The violence in the play is presented symbolically rather than realistically. The executions and beatings, for example, are dramatized by the use of punch-bags or by musical effects.
King Henry: the night before Agincourt
The King rallies his troops
Princess Katherine takes her bath
Characters
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
BISHOP OF ELY
KING HENRY V
DUKE OF EXETER, his uncle
EARL OF WESTMORLAND
MONTJOY, the French ambassador and herald
NYM
BARDOLPH
PISTOL
MISTRESS QUICKLY, his wife
BOY
THE FRENCH KING
THE DAUPHIN
THE CONSTABLE OF FRANCE
DUKE OF ORLEANS
GOVERNOR OF HARFLEUR
FLUELLEN, a captain in King Henry’s army
KATHERINE, the French princess
ALICE, her gentlewoman
SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM
EARL OF SALISBURY
DUKE OF YORK
MONSIEUR LE FER
DUKE OF BURGUNDY
The CHORUS and other parts played by members of the company
| On stage, a central metal tower, providing an upper acting level; four ammunition boxes; two side staircases; and a flag with the red cross of St George. |
SCENE ONE
| A company of soldiers enters through the audience, singing. | |
| Music: ‘Brown Eyes’. | |
| The company then delivers the first CHORUS, divided (like the subsequent ones) between them. | |
| CHORUS 1 | (Taking the crown from one of the ammunition boxes.) |
| O for a muse of fire, that would ascend | |
| The brightest heaven of invention: | |
| CHORUS 2 | A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, |
| And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. | |
| CHORUS 3 | Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, |
| Assume the port of Mars, and at his heels, | |
| Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire | |
| Crouch for employment. | |
| CHORUS 4 | But pardon, gentles all, |
| The flat unraisèd spirits that hath dared | |
| On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth | |
| So great an object. | |
| CHORUS 5 | Can this cock-pit hold |
| The vasty fields of France? Or may we cram | |
| Within this wooden O the very casques | |
| That did affright the air at Agincourt? | |
| CHORUS 6 | O pardon: since a crookèd figure may |
| Attest in little place a million, | |
| And let us, ciphers to this great account, | |
| On your imaginary forces work. | |
| CHORUS 7 | Suppose within the girdle of these walls |
| Are now confined two mighty monarchies, | |
| Whose high uprearèd and abutting fronts | |
| The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder. | |
| CHORUS 8 | Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts: |
| CHORUS 9 | Into a thousand parts divide one man, |
| And make imaginary puissance. | |
| CHORUS 10 | Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them, |
| Printing their proud hoofs i’th’ receiving earth; | |
| CHORUS 11 | For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, |
| Carry them here and there, jumping o’er times, | |
| Turning th’accomplishment of many years | |
| Into an hourglass; | |
| CHORUS 12 | For the which supply, |
| ALL | Admit us Chorus to this history, |
| CHORUS 13 | Who Prologue-like your humble patience pray |