Henry Vth Comprehension questions. Answer with a quotation and explanation.
Act I
1. Why does motivating the Archbishop of Canterbury encourage Henry to wage war on France? How might conducting a war help Henry deal with social problems?
2. What was Harry’s life like before he became King?
3. On what principle does Henry claim the throne of France?
4. According to the Archbishop of Canterbury, how is the state like a beehive?
5. How does Henry explain the nature of a Christian King in I, ii, 241-243?
6. How does the Dauphin of France insult Henry, and how does Henry respond?
7. What insight do you get about Henry’s character in this act? What contributes to your evaluation of Henry?
A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Henry V 14
ACT II
1. How does the exchange between Henry and the French ambassador in the first act contrast with the exchange between
Pistol and Nym in II, i?
2. Why does Nym say that the King has run “bad humors” on his knight Falstaff in II, i, 125?
3. In II, ii, 155, Richard the Earl of Cambridge says that he was not seduced by gold in his plot to overthrow the King. What
other motive could he have?
4. How does Henry treat his former friends Falstaff and Scroop in this act? What does this say about Henry’s character?
5. After Falstaff’s death, what motive does Pistol reveal for fighting in the war with France? How does this contrast with
Henry’s motives revealed in Act I?
6. What message does Henry deliver to the Dauphin at the end of Act II? What might this say about Henry’s character?
