Oh, politics. They're all over the place in Henry VI, Part 1. It is a play about kingship, after all—and boy, is kingship complicated. A few things to notice: (1) Lots of people have long-running grudges going, like Gloucester and Winchester or Somerset and York; (2) there are some genuine questions about whether Henry VI's family really should have gotten the crown; (3) Henry VI tries to skip a lot of the politics—his go-to tactic is just asking people to play nice. But this is all just the tip of the iceberg; politics are the name of the game in this play.
Questions About Politics
- Why is Henry VI not so interested in politics? Personality? Age? Something else?
- If Henry's family did get the throne illegitimately, then who should have it now?
- Is there less political infighting on the battlefield where the English see the threat of the French more vividly?
- Does being a king require the nasty side of politics, or is there a way to be a good king just by being a good person?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Henry is more interested in being a good person than being a good king.
It is clear in Gloucester that it is possible to be a good person and a good leader.