Shakespeare’s Henry V Minor Characters

Christina Priester Amy Smith Eng 205 10/15/12 The principal(prenominal) characters in Shakespeares henry V are extraordinarily compelling. From the beginning of the play, close to of the focus is directed to interactions between pansy total heat and other royal house or people of status and significance. Very little management is centre on the churl characters, the peasants- the Hostess, the Boy, and the soldiers- Bardolf, Nym, and Pistol. Although these characters have only sm e actually parts in the play, they are essential. They take the spotlight for a moment, temporarily diverting our attention from the ability and his political responsibilities.Each of them contribute necessary background randomness, their opinion of King atomic number 1, and the soldiers perspective of the upcoming battle, The first act of the play is focused on the conspiracy between the leaders of the Church and King Henry making the decision to go to war with France. While all of the political i nformation is needed for the plot, it is quite dense, and aroundwhat of it is hard to get with. There is some relief in action II of the play, when the Hostess, the Boy, Bardolf, Nym, and Pistol are introduced.There is some humor in the exchanges between the soldiers. For example, Bardolph to Nym What, are Ancient Pistol and you fri hold ons only? Nym answers, and Bardolph to Nym I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends and well all three be sworn brothers to France. This is clearly a sarcastic rag remark to Nym, with the suggestion these two situations will never happen. The scene becomes profane when the Boy enters, informing them of Falstaffs illness. Falstaff is seriously ill, and in scene three of Act II, we learn that Falstaff has passed on.The soldiers grieve for their lost friend, but the Hostess has the strongest emotional reaction. She was condole with for him at his bedside when he passed away. Falstaff was an integral character in the preceding play, King Henry IV. He and the other soldiers were friends of Henry before he became King. The association between Henry and Falstaff ended harshly. The Hostess, along with the soldiers think Falstaffs illness is in part caused by Henrys harsh treatment of Falstaff. In the passage by the Hostess, just after the Boy enters, she makes a statement The King has killed his emotional state. after(prenominal) Nym and Pistol settle their quarrel, the Hostess tells the men to visit Falstaff, and Nym comments The King hath meld bad rumors on the knight, thats the even of it. Although they hold the King partially to piece for Falstaff falling ill, they still seem to hold King Henry in high regard. Nym makes a statement to Pistol The King is a unassailable King, but it must be as it may, he passes some humors and careers. The reading material of this phrase is that although the King is good, he still has quirks and faults of his own.Pistol expresses his opinion of King Henry in Act IV, on the ev e of battle when Henry, disguised as a volunteer soldier engages Pistol in a conversation. He tells Henry he thinks the King is a fine fellow, with a heart of gold, was raised well by his parents. He goes on to proclaim he love and loyalty to King Henry. Pistol is unaware he is utterance to the King himself. He shows contempt for the disguised King when he finds by about Henrys relation to Fluellen, the Captain that ordered the execution of Bardolph.King Henry is very adamant about the execution of Bardolph in Act III when he is caught stealing a holy relic from a French church. Henry gives his reasoning that Bardolph should be so punished We would have all such offenders cut off. And we give express charge that, in our marches through the country, there be nothing compelled from the villages, nothing taken, but paid for, none of the French upbraided or abused in disdainful language for when pardon and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner. This passage is basically saying he wants to make an example of Bardolph as a warning to his soldiers to be respectful and not have the villages in France pillaged or the citizens terrorized, or they will have to facet the consequences of their actions. He in addition feels that the French prisoners should face the consequences for the slaying of the Boys, and orders their throats to be cut. His anger fuels this decision because he wants justice for the boys that were slaughtered.At the end of battle, Henry carries the Boy, showing his sorrow for the loss of these young men. Overall, King Henry is seen by his soldiers as good and just, yet firm with his punishment of his subjects. Without the electric shaver characters, our judgment of the King may be harshly skewed. They are also the only link in this play between the King and Falstaff. The minor characters enlighten our understanding of the King, give us some background information, and deal their purpose well.