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Henry V Study Guide
Act One
Prologue
1) What is the purpose of the prologue? What does the Chorus ask the audience to
do?
Scene 1
2) What is the Archbishop of Canterbury anxious to prevent in the opening scene?
What will he do to try to stop it?
3) What was Henry like in his youth? How has he changed since the death of his
father?
Scene 2
4) What is Henry’s claim to the French throne? Describe the law that might prevent
him from pressing his claim.
5) What reasons does the Archbishop of Canterbury give Henry to convince him to
wage war on France?
6) What does Henry worry will happen if he takes an army to France? What advice
does the Archbishop of Canterbury give him?
7) How does the Dauphin of France insult Henry, and how does Henry respond?
What decision does he make?
Act Two
Prologue
1) How do the French plan to try to prevent the English invasion?
Scene 1
2) Describe Bardolph, Nym, Pistol, and Mistress Quickly. What kind of people are
they?
3) What is the cause of the dispute between Pistol and Nym? What is wrong with
Falstaff? What do all agree is the cause of his illness?
Scene 2
4) What are Scroop, Cambridge, and Grey planning? How does Henry trick them
into denying themselves mercy?
5) Why does Lord Scroop get the brunt of Henry’s wrath? Why is the crime seen as
so dangerous for the entire kingdom?
6) What is Henry’s slogan for the invasion?
Scene 3
7) What has happened to Falstaff? What does he exclaim against in the end?
8) What is Pistol’s slogan for the invasion?
Scene 4
9) What do the French leaders think of the threat posed by Henry? Why do they
hold these opinions?
10) What message does Exeter give to the French king? What is Henry’s response
to the Dauphin?
Act Three
Scene 1
1) Explain the 3 ways that Henry appeals to his men to charge “once more unto the
breach.” Who does he say the soldiers should fight for?
Scene 2
2) What is the Boy’s opinion of Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym? What have they been up
to?
Scene 3
3) How are the English finally able to take Harfleur? What does Henry threaten the
people of Harfleur with if they don’t surrender?
Scene 4
4) Why is the French princess, Katherine, learning English?
Scene 5
5) Why are the French lords particularly angry about the loss of Harfleur?
6) Why does the French King Charles send to Henry to demand a ransom? Why
isn’t his goal just to kill him?
Scene 6
7) What has Bardolph been arrested for? What does Pistol ask Fluellen to do for
him? How does Fluellen respond?
8) According to Gower, what is the con game that people like Pistol are playing?
How do they carry it off?
9) How does Henry react to the news of Bardolph’s execution? Henry used to be
friends with Bardolph when he was younger. Why do you think he allows
Bardolph to be killed?
10) How does Henry respond to Montjoy’s demand for ransom?
Scene 7
11) In this scene, several characters continually wish it were morning. Why?
Act Four
Scene 1
1) Why does Henry disguise himself? What does Pistol have to say about the king?
2) What does Henry say to the soldiers to convince them that the King is not
responsible for their souls?
3) Why does Williams challenge Henry to a fight? How will they recognize each
other later?
4) According to Henry, what advantages does the common man have over the
king?
5) What prayer does Henry make to the “God of battles”? What is the sin that he
wants God to forget? How has he tried to make up for this sin?
Scene 2
6) Why are the French so confident they will win the battle?
Scene 3
7) Why does Westmoreland wish for more soldiers? By how much are they
outnumbered? What is Henry’s response (4.3.22-25)?
8) Why will his soldiers be proud to remember St. Crispin’s Day in the future? What
will they remember?
9) What is the significance of Henry’s saying, “We few, we happy few, we band of
brothers” (4.3.62)?
10) What will the men still in England think when they hear about that day? How
does Westmoreland react to Henry’s speech?
11) How does Henry respond to Montjoy’s latest demand for ransom?
Scene 4
12) What is Pistol’s main concern in this scene? What does the Boy tell us has
happened to Nym?
Scene 5
13) What do the Constable and Orleans tell us has happened in this scene? What do
they think of the English soldiers now?
Scenes 6 & 7
14) Why does Henry order the slaughter of the prisoners? What have the French
done to deserve it?
Scene 8
15) What are the numbers of casualties on the French and English sides? To what
does Henry attribute his great victory?
Act Five
Prologue
1) What has happened between Acts Four and Five?
Scene 1
2) What news has Pistol had from home? What will he do back in England?
Scene 2
3) What roles do Queen Isabel and Princess Katherine play in the negotiations?
What do you infer was the status of noble women during this time period?
4) According to the Duke of Burgundy, what are some of the effects of the war on
France?
5) What is unusual about Henry’s attitude toward reaching final agreement on the
details of the treaty? What is the only thing he really cares about?
6) How does Henry denigrate his own abilities while talking to Katherine? Why?
What is her final response to his wooing?
7) What was the political significance of their marriage? What was the outcome of
the treaty for the two kingdoms?
Epilogue
8) What happened to Henry’s vision of a united England and France?