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What caused the rivalry between Gloucester and Winchester?
The rivalry between these men is about power, but they have different complaints about each other. For his part, Gloucester despises Winchester for being a religious hypocrite. Despite being a bishop and therefore a local head of the Church, Winchester is a power-hungry man whose lust for individual wealth and status is clearly at odds with his position. Winchester, by contrast, envies the power and influence he perceives Gloucester to have over the young king. As the Lord Protector of the Realm, Gloucester has been charged with executing affairs of the state until Henry comes of age. Winchester longs to wield a similar degree of power. And by the play’s end, he has paid his way into becoming a cardinal—a major promotion that puts him in direct contact with the pope. Although his motives aren’t yet entirely clear, he may intend to wield the power of the Church against that of the Crown.
What is the original dispute between Plantagenet/York and Somerset?
The answer to this question isn’t entirely clear. When the fourth scene of act 2 opens, Plantagenet, Somerset, and other lords have already been debating a point of law for some time. In fact, the intensity of their debate has forced them to leave the Inns of Court and go out to the Temple Garden. Because their argument is already in full swing, we don’t get a clear picture of what legal point being argued. However, it’s possible that the point relates to Plantagenet’s ambiguous claim to noble status. His father was found to be a traitor, which led to his loss of title and subsequent execution. Yet the execution proceeded without trial, which leaves Plantagenet’s status debatable. Somerset and his supporters assume that Plantagenet now has no claim to nobility, as indicated when Somerset insults him by calling him a “yeoman” (2.4.81)—that is, a property owner who nonetheless is not a gentleman. It isn’t clear if this is the true origin of the dispute or just a secondary quarrel, but it does lead Plantagenet to seek, and later receive, the restoration of his father’s title, along with the title of his late uncle Mortimer, the duke of York.
How does Lord Talbot die?
Talbot dies during a battle at Bordeaux, but not from physical wounds. Through the misfortune of bad timing, his son John arrives at Bordeaux just as Talbot’s army gets surrounded. John refuses to flee and instead joins the battle. He fights valiantly, but he is killed. Holding his son’s body in his arms, Talbot then dies of grief. Shakespeare underscores the tragedy of Talbot’s demise by denying him a true warrior’s death. The profound pathos of this moment also stems from the fact that his death is linked to the rivalry between Somerset and York. Somerset intentionally delays the delivery of cavalrymen to York’s standing army. And without the horsemen, it’s impossible to break the French barricade around Bordeaux, which leaves Talbot and his son stranded.
Is Joan la Pucelle a witch?
Shakespeare’s depiction of Joan la Pucelle—known today as “Joan of Arc”—is ambiguous. Initially, Joan claims to be directed by visions given to her by Christ’s mother, the Virgin Mary. Charles accepts this claim when she defeats him in single combat, after which he installs her as a military leader. But whereas the French celebrate her prowess in battle, the English frequently denounce her a witch. At first, this designation seems more figurative than literal—that is, it reflects their belief that she has violated the natural order of things by donning a man’s armor. Early in act 5, however, Shakespeare depicts Joan as a literal sorceress with the power to conjure what the stage directions refer to as “fiends” (SD 5.3.7). Though these demonic figures refuse to answer her pleas, their onstage appearance suggests they are “real” within the play’s dramatic action. If we accept that interpretation, then she is also a literal witch. However, it’s also possible to interpret the “fiends” as figments of her imagination, in which case she isn’t a witch, but rather a madwoman.
Why does Henry agree to marry Margaret of Anjou?
In the opening scene of act 5, Henry agrees to marry the earl of Armagnac’s daughter. This agreement has been brokered by Gloucester, who explains that the marriage will be politically advantageous, at once ensuring peace with the French and bringing in a large dowry. At the time, Henry doesn’t seem particularly interested in marriage, but he understands that it’s in the kingdom’s best interest, so he agrees. It’s therefore surprising when, in the play’s final scene, Henry expresses an eagerness to marry a different woman who will bring neither peace nor wealth. His change of mind is most directly attributable to his youth. As an adolescent, Henry proves much more susceptible to Suffolk’s description of Margaret’s sensual beauty than he is to Gloucester’s talk of political advantage. Arguably, then, sexual arousal guides his decision to marry Margaret.
