Henry VI. (Drama)

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Henry VI. is a historical drama in three parts, each with five acts by William Shakespeare in collaboration with Christopher Marlowe. The first part, entitled The First Part of Henry the Sixth , was written around 1589-90, the other two as The First Part of the Contention of the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster and The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York and the Good King Henry the Sixth ca. 1590-92. The first part should have been written mainly by Marlowe, while the third comes principally from Shakespeare's pen. However, it cannot be clarified who of the two is the main authorship of the second part. Together with the piece Richard III. they form the so-called York tetralogy .

action

Part 1

Since after the death of King Henry V, his successor Henry VI. too young to rule , Gloucester is made protector to manage the affairs of government for his nephew the king. In the meantime the French have recaptured eight cities taken by Henry V, the Dauphin Charles has been crowned king and the English general Talbot has been captured during the siege of Orléans . The virgin Johanna appears before Charles and announces that the Blessed Mother appeared to her in a vision and that she will lift the English siege of Orleans. In England, Gloucester and Winchester , the head of the English Church, quarrel who denied Gloucester access to the Tower . Meanwhile, Talbot has been released during a prisoner exchange. He attacks the French with his troops, but is defeated by Johanna's forces; even in a duel, he cannot prevail against the Frenchwoman, who at the end tells him that his time to die has not yet come. As announced, Johanna freed Orleans from the siege.

Nevertheless, Talbot and the English troops carry out a surprise attack on Orléans. Later he went to the castle of the Countess of Auvergne on invitation. When the Countess explains that Talbot is her prisoner, he laughs and declares that what she sees is only the smallest part of him; he blows his trumpet and immediately English soldiers stand by. - Several English lords meet in the Temple Garden in London. Plantagenet urges the lords, who stand up for his noble birth, to pluck a white rose from a bush; Somerset says whoever denies Plantagenet's claims should choose a red rose. Some lords take a rose according to their opinion. Plantagenet and Somerset both declare that they want to wear a white or red rose with their supporters in the future. Plantagenet visits his dying uncle Mortimer , who has been incarcerated in the Tower for years because of his claim to the English throne. Mortimer explains that his family was entitled to the throne after Richard II , but that with Richard's deposition, Heinrich's line came to power; Plantagenet's father, who had raised an army in the interests of Mortimer, was then captured and executed. Mortimer dies.

King Heinrich enters the parliament building together with numerous lords. Again there are arguments between Gloucester and Winchester, each of whom invoke their office until Henry asks them to make peace. Plantagenet applies to be used in its inheritance rights; at the proclamation of the king, he was then installed in his dignity of Count of Cambridge and also received the duchy of York . - Joan of Arc and her troops attack Rouen , which is occupied by the British, but is repulsed by Talbot and his people. Despite this setback, Charles has no doubts about his fighter. In a personal conversation Johanna succeeds in pulling Burgundy , who had previously fought with his troops for the English, to the French side. In the meantime, Heinrich and his lords have arrived in Paris, where they receive Talbot, who is given a county for his services.

Heinrich is crowned king in Paris. York (Plantagenet) and Somerset quarrel; Heinrich admonishes them not to show any differences in France, as this could encourage the French to rebel again. Then he takes a red rose from Somerset, but declares that he loves both Somerset and York. When Talbot demands that the city gates be opened outside Bordeaux , the French general replies that the city is strong enough to defend itself and that Charles' armies are preparing an attack on the English. When the news arrives in Paris, York and Somerset blame each other for Talbot's predicament, but neither sends help in time. In front of Bordeaux, Talbot's son refuses to flee, as his father demands, and falls; when Talbot learns this, he too dies. The French win.

The English under York got the upper hand in a battle over the French under Johanna. In vain the virgin calls on her spirits, who do not answer her - she is captured by York. Suffolk is charmed by its beautiful captive Margaret, daughter of the King of Naples; however, as a married man he is not allowed to advertise her for himself, he decides to advertise her for his king. Meanwhile Johanna is led to a shepherd, her father, whom she denies. In order to avoid her impending death, the virgin claims to be carrying a child. York tells her to go to the stake no matter what she says and she will be taken away. The English and French make peace. Although Heinrich had previously committed to a politically favorable marriage with the daughter of the Count of Armagnac, a relative of the French king, he now wants to free Margaret, who has no dowry, at Suffolk's bidding. But Suffolk says that Margaret, if married, will rule the king, he, Suffolk, but Margaret.

Part 2

Title page of the first quarto of 2, Henry VI from 1594.

At the court of King Henry VI. Lord Suffolk presents Margaret of France, whom he had campaigned for the king during the war against France. The peace treaty with France, which he was concerned about at the same time, provides for the return of the lands of Anjou and Maine , for which the king's father Henry V fought hard. While earlier English kings received a dowry through their marriage, Henry received nothing and still gave away land, as York complained about. - The Protector Gloucester tells his wife about a dream he had: He saw his broken staff with the heads of Somerset and Suffolk on each half. - Margaret and Suffolk work together in secret, planning to take down their opponents in turn. With the aim of overthrowing Gloucester, Suffolk and Beaufort, heads of the English Church, instigated Hume to entice Gloucester's wife, Eleanor Cobham, to a spiritualist session. She is arrested at this meeting with a witch and a conjurer, during which a ghost announces Henry's deposition and Suffolk's death at sea.

York declares his claim to the throne to Lords Salisbury and Warwick: Edward III. had seven sons. The eldest died before his father, so that his son became king as Richard II, but was deposed by the fourth son's descendant, the Duke of Lancaster, who from then on ruled as Henry IV . The rule of the House of Lancaster and ultimately Henry VI are based on this. Royalty. York descends from Richard II and should therefore be king. Salisbury and Warwick want to support York. - On Henry's orders, Gloucester's wife has to walk the streets of the city as a penitent for three days and then begin her exile on the Isle of Man ; Gloucester has to give up his staff and loses his office, especially since Heinrich is now of legal age.

Somerset brings the news that all English lands have been lost in France. Due to the intrigues of Margaret and Suffolk in particular, Gloucester is arrested as a traitor. York, who sees his future empire diminished, also accuses him of being responsible for the loss of France because he has not sent any money for the English soldiers. In vain he protests his innocence, the majority at court is against him. On news of an uprising in Ireland, York was given an army to put down the uprising, which went well with his plans. - Two Suffolk hired killers suffocate Gloucester in his bed. When his death is known, the people revolt against Suffolk, whom they believe to be the murderer; Heinrich banishes him.

At sea, Suffolk is captured by a ship's crew and beheaded. On land, Jack Cade, commissioned by York, carried out a revolt with his supporters. When Cade, who wants to become king himself, invades London with his army, Heinrich and Margaret flee the city. Cade's reign of terror ends when Lords Buckingham and Clifford, who appear as Henry's ambassadors, win popular favor with an incantation by Henry V; Cade takes flight. He is stabbed to death by the owner in a garden in Kent . In the meantime news has arrived that York is traveling with a powerful army from Ireland; since he pretends that he is only moving against the traitor Somerset, Heinrich orders him to be in the Tower as a precaution.

Upon hearing of Somerset's captivity, York releases his troops. At court, however, he found out that Somerset was running around freely and reproached Heinrich for not being suitable for the king; he, York is the king. Salisbury and Warwick appear at his behest. Salisbury confirms that York is the right heir to the throne. York kills Somerset and Clifford. Clifford's son finds his father's body and vows that he will kill every member of the York house he meets. York, accompanied by his sons Edward and Richard, declares that he has won the fight. Salisbury counters that their enemies have fled.

part 3

Title page of the first quarto of 3, Henry VI from 1595.

York enters the London Parliament House with his sons Edward and Richard and the Lords Norfolk, Montague, Warwick and takes his place on the throne. Then Heinrich appears with the young Clifford, Exeter and other lords and asks the usurper to rise from the throne. York points out, however, that Henry lost the French lands he had won from his father and that his grandfather Henry IV illegally obtained the crown through a rebellion. Exeter then takes York's side. In order to prevent that ultimately all lords overflow to the opponent, Heinrich agrees with York that Heinrich will continue to rule for life, but then the crown will pass to York and his heirs. When Margaret learns of the deal, she strongly reproaches her husband for disinheriting her son Edward . York is also convinced by Edward, Richard and Montague in his castle to fight for the crown against the agreement. Hateful for his father's death, Clifford kills York's youngest son, the Earl of Rutland . Margaret moves with an army against York, defeats his army and takes him prisoner. After she relentlessly gave him a handkerchief with Rutland's blood to dry his tears from it, she and Clifford stab her prisoner.

On the battlefield, Edward and Richard see three suns rising, which seem to unite - they puzzled over the meaning when a messenger announces the death of their father and brother; Meanwhile, their brother George, who has returned from France, wants to help them. Edward is now Duke of York and claims the crown, Margaret, however, causes Parliament to invalidate the settlement between Henry and York. A battle ensues between the troops of the three brothers and Warwicks on the one hand and Margaret's armed forces and their allies on the other. Heinrich, who just watches the fight, thinks that he would have been happier as a shepherd. Since the course of the battle develops unfavorably for his side, his son and Margaret urge him to flee. Clifford is hit by an arrow and dies. At the end of the fight, Edward makes Richard Duke of Gloucester and George Duke of Clarence.

In a Scottish forest Heinrich is arrested by two game rangers, where he describes himself as king, noting: "My crown is in my heart" (III.1.62). The new King Edward marries Lady Gray. His brother Richard suffers from the fact that he is physically disfigured and loved by no one, and he ponders how he can become king. Meanwhile in France, Margaret and her son ask the king for help. On the appearance of Warwick, who asks Edward for the hand of the royal sister Lady Bona, the king is first ready to decide for this party; but when news of Edward's marriage arrives, even Warwick is indignant and receives troops against Edward from the French king.

Warwick teams up with George and takes Edward prisoner. A little later, however, Richard and Hastings are able to free his brother again. In return, Heinrich, who was held in the Tower, was freed from Warwick and George; From now on Heinrich only wants to wear the crown, from now on his two liberators should rule as protectors of England. Edward, Richard and Hastings return with troops from Burgundy and again imprison Heinrich in the Tower.

George now steps back on the side of his brothers and they defeat the forces of Warwick, who dies. Meanwhile, Margaret from France has deployed an army. But the next scene sees her arrested. Edward, George and Richard stab their son Prince Edward, then Richard goes into the Tower and stabs Heinrich too. Edward is now king, Lady Gray his queen, but he orders Margaret to go to France.

Text output

English (King Henry VI, Part I.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 1. Arden Third Series. Edited by Edward Burns. London 2000. ISBN 978-1-903436-43-1
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 1. New Cambridge Shakespeare. Edited by Michael Hattaway. CUP 1990 ISBN 978-0-521-29634-2
English (King Henry VI, Part II.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 2. New Cambridge Shakespeare. Edited by Michael Hattaway. CUP 1991. ISBN 978-0-521-37704-1
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 2. Oxford Shakespeare. Edited by Roger Warren. OUP 2003. ISBN 978-0-19-953742-6
English (King Henry VI, Part III.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 3. New Cambridge Shakespeare. Edited by Michael Hattaway. CUP 1993. ISBN 978-0-521-37705-8
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI Part 3. Oxford Shakespeare. Edited by Randall Martin. OUP 2001. ISBN 978-0-19-953711-2
German / bilingual (Heinrich VI. Part 1.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Part I. English-German study edition. German prose version, remarks, introduction and commentary by Jennifer Janet Jermann. Stauffenburg, Tübingen 2003, ISBN 3-86057-562-7 .
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI. Part 1. King Henry VI. Part 1. Ed. And translation by Frank Günther . ars vivendi 2006. ISBN 978-3-89716-181-8
German / bilingual (Heinrich VI. Part 2.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI. Part 2. King Henry VI. Part 2. Ed. And translation by Frank Günther. ars vivendi 2010. ISBN 978-3-89716-184-9
German / bilingual (Heinrich VI. Part 3.)
  • William Shakespeare: King Henry VI. Part 3. King Henry VI. Part 3. Ed. And translation by Frank Günther. ars vivendi 2011. ISBN 978-3-89716-185-6

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ CHRISTOPHER D. SHEA: New Oxford Shakespeare Edition Credits Christopher Marlowe as a Co-author. The New York Times, October 24, 2016, accessed October 25, 2016 .