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Title: Henry VIII
Author:
William Shakespeare
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Play
Pages: 261
Words: 75K
From Wikipedia
The play opens with a
Prologue (by a figure otherwise unidentified), who stresses that the
audience will see a serious play, and appeals to the audience
members: "The first and happiest hearers of the town," to
"Be sad, as we would make ye."
Act I opens with a
conversation between the Dukes of Norfolk and Buckingham and Lord
Abergavenny. Their speeches express their mutual resentment over the
ruthless power and overweening pride of Cardinal Wolsey. Wolsey
passes over the stage with his attendants, and expresses his own
hostility toward Buckingham. Later Buckingham is arrested on treason
charges—Wolsey's doing.
The play's second scene
introduces King Henry VIII, and shows his reliance on Wolsey as his
favourite. Queen Katherine enters to protest about Wolsey's abuse of
the tax system for his own purposes; Wolsey defends himself, but when
the King revokes the Cardinal's measures, Wolsey spreads a rumour
that he himself is responsible for the King's action. Katherine also
challenges the arrest of Buckingham, but Wolsey defends the arrest by
producing the Duke's Surveyor, the primary accuser. After hearing the
Surveyor, the King orders Buckingham's trial to occur.
At a banquet thrown by
Wolsey, the King and his attendants enter in disguise as masquers.
The King dances with Anne Bullen.
Two anonymous Gentlemen
open Act II, one giving the other an account of Buckingham's treason
trial. Buckingham himself enters in custody after his conviction, and
makes his farewells to his followers and to the public. After his
exit, the two Gentlemen talk about court gossip, especially Wolsey's
hostility toward Katherine. The next scene shows Wolsey beginning to
move against the Queen, while the nobles Norfolk and Suffolk look on
critically. Wolsey introduces Cardinal Campeius and Gardiner to the
King; Campeius has come to serve as a judge in the trial Wolsey is
arranging for Katherine.
Anne Bullen is shown
conversing with the Old Lady who is her attendant. Anne expresses her
sympathy at the Queen's troubles; but then the Lord Chamberlain
enters to inform her that the King has made her Marchioness of
Pembroke. Once the Lord Chamberlain leaves, the Old Lady jokes about
Anne's sudden advancement in the King's favour.
A lavishly-staged trial
scene (Act II Scene 4) portrays Katherine's hearing before the King
and his courtiers. Katherine reproaches Wolsey for his machinations
against her, and refuses to stay for the proceedings. But the King
defends Wolsey, and states that it was his own doubts about the
legitimacy of their marriage that led to the trial. Campeius protests
that the hearing cannot continue in the Queen's absence, and the King
grudgingly adjourns the proceeding. (Act III) Wolsey and Campeius
confront Katherine among her ladies-in-waiting; Katherine makes an
emotional protest about her treatment.
Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey,
and the Lord Chamberlain are shown (Act III Scene 2) plotting against
Wolsey. A packet of Wolsey's letters to the Pope have been
re-directed to the King; the letters show that Wolsey is playing a
double game, opposing Henry's planned divorce from Katherine to the
Pope while supporting it to the King. The King shows Wolsey his
displeasure, and Wolsey for the first time realises that he has lost
Henry's favour. The noblemen mock Wolsey, and the Cardinal sends his
follower Cromwell away so that Cromwell will not be brought down in
Wolsey's fall from grace.
The two Gentlemen return
in Act IV to observe and comment upon the lavish procession for Anne
Bullen's coronation as Queen, which passes over the stage in their
presence. Afterward they are joined by a third Gentleman, who updates
them on more court gossip – the rise of Thomas Cromwell in royal
favour, and plots against Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
(Scene 2) Katherine is shown ill; is told of Wolsey's death; has a
vision of dancing spirits. Caputius visits her. Katherine expresses
her continuing loyalty to the King, despite the divorce, and wishes
the new queen well.
Act V. The King summons a
nervous Cranmer to his presence, and expresses his support; later,
when Cranmer is shown disrespect by the King's Council, Henry
reproves them and displays his favour of the churchman. Anne Bullen
gives birth to a daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth. In the play's
closing scenes, the Porter and his Man complain about trying to
control the massive and enthusiastic crowds that attend the infant
Elizabeth's christening; another lush procession is followed by a
prediction of the glories of the new born princess's future reign and
that of her successor. The Epilogue, acknowledging that the play is
unlikely to please everyone, asks nonetheless for the audience's
approval.
The edition of The Complete Shakespeare I am reading has these
“History” plays in alphabetical order instead of chronological
order, so we skipped right over Richard III. That'll probably be
next.
I didn't actually care. I cared less about this than I did for the
entire Henry VI trilogy, which I didn't think was possible.
★★✬☆☆