La Belle Dame and the Harry Beast
Kristen Todd
Throughout the Henriad, Henry V is a mystery. He is neither good nor evil, neither just nor corrupt. He vacillates between stealing gold from the crown (Henry IV, Part I II.ii.1-116) and magnanimously crediting Falstaff for killing Hotspur. Henry remains one thing: unbalanced. He can be brutal, calculating, a political and martial mastermind, yet he rarely demonstrates mercy. Sarah Duncan explains that in the Renaissance period, kings were associated with justice and queens with mercy (Sarah Duncan 32). Catherine of Aragon, for example, fell to her knees, begging Henry VIII pardon the 1517 Evil May Day rioters (Duncan 33). Hal certainly embodies masculine strength and intelligence if not justice. At Harfleur, Henry asserts, “I am a soldier, / A name that in my thoughts becomes me best,” then threatens to raze Harfleur. (III.iii.82-85). His self-identification as a soldier marks him a conqueror personifying masculine ideals of might and brutality. Lance Wilcox even describes Henry as the “king of assailants" (Wilcox 73). Henry’s martial nature unbalances his kingship. While strong, he shows little of the mercy necessary to justly rule England. Without a queen, Henry V is unbalanced. King Hal requires a merciful queen.
Enter Catherine: she is innocent and feminine where Hal is battle- hardened and masculine. She is exceedingly innocent and modest. This is evident in verbal errors such as, “I cannot speak your / England” (V.ii.102-103). She balances Hal’s hardness with her softness. Where Hal commands, she requests. Where Hal identifies as a soldier, Catherine identifies as a maid and his humble servant (V.ii.240, V.ii.237). When around Catherine, Hal modifies his speech. His tone softens from commanding the Duke of Burgundy to “buy that peace / With full accord to all our just demands” (V.ii.70-71) to begging Catherine to “teach a soldier terms” to “plead his love-suit to her gentle heart” (V.ii.99-101).
Granted, Henry steals a kiss later in the scene against Catherine’s wishes. Because she did not consent, Harry victimizes her. But prior, Henry uncharacteristically begs for Catherine’s love. Henry does not have to win her heart to win her hand; he won her hand at Agincourt. Yet Henry’s personal aspirations transform his proposal to a dance in which both parties know they will marry, but not how happy their marriage will be. Ultimately, he pleads for her love unnecessarily. Hal disadvantages himself, speaking unfamiliar French, not once but four times. Between the uncertainty about the future and Hal disadvantaging himself, Hal creates a tension between himself and Catherine. He upsets the normal pattern of male/female interaction, leaving Catherine uncertain of how she should act. When Henry asks Catherine if she “wilt have him?”(V.ii.228), she replies that she will do whatever pleases her father. He assures her “it will please him well, Kate.” (V.ii.230). He seems desperate because he, a conqueror repeats himself . To this assurance, Catherine says marrying Hal “sall also content me” (V.ii.232), ostensibly accepting her fate. Because the kiss follows her acceptance, one could argue that Henry allows her to be blameless if caught; he steals a kiss rather than allow her to infringe her moral code.
Catherine’s agency or lack thereof could be read in several ways. Wilcox argues she is a victim, claiming “rape is a metaphor for invasion,” and Henry’s Harfleur speech associates him with rape (Wilcox 66). Logically, invasion also signifies rape. If Henry personifies the English invaders, and Catherine the French victims, the invasion of France represents rape of Catherine. This does not quite fit, because Henry earnestly avoids destroying France. The play threatened rape of France and Catherine, but the actual crime never occurred. From what we see of Henry, he is prepared to commit atrocities but very reluctant to do so. He conquers to acquire France and Catherine, not to plunder them. Catherine and Henry’s exchange is not a metaphorical rape, but a negotiation. The underlying tension is the threat of sexual violence, mirroring the Harfleur scene. In both scenes, the conqueror reasons with the conquered: she can accept him or he can take her forcibly. Both conqueror and conquered prefer a mutual union as “the wedding between Katherine and Henry promises political concord between the two realms” (Wilcox 73).
Henry’s victory at Agincourt becomes more than the slaughter of Frenchmen or an English victory. Instead, Henry’s victory represents the promise of their union and an era of peace and prosperity. Henry’s invasion of France becomes his marriage negotiate for Catherine’s hand—and France. Instead of a young king’s impetuous retaliation, Henry’s invasion becomes the glorious reunion of France and England.
Enter Catherine: she is innocent and feminine where Hal is battle- hardened and masculine. She is exceedingly innocent and modest. This is evident in verbal errors such as, “I cannot speak your / England” (V.ii.102-103). She balances Hal’s hardness with her softness. Where Hal commands, she requests. Where Hal identifies as a soldier, Catherine identifies as a maid and his humble servant (V.ii.240, V.ii.237). When around Catherine, Hal modifies his speech. His tone softens from commanding the Duke of Burgundy to “buy that peace / With full accord to all our just demands” (V.ii.70-71) to begging Catherine to “teach a soldier terms” to “plead his love-suit to her gentle heart” (V.ii.99-101).
Granted, Henry steals a kiss later in the scene against Catherine’s wishes. Because she did not consent, Harry victimizes her. But prior, Henry uncharacteristically begs for Catherine’s love. Henry does not have to win her heart to win her hand; he won her hand at Agincourt. Yet Henry’s personal aspirations transform his proposal to a dance in which both parties know they will marry, but not how happy their marriage will be. Ultimately, he pleads for her love unnecessarily. Hal disadvantages himself, speaking unfamiliar French, not once but four times. Between the uncertainty about the future and Hal disadvantaging himself, Hal creates a tension between himself and Catherine. He upsets the normal pattern of male/female interaction, leaving Catherine uncertain of how she should act. When Henry asks Catherine if she “wilt have him?”(V.ii.228), she replies that she will do whatever pleases her father. He assures her “it will please him well, Kate.” (V.ii.230). He seems desperate because he, a conqueror repeats himself . To this assurance, Catherine says marrying Hal “sall also content me” (V.ii.232), ostensibly accepting her fate. Because the kiss follows her acceptance, one could argue that Henry allows her to be blameless if caught; he steals a kiss rather than allow her to infringe her moral code.
Catherine’s agency or lack thereof could be read in several ways. Wilcox argues she is a victim, claiming “rape is a metaphor for invasion,” and Henry’s Harfleur speech associates him with rape (Wilcox 66). Logically, invasion also signifies rape. If Henry personifies the English invaders, and Catherine the French victims, the invasion of France represents rape of Catherine. This does not quite fit, because Henry earnestly avoids destroying France. The play threatened rape of France and Catherine, but the actual crime never occurred. From what we see of Henry, he is prepared to commit atrocities but very reluctant to do so. He conquers to acquire France and Catherine, not to plunder them. Catherine and Henry’s exchange is not a metaphorical rape, but a negotiation. The underlying tension is the threat of sexual violence, mirroring the Harfleur scene. In both scenes, the conqueror reasons with the conquered: she can accept him or he can take her forcibly. Both conqueror and conquered prefer a mutual union as “the wedding between Katherine and Henry promises political concord between the two realms” (Wilcox 73).
Henry’s victory at Agincourt becomes more than the slaughter of Frenchmen or an English victory. Instead, Henry’s victory represents the promise of their union and an era of peace and prosperity. Henry’s invasion of France becomes his marriage negotiate for Catherine’s hand—and France. Instead of a young king’s impetuous retaliation, Henry’s invasion becomes the glorious reunion of France and England.