Legitimacy/ authority of leadership

• 'So shaken as we are, so wan with care' - Henry (1.1)


  • precariousness of his rule
  • fractured authority as a result of deposition of Richard II
  • establishes societal unrest that has destabilised the realm
  • establishes idea that usurpation causes chaos & must be punished
• 'March all one way' - Henry (1.1)


  • plans to unite England after civil war
  • highlights Henry's political acumen & potential
  • but at this point in play his plans are swiftly undermined by the continued civil unrest & fact there are too many problems at home to fix it
• 'For more is to be said and to be done/ Than out of anger can be uttered' - Henry (1.1)


  • although in a weakened position, he recognises he will not get what he wants from Hotspur & is going to wait until he is not angry to take action
  • political acumen can be recognised from the start
• 'Worcester get thee gone' - Henry (1.3)


  • punished - physically sent out of political royal council - humiliating for Worcester
  • further alienates & angers Percy's - fuels rebellion
  • Henry unable to manage growing unrest within his own court - act of punishment merely reflects struggle to command loyalty & fuels Worcester's anger at betrayal, planting seeds to rebellion
  • presents him as a ruler who is defensive & insecure
• ‘And then I stole all courtesy from heaven/ And dressed myself in such

  humility/ That I did pluck allegiance from men’s hearts’ - Henry (3.2)


  • 'stole' & 'pluck' demonstrates his knowledge of his own illegitimacy
  • he took allegiance, wasn't given it
  • 'stole' & 'pluck' demonstrates his knowledge of his own illegitimacy
  • he took allegiance, wasn't given it
• 'I come with gracious offers from the King' 'He bids you name your griefs, and with all speed/ You shall have your desires with interest/ And pardon absolute for yourself and these/ Herein misled by your suggestion' - Blount (4.3)


  • Henry is aiming to be conciliatory bringing the 2 sides back together
  • shows pragmatic side - seeks to avoid unnecessary bloodshed - reflects political acumen - by offering peace and pardon he appears magnanimous
• 'The King with might and quick-raised power' - Archbishop (4.4)


  • Henry has gained support from many people very easily - they have automatically given him allegiance
  • power & credibility of Henry's threat is rising
• 'Sir Walter Blount [wearing the King's colours]' - SD (5.3)


  • Henry uses decoys on battlefield - politicians act - but means death for those disguised - decreases threat to king but increases threat to others - not honourable but effective
  • irony of decoys as counterfeit kings reflect irony of Henry's position as a counterfeit king
• 'Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke' - Henry (5.5) 


  • Rebellion will always be punished
  • calculated to advancing his legitimacy - asserting the inevitability of the triumph of legitimate rule - the king must rule & we must support the seated monarch
  • by giving Worcester & Vernon death sentence - 'Bear Worcester to the death and Vernon too' - Henry demonstrates his kingly powers - it is the king's prerogative to punish
• 'we divide our power' 'You, son John, and my cousin Westmorland, Towards York shall bend you.. to meet Northumberland and the prelate Scrope' 'Myself and you, son Harry, will towards Wales To fight with Glendower and the Earl of March' - Henry (5.5)


  • they still face rebellion on 2 fronts
  • There is an anticipation of further rebellion but rather than henry being weak there is a promise of decisive action
  • this rebellion is done but they will not be stopped in doing what they set out to do which was to unite the country
  • ambiguous ending