Act Three

Act Three opens in London's House of Parliament. Here, we see one of the few stage directions left in any of Shakespeare's texts, though whether he wrote it himself, or it was a direction left over from a company's performance is unclear. Gloucester offers to put up a bill; Bishop of Winchester snatches it and tears it.

The objection is straight-forward; the Bishop insists that any accusations be made on the spot, and not be written, not something composed ahead of time. Gloucester is only too willing to oblige, but the argument that ensues goes beyond Gloucester and the Bishop. Many others, with the notable exception of Richard Plantagenet, join in.

Even Henry attempts to intervene and end the quarrel. He does not get far, however, as the mayor of London arrives with a rather dire report:

"The Bishop and the Duke of Gloucester's men;
Forbidden of late to carry any weapon,
Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble stones"

The two forces are fighting one another with what is, literally, at hand, and the fighting spills over into Parliament. At Henry's request, Gloucester intervenes, but is unable to stop the fighting. Henry then implores the Bishop to intercede, but he refuses to order his men to stop until Gloucester yields.

Warwick convinces the Bishop to relent, asking, "what, shall a child instruct you what to do?" This points up the fact that the arguement over the throne comes again because Henry is so young. The tactic works, however, and a peace, albeit temporary, is established.

Richard then steps to the floor, and makes his case for his family name and lands. Henry, forgiving the son for the father's transgressions, restores to him the blood and inheritance of York.

Gloucester then encourages Henry to go to France and take the French crown which he agrees to do.

In France, in Rouen, Joan La Pucelle leads her men into the city, disguised as poor market-goers in order to sack the city. Talbot is still here, holding the city, and the Dauphin, who will follow Joan in when he sees the torch on the tower that is his signal, wants to take it back.

In another example of Shakespeare's opinion of the French, Charles and Joan choose to taunt Talbot, Bedford and their men, daring them to the field. They are so confident that they will win, they no longer fear Talbot as they once did.

It is their undoing. Talbot and Burgundy swear a vow to take Rouen back or to die trying. Even Bedford, who is aged, sick and dying, chooses to sit outside the city walls and inspire his men to fight, rather than retreat inside in the face of French arrogance. He dies, content, and the French are once more defeated. Talbot and Burgundy bury him before going to Paris to meet their king.

Outside the city, Joan attempts to rally French spirits again. In doing so, she reveals her plan: The Duke of Burgundy is a Frenchman siding with the English, but his home is in France. She means to convince him to leave Talbot and side with his own people.

Fortunately for them, they are able to witness Talbot's march to France, and they steal a moment to speak with Burgundy. Joan convinces him that he is being used, and will be discarded when Henry reigns. Her carefully chosen words have the desired effect; Burgundy abandons Talbot.

Talbot continues on to Paris, where Henry makes him the Earl of Shrewsbury. The War of the Roses continues on.

Act Four

This act begins the depiction of the actual battles. There are many scenes, and they are short, giving us vignettes and snips of information from stolen moments in the fray.

First, though, the Bishop of Winchester crowns Henry King of France. The Duke of Gloucester instructs the governor of Paris to swear his allegiance to the young sovereign, but is interrupted by the arrival of John Falstofe, and the message of betrayal from Burgundy.

It is interesting to note that, although Falstaff, a long time associate of Henry the Fifth's, dies in "Henry V", this character, Falstofe, is remarkably like him. Keeping in mind that "Henry VI" was written before "Henry V", it is possible that Shakespeare added him to the later play based purely on the character's popularity. Falstofe here has his cowardice revealed by Talbot, how he ran from battle. He is stripped first of the garter of knighthood, and the banished, on pain of death, by Henry himself.

Burgundy's letter of betrayal is then read, and Henry orders Talbot to march against him. The servants who have until now been involved in the burgeoning War of the Roses now want to join in the fight. Both Richard, as York, and Somerset also want to join the fray. Henry reminds them all that in-fighting only makes them look weak to the French, and that he himself chooses neither side, though he does choose to wear a red rose.

Outside Bordeaux, Talbot sends his army out to scout out the French. He is unable to claim the city itself as a holding ground. On the plains elsewhere, Richard receives a messenger who relates that there are more troops than were expected fighting on the Dauphin's side.

We learn that Somerset was supposed to send men to join with Richard's troops, and hasn't. Richard is begged for assistance again when Sir William Lucy arrives. Richard, however, has none to spare without Somerset's men, and retreats to hide, unable to watch the battle.

We get our chance to see Somerset as well, blaming Richard as York for Talbot's imminent failure.

"York set him on to fight and die in shame,
That, Talbot dead, great York might bear the name."

Sir William Lucy arrives here as well, asking Somerset for re-enforcements. Somerset answers that York should have sent his men, but that he will, albeit belatedly, help. Lucy opines that six hours is too late to be of assistance, and it becomes clear that the quarrel that blossoms into the War of the Roses has doomed Talbot.

Talbot, before the battle, learns that the son that he hasn't seen in seven years has come to fight as his side. He attempts to get his son to leave the field, and live, but fails. Rather than quoting the scene, I encourage you to read it in its entirety here. It makes a strong case for English nobility and loyalty, not to mention the strength of a father-and-son love.

There are several battles that show these two men fighting not only for their King and country, but for each other as well. When we last see them, Talbot is wounded, and tired, and his son's lifeless body is lain in his arms as he dies.

Charles and the French come upon them, and Charles is forced to admit that if there were more English, they would surely have lost. He prevents his men from hacking the bodies of the Talbots apart, and reluctantly gives them to Sir William Lucy for a proper burial.

Even in defeat, Lucy demonstrates English perseverance, saying:

"I'll bear them hence, but from their ashes shall be reared
A phoenix that shall make all France affear'd."

Act Five

In London, in the palace again, Gloucester tells Henry of a letter from the Pope asking for peace between England and France. A French Earl, related to Charles, has offered his daughter to Henry in marriage, and Henry agrees, sending a treaty and marriage agreement to France.

The Bishop of Winchester returns, but as a Cardinal. The days of his arguements with Gloucester, however, are far from over. More, he reveals in an aside that he means to have control of the country, and cannot bear to have even the King stand over him. In France, it seems the French are rebelling. Joan encourages Charles to return to Paris and take control, but not soon enough. A messenger arrives and reports that the English are once more on the attack.

Joan attempts to martial the forces that have given her a victory to this point in the war. Shakespeare describes them as fiends, implying that her powers are not holy, but demonic. She asks for their help, and they refuse her. She offers them her blood, and again they refuse. She offers them her body and then her soul, and still they refuse. Her advantage is gone. On the heels of this desertion, she is challenged by Richard of York, and is captured.

In the meantime, the Earl of Suffolk has captured the daughter of Reignier, the king of Naples. Though he is a married man, he is smitten with Margaret, and concocts a plan to marry her to Henry, despite her less than ideal breeding.

Joan is to be burned at the stake. Though her father is found, a simple shepherd, and he attempts to convince her to recant, she denies all knowledge of him. Joan claims that she is holy and a virgin. When that fails to save her, she claims she is with child, and names many fathers, all of whom weaken her position and further condemn her.

The cardinal then arrives with news of the treaty. York is less than pleased, but he will obey it. The Dauphin and his entourage then arrive, and Charles, reluctantly, swears loyalty to Henry and agrees to be Viceroy of France.

As the play ends, we are back in London. Suffolk has convinced Henry to marry his lover, Margaret, despite his promised betrothal to another woman in France. Gloucester disapproves, but cannot naysay the King. Henry is resolute, and Suffolk now has the means to control both Henry and his wife.