Henry V

Henry V, the Graphic Novel, by William Shakespeare

Editor in Chief: Clive Bryant

Original, unabridged text

ISBN: 9781906332419

Towcester, United Kingdom:  Classical Comics Ltd., 2008

Plot - Henry has just been crowned king of England after the death of his father, King Henry IV, and, having left behind the follies of his carousing youth, he takes his position and responsibility utterly seriously.  He truly becomes King, but struggles with his old image throughout the process.  The story goes like this:  England has experienced civil wars all over the Kingdom for years, as well as small wars with its neighbor, France.  Once king, Henry carves out sections of France as belonging to England, and in response the Prince of France, referred to as the Dauphin, insults him as so many have based on his lifestyle when he himself was a prince.  In response, Henry decides to invade France to take the land, but before the invasion a plot is discovered to assassinate him.  The would-be assassins are put to death and the English set sail for France.  Among the soldiers are three of Henry's old friends from the Boar's Head tavern where they often met, but they soon learn that in his determination to fill the role of King to the fullest, Henry has no mercy for old friends who do wrong.  With the help of Henry's exceptional oratorical skills, the English launch into a final battle, outnumbered by the French five to one, and he seals his place as England's rightful heir in person as much as in blood.

Critical Evaluation - This, one of Shakespeare's history plays, is not a plot-driven work.  It focuses on the character of Henry V and the tests he seems to set for himself to establish in his subjects' (and perhaps his own) minds that he truly is worthy of being king.  He accepts the kingly mantel of responsibility against the pressures of old friendships, the lives of soldiers whom he greatly admires, even against reason.  Otherwise, Henry V is full of magnificent oratory.  So many famous lines come from this play including, "Once more, unto the breach, dear friends,..." and "In peace there's nothing more becomes a man than modest stillness and humility...".  Shakespeare's production of inspirational war monologues is seldom matched in any of his other plays.  The graphic novel itself lives up to Classical Comics's reputation built on its other successes.  The art is dramatic, comic book style and it truly brings to life the original, unabridged text.  The editors have obviously worked diligently with Shakespearean actors to parse the verse into meaningful segments, printing words in bold that make the language flow in a meaningful way.

Reader's annotation - Is England's Commander in Chief just a grown-up rebellious teenager with little more to offer his country than stories of illegal escapades with his motley group of drunkards and thieves?  Can this new king honor and inspire the subjects he leads into an era in which England is united and proud?

Information about the author - According to Bill Bryson's research, we know exceptionally little, almost nothing, factual about William Shakespeare.  We do know quite a lot about his body of work, though, and its influence on our cultural imagination and our everyday language can hardly be overestimated.  Did you know....the Oxford English Dictionary attributes to Shakespeare over 3,000 new words into the English language; some scholars believe the Bard actually popularized rather than invented some of those terms; "fancy free" was a Shakespearean contribution, as were "a charmed life" (Macbeth), "sorry sight," and "primrose path." 
Genre - Literature, YA Graphic Novel
Curriculum Ties - The graphic novel is an excellent way for kids to become familiar with the pattern of the story so that when they read the play or, even better, see it performed, the verse will simply be a vehicle for delivering a story they already know instead of overwhelming them.
Booktalk ideas - 

1. Tell the story of Henry's trick on his friend Falstaff from Henry IV where he sets Falstaff up to brag falsely about defeating a band of bandits when it was actually only Henry and his friend who surprise them in the dark.  Ask if this sounds like a likely man to lead his country.
2. Describe the scene in which Henry, in disguise, roams the grounds of his soldiers' encampment, getting to know them intimately, and what impact his has on his vision of what it means to be a real leader.

Reading level - I would suggest 15+, after the young person has had the chance to encounter the story of Henry V in plain English.

Challenge issues -Violence depicted graphically, complete acceptance of war as legitimate

Challenge defense ideas:

• Librarian must read the book carefully and include it as a resource intended for older teens.
• Librarian greets students and regularly discusses their reading choices; she provides individualized, age-appropriate guidance in book choice.
• Explain the ways in which the librarian accompanies and guides younger students looking for books, and knows students well as individuals.

Why I included this book - It is a must-have for school and public libraries alike.  This line of Classical Comics includes Original, Plain, and Quick Text versions.  I purchased the Plain and Original texts for my school and I promote them early in the year as a wonderful way for the kids to begin getting the stories into their heads before they read the original plays.  The graphics make it all the more fun.  Shakespeare's works remain vital pieces of literature in our cultural history, and we owe it to our young adults to introduce them in a way that is as much fun, as rowdy, and scary, and as touching as the performances they were written for.  This graphic novel is all that and more.