hi, i need help in analyzing this speech of henry v:

We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us;
His present and your pains we thank you for:
When we have march'd our rackets to these balls,
We will, in France, by God's grace, play a set
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.
Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler
That all the courts of France will be disturb'd
With chaces. And we understand him well,
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days,
Not measuring what use we made of them.
We never valued this poor seat of England;
And therefore, living hence, did give ourself
To barbarous licence; as 'tis ever common
That men are merriest when they are from home.
But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state,
Be like a king and show my sail of greatness
When I do rouse me in my throne of France:
For that I have laid by my majesty
And plodded like a man for working-days,
But I will rise there with so full a glory
That I will dazzle all the eyes of France,
Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us.
And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones; and his soul
Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance
That shall fly with them: for many a thousand widows
Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands;
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down;
And some are yet ungotten and unborn
That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.
But this lies all within the will of God,
To whom I do appeal; and in whose name
Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on,
To venge me as I may and to put forth
My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause.
So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin
His jest will savour but of shallow wit,
When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.
Convey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.


discuss henry's use of rhetorical devices in the extract (emphasis, vocabulary, rhythme, imagery) and the way themes important to the play as a whole are present in this scene

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Is that enough, or do you need more?

Look at the word 'mock' and how often he uses it.

This is a good scene in Branagh's Henry V. When the assembled nobles realize that the gift is a joke, they all lean back- they know what Hal is capable of.

pam

Thanks, Hugh & Pam. This will be useful when we study this play later in the year.

Incidentally, can I ask whether or not you find the invasion of A210 students on this site uncomfortable? I know that a tightly knit group of individuals (which you clearly are!) may resent outside interference. If you wish A210 students to find alternative forums, can you let us know? We do not wish to impose!!

Best wishes,
Liz

Liz, as one of the moderators here, I can answer your question. There is no problem using the this forum as a sounding board as long as specific questions about a poem, or about poetry are being asked. If it turns into a self-congratulatory "group hug", then I will merely close that particular thread.


Les

If we can cope with half the school students in NSW doing coursework on Journeys I'm sure we can handle OU students. After all we do have a very nice set of moderators (and I do include Les there)

>(Do) you find the invasion of A210 students on this site uncomfortable?

Not for me personally. Pretty smart cookies from what I have seen so far. Not just looking to plagiarize whatever materials they can find, but honestly pursuing a learning experience. I, for one, have been enlightened by their comments.

Don't forget this is Real Tennis not lawn tennis they're talking about, details here
[www.real-tennis.com]
The hazard is part of the tennis court.

Hello and thanks Hugh,
As an OU student - I have learned a lot on this site and I am grateful to all who take time to post.

I hope we are not an invasion - I hope that we add to discussions in some way. I find this site a real inspiration.

ginnyfly

thanx u all
but could any one help me in repeat mock and we? we he do so

the pun in word chase, what it mean

'Chaces' is apparently a term in tennis- or was in Shakespeare's time. Similar to the line above 'strike his father's crown into the hazard', Henry is using tennis terms to threaten war.

I don't know why he chose 'mock'- perhaps it's the hardness of the sound, or perhaps it sounds like a tennis ball being hit.

The 'we' is the royal we- Henry is not speaking for himself, Henry Plantagenet, but for all of England.

pam

Probably any good Henry V text would have annotations, but I do not have one nearby. To me, Shakespeare is merely extending the tennis metaphor so that 'chaces' is 'chases' (chasing the ball) and 'mock' means that he (Hank cinq) is being mocked by the Dauphin. This mock = this mockery, that is.

As far as turning his balls to gun-stones, I'm not touching that one.

I checked my Riverside text last night, and the chaces/hazard, etc. are tennis terms.

pam

Weren't cannon balls often made of stone in those days, so he's changing a cork and fabric tennis ball into a stone cannon ball.

Unless you've got Hugh's mind, yes.

pam

thanx u all
:)