Abstract
This paper explains that the modern, cinematic environment created by director Kenneth Branagh in his film "Henry V", juxtaposes the poetic language of Elizabethan theater with the visual language of film. The author points out that Branagh's plea for cinematic tolerance is especially apt because "Henry V" is a rather obscure film for an American or even European audience, less likely to be informed and interested in why England fought with France over a little patch of land, long ago. The paper describes the valid historicity of the film, the colors used, the techniques of warfare deployed, its Elizabethan language and modern cinematic techniques and looks at how they are all used used effectively to make this film a successful interpretation of Shakespeare's play.

From the Paper
"The camera work in the princess scene is especially quick and fleeting, as it follows the princess throughout the castle. Although the camera occasionally becomes anchored to Henry's face during a soliloquy, overall, the camera is a kind of peripatetic actor throughout most of "Henry V". The camera follows the horses as they gallop over the field of battle, wildly. The common soldiers on the ground, as when they are storming the castle walls of the city are shown from the ground up. The camera whizzes by the viewer's eye as it pans through time and from France to England and back again..."

Tags:chorus, color, wartime, historicity, language

Abstract
This paper examines how commoners play a significant role in Shakespeare's "Henry V ". The commoner signifies a humanity absent from its rulers. This paper examines this idea as it appears in Shakespeare's text and in the 1989 film "Henry V".

From the Paper
"Commoners play a significant role in Shakespeare's Henry V. In his series leading up to and including King Henry's life, common people appear most in Henry V (Symons). Shakespeare scholars give two reasons for their increased appearance. Firstly, Shakespeare wanted to present a "people's history" of the English invasion of France (Symons). Secondly, he tried to present this history by mirroring the lives of commoners and nobility ("Themes, Motifs & Symbols"). However, there is a third representation to examine. The commoner signifies a humanity absent from its rulers. This paper will examine this idea as it appears in Shakespeare's text and in the 1989 film Henry V. The opening lines of Henry V already give an indication as to the role of commoners in the conflict to come. "

Tags:shakespeare, henryv, commoners

Abstract
The paper argues that the marked disparity between the directors' representations of the enemy in "Henry V" highlights and epitomizes the different socio-political perspectives of the two films. The paper discusses how Olivier's film delineates a historical epic and patriotic propaganda film, while Branagh's film captures a realistic and alleged anti war viewpoint. The paper goes on to show how the directors' manipulation of the French enemy shapes not only how the audience views and interprets Henry's project but also his character. The paper illustrates how to achieve their contrary visions, both directors altered Shakespeare's text, deleting or reassigning lines and characters whilst skilfully exploiting the resource of the camera to evoke the desired audience response.

From the Paper
"As with Shakespeare's text, the central conflict in both films remains between the English and the French, yet a very different image of England's enemy emerges in these two films. Our first glimpse of Olivier's French court reveals a scene seemingly designed as a static tableau reminiscent of medieval manuscript illustrations, such as those produced by Limbourg of Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc be Berry (Loehlin:1996:37) in the fifteenth century, and thus contemporaneous with the Battle of Agincourt. Olivier's mis-en-scene is lavishly dressed and costumes are sumptuous and colourful, creating visual charm for the audience. Lack of character movement and the use of mid and long-range camera shots frame the pictorial effect of these scenes."

Tags:propaganda, patriotism, anti, war, Dauphin, Montjoy, French

Abstract
This paper argues a comparison of Branagh's and Shakespeare's texts, that the power of the film derives from Branagh's awareness of the necessity of translating the text to film as opposed to simply adapting it. It will be shown that Branagh's success in Henry V is a product of his situating the film in a Hollywood cinematic context as opposed to a West End or academic Shakespearean context, and this should not be seen as "selling out", but rather acknowledging Branagh's part in contextualizing the Shakespearean playtext in a new medium.

Abstract
Lawrence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh both produced film versions of Henry V, but they were both very different interpretations. This paper concentrates on Act I Scene I and discusses both directors' editing of the original play and how that affected the portrayal of "King Henry V".

From the Paper
"A good king is a moral one who listens to his advisors, who fights only just wars and who has overcome youthful wildness to emerge as a man "full of grace and fair regard" (1.1.22). Or, a good king is a strong one who makes his own decisions, who fights any wars that benefit his country, and who has never had any youthful wildness to overcome. Shakespeare leaves the interpretation of his king in King Henry the Fifth to the audience, and Henry's character has subsequently been performed in multiple ways. Lawrence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh both portray Henry as a good king in their screen adaptations of the play, but Olivier tends towards the former version of Henry as the morally just king and Branagh is more inclined to the latter version of Henry as the strong but immoral king."

Tags:branagh, fustice, kenneth, lawrence, olivier, opening, scene

Abstract
This paper examines the perspective of the common man in William Shakespeare's "Henry V" through the character of Pistol. The paper compares the character of Henry - a shining example of the courageous, just, wise, Christian king - with Pistol, a common soldier. The paper maintains the King's virtues are highlighted when set beside the lowly attributes of Pistol. Also highlighted, however, is the separate war experienced by the King versus the common soldier. The paper asserts that Pistol also serves to undermine the ideal of war as King Henry presents it. The paper concludes that Pistol's function is to portray the common man's perspective and plight in the war, in contrast with the aloof and noble perspective of Henry V.

From the Paper
"Henry's cloaked journey through his ranks seems to be an act of inspiration and leadership. He attempts to comfort men and to get to know them as 'just another soldier' on the eve of battle. The result, however, is quite different. His encounter with Pistol is humorous, but again forces the viewer to appreciate the gap between nobility and Pistol's class. Henry styles himself as "Harry le roi" (4.1.ll.50) knowing that Pistol would be unable to translate the latter two thirds. He is having fun at Pistol's expense; it is terribly unlikely anyone beneath nobility in England would have learned French. Henry's following argument with Williams is lame as well, for he refuses responsibility a king has for the men he commits to battle."

Tags:layman, king, monarchy

Abstract
The falsification of the audience's expectations and Hal's miraculous emergence as a great English king, alongside the Hal-Falstaff relationship out of which the future king's identity is gradually constructed, are the main critical puzzles in most studies of the William Shakespeare's "King Henry" series. The paper examines concepts of fraud and politics in parts one and two of "King Henry IV" and in "King Henry V". It discusses notions by literary critics such as Stephen who claim that Hal is one of Shakespeare's most Machiavellian characters. The paper argues that Machiavelli's Prince is not sufficiently cruel or sophisticated to be ranked with Prince Hal, despite the fact that Falstaff's cry for help, voiced in his paradoxical accusation that the Prince has corrupted him, seldom succeeds in inverting the audience's impression that Falstaff is Hal's misleader.

From the Paper
"The concept of necessity, as it arises from the morality-patterned Phychomachia, reinforces providentialist notions, an idea first advanced by Tillyard but in a rather different context. Religious providentialism fuses the personal and political domains and Hal's borrowing from the theatrical and diachronic anthropological deposit causes the interweaving of theatrical illusion with politics, thus displaying their common structural patterns. The fusion of religion, politics and theater culminates in Hal's gradual conversion to virtue, which is at once a milestone in Hal's allegedly privileged relationship with God, a major political event, and a stock trick of Elizabethan drama."

Tags:Harry, Hotspur, Eastcheap, Ancient, Pistol

Abstract
This paper analyzes how King Henry V, the central protagonist in William Shakespeare's play of the same name, evolves as a king over the course of the play, both in his own estimation as well as in the estimation of the other characters on stage.

From the Paper
"Henry solidifies his regality and kinship with war: "Now all the youth of England are on fire, /And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies:/Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought/Reigns solely in the breast of every man," says the Chorus, when Henry takes England to war against France for the disputed territories Henry believes are his country's by right, custom, and law. Henry takes the slight upon his persona in the 'gift' of the tennis balls along with his land's claim upon France as a justification to seek glory through armament for all the people of England. Henry's actions indicate that he is not pacific or idle in temperament, but still possesses some of his old, immature and adolescent character--not in his love of games, but in his view of war as a diplomatic game and a scene for proving his reputation to be won or lost, much as at a game of tennis. (II. Prologue. http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/henryv/henryv.2.0.html) But when at war, this changes within and without of Henry's character, showing that he always has a capacity to adapt and evolve as a leader."

Tags:england, military, struggle, statesman, french, princess, katherine, nym, war, archbishop, canterbury

Abstract
The three films to be discussed in this essay (Lang's "Metropolis", Fellini's "La Strada", and Branagh's "Henry V") have all succeeded in resonating with the popular audience while receiving considerable critical attention at the same time. In order to better appreciate the important qualities of each of the above works, this paper will analyze critical reviews of each. In the process, it will be seen that the power of all three films lies in their capacity to impress audiences with either their technical achievement, or their incorporation of eternal verities of the human condition.

Tags:analysis, three, movies

Abstract
This paper shows how war is depicted in somewhat different terms in different time periods, just as war was conducted differently at different times. The connection between the leadership and the front line soldier also differs in different time periods. The paper explains how some of the differences can be seen in depictions of the Battle of Agincourt in the film "Henry V" (1989, Kenneth Branagh), the Battle of Waterloo in the book "The Face of Battle" by John Keegan, and World War I in the film "Paths of Glory" (1957, Stanley Kubrick).

From the Paper
"The Battle of Agincourt was the key battle in the effort of England's King Henry V to consolidate his rule and protect his throne against the French. Shakespeare depicts the king as a benevolent ruler, and King Henry's own words support the view Shakespeare has of him as an inspiring leader, a man able to get the job done by marshaling his forces and attracting loyal followers. Act III Scene 1 finds him urging his troops to greater effort, for instance, and shows him once more to be able as a leader. This scene, along with others, also shows that Henry understands the people around him and so is able to get the best from them. This is an important quality in a leader, and it is one of the most important qualities Shakespeare brings out in his assessment of Henry and his accomplishments. This important speech is central in the play both physically and thematically. It is offered by Henry as a spur to action for his troops. The night before the battle his mood is quite different on the surface as he speaks to various knights and muses on the meaning of the battle to come. Preparations for battle are presented on stage, showing both the French and English camps."

Tags:troops, british, henry, battle, glory, waterloo, agincourt, path