Henry VI Part 3 Act 5, Scene 4 Summary

Read the full text of Henry VI Part 3 Act 5 Scene 4 with a side-by-side translation HERE.


  • Margaret comes in saying that her soldiers are like a ship at sea that has had a rough time. Even though their anchor (Warwick) and topmast (Montague) are both gone, they still have another anchor (Oxford) and mast (Somerset) to keep the ruthless sea (Edward), quicksand (George) and rocks (Richard) from bringing the ship down.
  • Yep, it's rally-the-troops time. Margaret wants to inspire the men to keep fighting.
  • "Amazing speech, Mom," says Prince Edward. "But just in case some of our men are still scared to fight, let them leave now. We don't want cowards."
  • Oxford is impressed that a woman and young boy could be so courageous when some of the warriors are not. He says they put the men to shame.
  • There's no time dwell on this, because just then, a messenger arrives with news that Edward is on his way.
  • Edward enters with a speech to his army asking them to add more fuel to the fire of his battle against the enemy.
  • Margaret tells her men that Henry is in prison, but he's the king and must be freed.
  • They all leave to fight.