these easy-to-read editions incorporate over thirty years of Shakespeare scholarship undertaken since the original series, edited by Alfred Harbage, appeared between 1956 and 1967. With definitive texts and illuminating essays, the Pelican Shakespeare will remain a valued resource for students, teachers, and theater professionals for many years to come. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Henry VI, Part 3

King Henry VI part one follows the country of England as they are at war after the death of their King, King Henry the Fifth. While the dukes of England scramble to get England's politics in order, Lord Talbot fights against Joan La Pucelle and the French forces. Shakespeare uses these characters to explore themes of power and control, heroism and the death of chivalry, and the degradation of power. 

The play is split into five acts, and and keeps a quick pace. The language is typical of any Shakespeare play, and isn't always the most accessible. I would recommend this play to those interested in reading more Shakespeare, especially if they want to branch out into more of Shakespeare's histories. 



William SHAKESPEARE

The date Henry VI, Part 2 (often noted simply as 2 Henry VI) was written is uncertain. Some editors think it was written before 1 Henry VI, probably in 1591, making this play one of Shakespeare's earliest stage plays. The play takes place after the French wars, when the English lost and regained most of the lands originally won by Henry V. During the wars, depicted in 1 Henry VI, factionalism between the various nobles brought about the death of England's champion warrior. Disagreements between Somerset and York led to a division of nobles into those who supported the red or white rose, setting the stage for the civil war known as the War of the Roses. At the end of 1 Henry VI, Suffolk captured Margaret, daughter of a bankrupt French lord; infatuated with her, Suffolk woos her for Henry and convinces Henry to marry her instead of a more politically motivated match.2 Henry VI concerns the continued scheming in the court, first between Gloucester and Beaufort, then between York's faction and the other lords. The infighting between the lords and the popular uprising by Jack Cade show what happens to the nation when the king in power is too weak to rule effectively. The play charts the rise and fall of many lords and lesser figures within the kingdom.Shakespeare probably made use of historical information gathered from contemporary chronicle histories of the 15th century and the struggles between the Yorks and the Lancasters in the War of the Roses. Particularly he is thought to have used Raphael Holingshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland for details of Cade's rebellion, modeled on the revolt by Wat Tyler in the Peasant's Rebellion of 1381.Scholars agree that two different versions of this play existed in the early modern period. A version of the play was first published in 1594, and another longer version appeared in the First Folio in 1623. The relationship between these two texts has been a long-debated point in Shakespeare scholarship.

Tess Letasz

An insightful new edition of Shakespeare's historical play based on the life of Henry VI as he deals with politics, conflict and power struggles, culminating in war.

King Henry VI Part 2

louise

Henry VI, Part 2

Monicap

Nikita 

The new Pelican Shakespeare series incorporates the more than thirty years of Shakespeare scholarship undertaken since the acclaimed original series, edited by Alfred Harbage, appeared between 1956 and 1967. The general editors of the new series of forty volumes-the renowned Shakespeareans Stephen Orgel of Stanford University and A. R. Braunmuller of UCLA-have assembled a team of eminent scholars who have, along with the general editors themselves, prepared new introductions and notes to all of Shakespeare's plays and poems. Redesigned in an easy-to-read format that preserves the favorite features of the original, including an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare, an introduction to the individual play, and a note on the text used. The new Pelican Shakespeare will be an excellent resource for students, teachers, and theatre professionals well into the twenty first century.

The First Part of Henry the Sixth

Benjamin Erwin

This new edition is based on the 1623 First Folio text and challenges conventional thinking about the nature and relationship of the earliest texts. It contributes substantial new evidence about Shakespeare's revision of the plays and the introduction and commentary focus on stage-oriented discussions of the play's meaning and reception.

The Oxford Shakespeare: Henry VI Part Three

For this new edition of Henry VI, Part Two, Roger Warren draws on his experience of the play both in rehearsal and performance to focus its theatricality and contemporary relevance, as well as providing a detailed commentary and a fresh consideration of the relation between the two original texts.

Part two

Henry VI.

Rose Stanley

Celine Brinkmann

Henry VI, Part 3 is dominated by a struggle between two military forces, neither of which can achieve victory for long. Until the end, the Yorkists and Lancastrians strive for the English crown. The conflict between these two families began under Richard II. Half a century later, during the reign of Henry VI, it moved toward civil war. Now, in Henry VI, Part 3, Henry’s long reign becomes intermittent as his cousin Richard, Duke of York, seeks the crown and York’s son Edward sporadically succeeds in seizing it. As we watch the crown pass back and forth between Henry VI and Edward IV, our attention is caught by other characters: the Earl of Warwick, Queen Margaret, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Warwick is the power behind the challenge to Henry VI, until he shifts to Henry. Margaret raises an army in England and later leads one from France, all in a futile attempt to secure the throne for her son, Prince Edward. Historically, his death destroyed her, but Shakespeare wisely saves Margaret to bring her back in Richard III. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, increasingly draws our attention. Both attractive and repellent, he is energetic, self-aware, bitter about his deformity (which may not have existed historically), ruthless, and unable to care about others. The authoritative edition of Henry VI, Part 3 from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Randall Martin The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

Tiffanie Dang

Henry VI, Part 1 is an uncompromising celebration of early English nationalism that contrasts the English with the French, portrayed here as effeminate and scheming. A boy king, Henry VI, is on the English throne, and the indomitable Talbot leads the English cause in France. Joan La Pucelle (Joan of Arc), who becomes captain of the French, claims to be chosen by the Virgin Mary to liberate France. The English, however, consider her a sensual witch. Many of the English nobility remain, quarreling, at home. Once in France, some seek permission to fight each other there. Talbot and his son cannot prevail; the English defeat themselves by preying on each other. The authoritative edition of Henry VI, Part 1 from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Phyllis Rackin The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

Henry VI, Part 2 presents a kind of story that was popular before Shakespeare began writing, tracing the fall of powerful individuals to their untimely deaths. The first to go is the Duke of Gloucester, Lord Protector of England and the most powerful man in the kingdom, who is murdered after his wife goes into exile. Next to meet a bad end is the Duke of Suffolk, the queen’s lover, who rules England through her. After Suffolk conspires with the cardinal of Winchester to kill Gloucester, he is banished and assassinated. The cardinal dies raving of his own guilt. Ultimately, the king’s weakness lies behind these events. Preferring spiritual contemplation, he has left others to contend for power. Now his liberty is at risk as Jack Cade, and then the Duke of York, rise against him. The play leaves us in suspense about Henry’s fate by ending with the start of the Wars of the Roses—a conflict setting the white rose of the Duke of York against the red rose of King Henry, of the House of Lancaster. The authoritative edition of Henry VI, Part 2 from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Nina Levine The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

The First Part of King Henry VI

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