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Although the title bears his name, King Henry VI is something of a minor character in this play. This makes sense considering that Henry VI, Part 1 covers the earliest period of the young king’s life. It’s actually unclear how old Henry is at the beginning of the play. Historically, he was only eight months old when his father died and he inherited the kingdom, and he wasn’t officially crowned until he was eight years of age. Shakespeare, however, has condensed Henry’s early life for the sake of dramatic action. He appears to be around eight in the scenes leading up to his coronation at the top of act 4. By the play’s end, though, his evident lust for Margaret suggests that he has arrived at adolescence. But regardless of how we might interpret his age, the play traces Henry’s earliest development as he tries to find his footing and navigate a political environment of bewildering complexity.
Already as a child, Henry displays a commitment to his responsibility as a king. However, his inexperience places him at the mercy of the scheming noblemen who surround him. And though he recognizes that their quarrels pose a serious threat to the kingdom, he lacks the assertiveness to command them effectively. In early scenes we see him essentially pleading with his men to stop fighting. He doesn’t command any meaningful respect until he’s officially crowned king, at which point Shakespeare gives him more space to speak his mind and show his authority. But despite developing a new knack for command, it is plain that Henry remains just a boy and therefore easy to manipulate. It is for this reason that the earl of Suffolk has such an easy time convincing him to break a standing marriage agreement to take the beautiful Margaret of Anjou as his wife—a decision that unwittingly makes him vulnerable to Suffolk’s lust for power. Though he makes mistakes, Henry strikes the audience as a somewhat tragic figure: aware enough to try to be responsible, yet too young to fully realize the consequences of his actions.
