King Henry VI, Part 3
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The three plays that make up the Henry VI cycle are believed to be some of Shakespeare's very first plays. They certainly read as apprentice works, and are often neglected in favour of the more comical and dramatically assured plays Henry IV and Henry V. However, the Henry VI plays dramatise the inauspicious history of Henry V's son, Henry VI, who is only nine months old when his father dies. The play deals with the factions at court who quarrel for political control, led by the Duke of Gloucester and the Cardinal of Winchester. As political intrigue divides the English court, its army continues to fight in France in a desperate attempt to hold on to the gains made by Henry V, whose tradition is upheld by the ferocious figure of Lord Talbot, pitched against La Pucelle, better known as Joan of Arc. An uneasy peace is finally established following the execution of Joan and marriage of Henry VI to the French princess Margaret of Anjou. However, Margaret is revealed to be having an affair with the Earl of Suffolk, and it becomes clear that Henry's troubles are far from over. Criticised for their somewhat crude characterisation (especially in its portrayal of women), all three of the Henry VI plays remain fascinating as early examples of Shakespeare's dramatisation of English history. --Jerry Brotton
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
A fresh look at a play usually regarded as the first component of a three-part historical epic, this edition argues that Henry VI Part 1 is a 'prequel', a freestanding piece that returns for ironic and dramatic effect to a story already familiar to its audience. The play's ingenious use of stage space is closely analysed, as is its manipulation of a series of setpiece combats to give a coherent syntax of action. Discussion of the dramatic structure created by the opposing figures of Talbot and Jeanne la Pucelle, and exploration of the critical controversies surrounding the figure of Jeanne, lead to a reflection on the nature of the history play as genre in the 1590s.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Unusually in the case of an Elizabethan play we have what seems to be a first-hand description of I Henry VI on stage. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Unusually in the case of an Elizabethan play we have what seems to be a first-hand description of I Henry VI on stage. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Edward Burns' edition happily fulfills all the expectations we should have of an Arden Shakespeare edition : very good textual scholarship, and a thorough introduction. The introduction is nicely focused on performance history, following the general editorial advice of the third series, which is a spoon of jam in a world of marmite to anyone who has been smacked in the face by a bewilderment of 'Q1, Q2, F1 (1623)' details of textual scholarship which prevailed from the get-go in many of the earlier Arden editions. Which is not to say that Burns isn't good on that point - he provides an excellent and seeming-comprehensive survey of recent critical debate about the authorship, original conception, and development of the play. And the commentary and notes throughout the play text are as detailed and useful as you could wish.
So, as I was looking for a copy to study from, this was clearly an excellent choice. If I just wanted to read some Shakespeare, or needed a performance text, the critical apparatus might get in the way.
So, as I was looking for a copy to study from, this was clearly an excellent choice. If I just wanted to read some Shakespeare, or needed a performance text, the critical apparatus might get in the way.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book arrived promptly and in perfect condition. It was offered at a reduced price and, in addition, there was no charge for the postage making it a very economical purchase.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
7 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Not A Single Complaint!
26 April 2000
Format:Paperback
This was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. (possibly his third) Yet, there is nothing to indicate he was only starting out. Right away he grabs our attention with the funeral of King Henry V. Henry V's brothers Bedford and Gloucester help us to see the virtues and strengths of the deceased king. The Bishop of Winchester is well drawn as a comical villain who plots and plans, but never succeeds in doing any real damage. (Not until the next play anyway.) Talbot is memorable as the selfless hero of the play. York is memorable as the hero who defeats Joan of Arc. King Henry VI himself is interesting. First we see him as a helpless infant. By the third act, we see that he has both strengths and weaknesses. He makes the mistake of dividing the command between the rivals Somerset and York. But also, we see that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. There are also many memorable scenes. The garden scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses is well drawn. The scene where York comforts his dying uncle is tragic beauty. Bedford's death in 3.2 has almost a divine tone. The death of Talbot and his son is very lamentable. York's sudden rise to power is captivating. Perhaps Shakespeare's greatest achievement in this play is that he simultaneously shows us England's war with France and the dissension with England itself.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Part 3 and still running strong!
23 Mar 2000
Format:Paperback
This is not quite as good as 1 or 2, but it is still excellent! Shakespeare grabs us with the dispute between Henry VI and York. While it seems to end peacefully it does not, and the war goes on! York's death in 1.4 is another landmark in Shakespeare's writing. The scene (2.5) where Henry finds true terror is horror, sorrow, and yet beauty and yet another moving part of the play. (The son that hath killed his father and the father that hath killed his son.) The war pauses in disaster for Henry and some comic relief is offered. But the horror starts all over again when Edward IV and Warwick have a falling out. The war starts over again, and the King of France gets involved! The scene where King Henry VI is reinstated is a scene of beauty and hope. While all of this is happening, Shakespeare carefully prepares the monstrously satanic character of Richard III. From here, the play just gets more and more bloody. A final moment of horror is offered when the eventual Richard III proudly compares himself to the one who betrayed Christ. In part 4 "Richard III," the real terror begins!
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A myopic of a king done in play format.
27 May 2007
Format:Paperback
The three books that cover the life Henry VI are each masterpieces in their own right. They are each important parts of the multi-facted life of Henry VI. Wonderful history lesson.
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