Posted on 10/23/2021 10:45:51 PM PDT by CheshireTheCat
On this date in 1415, on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the young English King Henry V approved the execution of his onetime boon companion Bardolph in William Shakespeare’s Henry V.
The fictional Bardolph had been the ruddy-nosed friend of Henry’s in the Henry IV plays (Part 1, Part 2), where the hard-drinking, rabble-rousing young prince is a disappointment to the father who fears his heir will never merit the throne.
By Henry V, the boy has become the ruler, and launched an audacious incursion into France during the Hundred Years’ War.
Hal’s willingness to own the rough decisions of statecraft — in this case having his friend put to death further to his win-French-hearts-and-minds policy — is part of his coming of age as Henry V.
Whether that means Hal’s maturation into regal dignity or the corruption of his humanity by power is up to the reader....
(Excerpt) Read more at executedtoday.com ...
“Whether that means Hal’s maturation into regal dignity or the corruption of his humanity by power is up to the reader....”
Killing your buddy to win the approval of a people you are trying to subdue. Yeah, that’s a real judgement call. /S Sheesh...
Uhh.... He killed a thief, that happened to have been a once friend.
Yes, it was a question, in the play at least, of having the will to impartially uphold the law against looting. I would note our current “leaders” are not so noble.
Indicted by Shakespeare.
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