King Henry V: The Star of England and Übermensch
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
English
Faculty Mentor
Matthew Fike, Ph.D.
Abstract
Previous criticism of Shakespeare’s Hal/Henry V as a “madcap prince” and fraudulent king is unjust. Preceding critics such as Jennifer Ann Bates, Marilyn Williamson, Harold Bloom, and Jamey E. Graham reach such negative conclusions about Shakespeare’s prodigal character. Analyzing the Henriad in conjunction with Nietzsche’s concept “will to power” suggests, in contrast, that Hal develops into a hero king commensurate with Nietzsche’s “Übermensch.” By recognizing Falstaff and Prince John of Lancaster as instances of will to power and foils to Henry V and by reading key scenes in court and tavern as developmental moments, this paper argues that Henry V is not morally compromised through sybaritic zeal or lack of responsibility. He instead gains a phenomenal wisdom that guides his passage to a skill and insight that compare favorably to Alexander the Great. Therefore, if Nietzsche’s “Übermensch” is the superior form of will to power, two conclusions arise from Hal’s progress through the tetralogy. First, the “Übermensch” is the supreme individual triumph, since the courageous trials stimulate progress by influencing members of the community. Second, the most celebrated examples of cultural shift result from such models of the “Übermensch.”
Start Date
24-4-2015 1:20 PM
King Henry V: The Star of England and Übermensch
DiGiorgio Campus Center, Room 221
Previous criticism of Shakespeare’s Hal/Henry V as a “madcap prince” and fraudulent king is unjust. Preceding critics such as Jennifer Ann Bates, Marilyn Williamson, Harold Bloom, and Jamey E. Graham reach such negative conclusions about Shakespeare’s prodigal character. Analyzing the Henriad in conjunction with Nietzsche’s concept “will to power” suggests, in contrast, that Hal develops into a hero king commensurate with Nietzsche’s “Übermensch.” By recognizing Falstaff and Prince John of Lancaster as instances of will to power and foils to Henry V and by reading key scenes in court and tavern as developmental moments, this paper argues that Henry V is not morally compromised through sybaritic zeal or lack of responsibility. He instead gains a phenomenal wisdom that guides his passage to a skill and insight that compare favorably to Alexander the Great. Therefore, if Nietzsche’s “Übermensch” is the superior form of will to power, two conclusions arise from Hal’s progress through the tetralogy. First, the “Übermensch” is the supreme individual triumph, since the courageous trials stimulate progress by influencing members of the community. Second, the most celebrated examples of cultural shift result from such models of the “Übermensch.”
