42. J. M. Maguin, Cahiers Elisabethains, No. 12, October 1977.
43. Maguin, Cahiers Elisabethains.
44. Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph, 11 August 2006.
45. Hodgdon, "The RSC's 'Long Sonata of the Dead.' "
46. Billington, Guardian, 16 December 2000.
47. Hall, Introduction to The Wars of the Roses, 1970.
48. John Russell Brown, Shakespeare's Plays in Performance (1966), pp. 196, 215-16.
49. Peter Roberts, Plays and Players, 12 September 1963.
50. B. A. Young, Financial Times, 13 July 1977.
51. T.C. Worsley, Financial Times, 18 July 1963.
52. Adrian Noble, Introduction from The Plantagenets, 1989.
53. Maguin, Cahiers Elisabethains 7.
54. Carol A. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
55. Michael Billington, Guardian, 11 August 1994.
56. Paul Taylor, Independent, 12 August 1994.
57. Taylor, Independent, 12 August 1994.
58. Rhoda Koenig, Independent, 14 December 2000.
59. Benedict Nightingale, The Times (London), 15 December 2000.
60. Benedict Nightingale, The Times (London), 11 August 2006.
61. Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph, 11 August 2006.
62. Joyce McMillan, Scotsman, 20 December 2000.
63. Carol A. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
64. Fiona Bell, "Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou," in Players of Shakespeare 6, ed. Robert Smallwood (2004).
65. Nightingale, The Times, 15 December 2000.
66. Cavendish, Daily Telegraph, 11 August 2006.
67. Nightingale, The Times, 11 August 2006.
68. Bell, "Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou."
69. Penny Downie, "Queen Margaret," in Players of Shakespeare 3, ed. Russell Jackson and Robert Smallwood (1993).
70. Peter Roberts, Plays and Players, 12 September 1963.
71. Robert Potter, "The Rediscovery of Queen Margaret: The Wars of the Roses," 1963, New Theatre Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 14, May 1988.
72. Potter, "The Rediscovery of Queen Margaret: The Wars of the Roses" (1988).
73. Benedict Nightingale, New Statesman, Vol. 94, No. 2418, 22 July 1977.
74. Carol A. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
75. Bell, "Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou."
76. Rebecca Brown, "The Play in Performance," Henry VI Part 2 (2005).
77. Ralph Fiennes, "Henry VI," in Players of Shakespeare 3, ed. Russell Jackson and Robert Smallwood (1993).
78. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
79. The Times (London), 18 July 1963.
80. Rhoda Koenig, Independent, 15 December 2000.
81. Nightingale, The Times, 15 December 2000.
82. Brown, "The Play in Performance."
83. Nightingale, The Times, 11 August 2006.
84. Brown, "The Play in Performance."
85. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
86. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
87. Anton Lesser, "Richard of Gloucester," in Players of Shakespeare 3, ed. Russell Jackson and Robert Smallwood (1993).
88. B. A. Young, Punch, Vol. CCXLV, No. 6411, 24 July 1963.
89. Frank Cox, Plays and Players, Vol. 11, No. 6, 1964.
90. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
91. Fiennes, "Henry VI."
92. Lesser, "Richard of Gloucester."
93. Nightingale, The Times, 15 December 2000.
94. Chillington, Educational Theatre Journal, 4 December 1977.
95. McMillan, Scotsman, 20 December 2000.
The RSC Shakespeare
Edited by Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen
Chief Associate Editors: Jan Sewell and Will Sharpe
Associate Editors: Trey Jansen, Eleanor Lowe, Lucy Munro,
Dee Anna Phares, Heloise Senechal
Henry VI Parts I, II, and III
Cover design: Gabrielle Bordwin
Cover photograph: (c) Datha Thompson/Arcangel Images
Textual editing: Eleanor Lowe and Eric Rasmussen
Introduction and Shakespeare's Career in the Theater: Jonathan Bate
Commentary: Charlotte Scott and Heloise Senechal
Plot Synopses: Will Sharpe
In Performance: Karin Brown (RSC stagings), Peter Kirwan (overview)
The Director's Cut (interviews by Will Sharpe and Kevin Wright):
Edward Hall and Michael Boyd
Designing Henry VI: Tom Piper
Editorial Advisory Board
Gregory Doran, Chief Associate Director, Royal Shakespeare Company
Jim Davis, Professor of Theatre Studies, University of Warwick, UK
Charles Edelman, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University,
Western Australia
Lukas Erne, Professor of Modern English Literature,
Universite de Geneve, Switzerland
Akiko Kusunoki, Tokyo Woman's Christian University, Japan
Jacqui O'Hanlon, Director of Education, Royal Shakespeare Company
Ron Rosenbaum, author and journalist, New York, USA
James Shapiro, Professor of English and Comparative Literature,
Columbia University, USA
Tiffany Stern, Professor of English, University of Oxford, UK
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND
PICTURE CREDITS
Preparation of "Henry VI in Performance" was assisted by a generous grant from the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) of the University of Warwick for research in the RSC archive at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Thanks as always to our indefatigable and eagle-eyed copy editor Tracey Dando and to Ray Addicott for overseeing the production process with rigor and calmness.
Picture research by Michelle Morton. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for assistance with picture research (special thanks to Helen Hargest) and reproduction fees.
Images of RSC productions are supplied by the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive, Stratford-upon-Avon. This library, maintained by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, holds the most important collection of Shakespeare material in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company's official archive. It is open to the public free of charge.
For more information see www.shakespeare.org.uk.
1. Directed by Michael Boyd (2000). Manuel Harlan (c) Royal Shakespeare Company 2. Directed by Katie Mitchell (1994). Malcolm Davies (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 3. Directed by Terry Hands (1977). Joe Cocks Studio Collection (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 4. Directed by Terry Hands (1977). Joe Cocks Studio Collection (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 5. Directed by Adrian Noble (1988). Joe Cocks Studio Collection (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 6. Directed by Peter Hall (1963). Tom Holte (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 7. Directed by Michael Boyd (2000). Manuel Harlan (c) Royal Shakespeare Company 8. Directed by Edward Hall (2001). Donald Cooper (c) photostage.co.uk
9. Directed by Michael Boyd (2006). Ellie Kurttz (c) Royal Shakespeare Company 10. Directed by Michael Boyd (2006). Ellie Kurttz (c) Royal Shakespeare Company 11. Reconstructed Elizabethan Playhouse (c) Charcoalblue
THE MODERN LIBRARY EDITORIAL BOARD
Maya Angelou
*
A. S. Byatt
*
Caleb Carr
*
Christopher Cerf
*
Harold Evans
*
Charles Frazier
*
Vartan Gregorian
*
Jessica Hagedorn
*
Richard Howard
*
Charles Johnson
*
Jon Krakauer
*
Edmund Morris
*
Azar Nafisi
&nb
sp; *
Joyce Carol Oates
*
Elaine Pagels
*
John Richardson
*
Salman Rushdie
*
Oliver Sacks
*
Carolyn See
*
Gore Vidal
Act 1 Scene 1
1.1 Location: Westminster Abbey, London
1.1 Dead march solemn piece of music accompanying a funeral; probably played with a muffled drum 1 Hung ... black some scholars believe that the projecting roof or canopy over the Elizabethan stage (the heavens) was conventionally draped with black for the performance of a tragedy 2 Comets these were thought to presage
2 change and were often deemed to be evil omens
2 states circumstances/ruling bodies
3 Brandish flourish/shine, flash
3 crystal tresses clear, gleaming strands (of hair--i.e. the comets' tails) 4 scourge punish, whip
4 revolting rebellious
4 stars thought to influence human destiny
5 consented unto conspired in
6 too ... long Henry died when he was thirty-five, after a nine-year reign 9 Virtue merit/grace/power
10 his its
12 replete with full of
15 What ... say? i.e. I have not words to express it 16 He ... conquered he never raised his arm (i.e. sword) without conquering the enemy 17 in blood i.e. by declaring war against the French 18 revive live again
19 wooden plays on the sense of "unfeeling, lifeless"
22 car chariot (to which captives were traditionally bound, to be paraded through the streets by the victors) 23 of mishap of evil influence, that bring misfortune
24 plotted schemed/mapped out
25 subtle-witted crafty, clever
27 verses spells, incantations
27 contrived plotted
28 King of Kings name for Christ, used especially during descriptions of 29 judgement day (Revelation 19:16)
30 dreadful awe-inspiring, causing dread and fear
31 Lord of hosts frequent biblical name for God
32 prosperous successful, fortunate
33 prayed i.e. for Henry's downfall; puns on "preyed"
34 thread of life in classical mythology, the three Fates spun, measured out, and cut the thread of a person's life 35 effeminate prince weak, unmanly ruler
36 overawe i.e. repress and control
37 Protector surrogate ruler of the realm, while the new king was too young to reign; Henry VI was a baby when Henry V died 38 lookest expect
41 the flesh worldly, material pleasures/sexual pursuits
44 jars discords, conflicts
47 avail not are of no use or advantage
48 await for expect, anticipate
49 at ... suck babies are suckled only by their mother's tears 50 nourish nurse
52 invocate invoke, summon
53 broils turmoil, conflict
54 adverse planets planets of unfavorable influences
56 star ... Caesar according to Roman tradition, the great ruler's soul was turned into a star 59 discomfiture overthrow, utter defeat?
60 Champaigne Compiegne (not Champagne)
64 burst his lead break out of the leaden inner lining of the wooden coffin 67 yield the ghost die
69 want lack
71 several separate, divisive
72 field battle
72 dispatched prepared, organized
73 of about
77 guileful deceitful, devious
79 new-begot newly created
80 flower-de-luces fleur-de-lis, or lily of France; after Edward III claimed his right to the French throne, the flower was incorporated into the English royal coat of arms 80 arms coat of arms
81 coat coat of arms
82 wanting to lacking for
83 her i.e. England's
83 tides picks up on tidings
84 Regent ruler in the king's absence
85 steeled coat armor
88 intermissive coming at intervals
89 mischance misfortune
90 quite entirely
91 petty small, insignificant
92 dauphin title of the French king's eldest son, heir to the throne 93 Bastard illegitimate son of Charles, Duke of Orleans
97 fly flee (Gloucester shifts the sense to "rush upon in attack") 97 reproach shame, disgrace
100 forwardness readiness, preparedness
104 bedew i.e. wet with tears
105 dismal disastrous, ominous
105 fight i.e. the battle of Patay, which, historically, took place after the siege of Orleans that is depicted in the following two scenes 109 circumstance details
110 tenth of August historically, 18 June (1429)
110 dreadful frightening, inspiring dread and awe
112 full scarce barely
114 round encompassed completely surrounded
115 enrank draw up in battle ranks
116 wanted lacked
116 pikes stakes bound with iron and sharpened at either end, set in the ground to protect archers from enemy cavalry 118 confusedly in a disorderly manner
121 above human thought beyond human belief
123 stand resist
126 agazed on amazed by, gaping at
128 A To
128 amain forcefully
129 bowels innards, intestines
130 sealed up finished
131 Falstaff historically "Fastolf"; not the character who features in 1 and 2 Henry IV and is declared dead in Henry V
133 With on
135 wrack wreck, ruin
136 Enclosed surrounded
137 Walloon inhabitant of a region that is now part of southern Belgium 137 grace favor
142 pomp luxury, splendor
144 dastard foemen cowardly enemies
149 hale haul, drag
151 change exchange
154 keep celebrate
154 Saint George's feast 23 April, feast day of the patron saint of England 154 withal with
159 supply reinforcements, relief
160 hardly with difficulty
163 quell crush, overcome
167 Tower Tower of London, which housed the royal armory 170 Eltham royal palace nine miles southeast of London, on the road to Canterbury 171 Being as I am
171 special governor guardian
175 Jack-out-of-office a knave who has been dismissed from his post 177 sit ... stern control the ship of state, i.e. assume the government 177 public weal the commonwealth, the state
Act 1 Scene 2
1.2 Location: the French camp, near Orleans, a town on the River Loire, south of Paris
1.2 flourish trumpet fanfare accompanying a person in authority 1.2 Drum drummers
1 Mars ... moving the exact orbit of the planet Mars (a source of uncertainty to Elizabethan astronomers); Mars was also the Roman god of war 3 Late recently
5 moment importance
7 Otherwhiles at times
9 want lack
9 porridge vegetable stew
9 bull-beeves bull-beef, joints of beef
10 dieted fed
11 provender animal feed, fodder
13 raise put an end to
14 wont used, were accustomed
16 fretting impatience, bad temper
16 spend his gall wear out his bitterness
18 alarum call to arms
19 forlorn in imminent danger of death
23 dastards cowards
25 homicide murderer
27 lions are hungry for the prey
28 hungry a transferred epithet; the
29 Froissart Jean Froissart, fourteenth-century French author who chronicled contemporary conflicts between France and England 30 all ... Rowlands like the two knights in the twelfth-century poem La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland), who embody Christian virtue, heroism, and true friendship 33 Samsons and Goliases biblical characters famed for great strength; Samson appears in Judges 14, a
nd Goliath (Golias), the giant killed by David, in 1 Samuel 17
34 skirmish do battle, fight
34 one ... ten one (English) man for every ten (French)
35 raw-boned skeleton-like, excessively lean or gaunt
35 rascals lean, inferior deer in a herd
37 hare-brained slaves reckless villains
38 eager fierce, hungry for violence
40 forsake give up, leave
41 gimmers gimmals, mechanical connecting links, used especially for transmitting motion 41 device mechanism
42 still continually
44 consent agreement (to your suggestion to leave this town) 44 even completely
48 cheer appalled face pale
49 wrought worked, brought about
49 offence harm
53 Ordained destined, appointed by God
53 raise put an end to
53 tedious harrowing, lengthy
54 forth out of
54 bounds territory
56 nine sibyls female prophets from classical times, not exclusively from Rome and usually said to be ten in number 57 descry discern, see
60 try test
62 proudly haughtily, with authority
63 sound probe, measure
63 Joan [la] Pucelle i.e. Joan of Arc; pucelle is French for "maid, virgin," with play on "puzzel," i.e. "whore"
65 beguile deceive
69 apart aside
71 takes upon her takes the initiative boldly/plays her part splendidly 71 at first dash from the outset, at the first encounter (with sexual connotations) 73 wit intellect
73 art scholarship, learning
74 our Lady gracious the Virgin Mary, God's (Christ's) mother
75 contemptible estate lowly, humble condition
76 Lo look (a general speech marker; may pun on "low")
76 tender young
83 complete perfect
84 black and swart dark, unattractive, and swarthy
85 infused on shed on, poured into
88 unpremeditated spontaneously
91 Resolve on be assured of
92 mate companion, brother-in-arms (with play on the sense of "sexual partner"; warlike may pun on "whore-like") 93 high terms lofty/eloquent words
94 proof test
95 buckle fight at close quarters, grapple (plays on sense of "have sex") 96 vanquishest overcome me
97 confidence trust, belief/intimacy
98 keen-edged sharp
99 Decked adorned
99 flower-de-luces fleurs-de-lis, the lily on French coat of arms 100 Touraine region in central France
100 Saint Katherine fourth-century saint and virgin martyr who was beheaded for her Christian faith; Joan of Arc claimed to have seen her in a vision 102 a in
103 I'll ... man unwitting sexual innuendo 104 Amazon mythical race of female warriors
105 Deborah Old Testament prophetess who led the Israelites in revolt against their Canaanite oppressors (Judges 4 and 5) 106 else otherwise
108 thy desire the same urge to fight that you feel/sexual desire for you 111 servant plays on the notion of sexual service
112 sueth to begs, woos
114 profession religious calling, profession of faith