Henry V

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!”

Shakespeare's most patriotic play is also his most ambiguous, a thrilling war epic that asks whether glory is worth the blood it costs.

Henry V, the wayward prince who rejected Falstaff, has become England's greatest warrior king. He invades France, claiming a crown that is not rightfully his. He lays siege to the city of Harfleur, screaming at his men to close the breach. His army, outnumbered and exhausted, prepares for the Battle of Agincourt. On the night before the battle, Henry walks among his soldiers in disguise, listening to their doubts and fears. The next day, he delivers the most famous pep talk in English literature: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers." England wins. Henry courts the French princess Katherine (in charmingly broken French). The play ends with a peace that will not last.

This is Shakespeare at his most rousing and uncomfortable: a play about leadership, nationalism, and the men who die so that kings can claim “glory.” Henry V has been performed as jingoistic propaganda (during World War II) and as an anti-war critique (ever since). It is both.

• Written around 1599, the final play in Shakespeare's second tetralogy (following Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2)

• The source of countless famous speeches: “Once more unto the breach,” “The Feast of Crispian,” and “We band of brothers”

• Features the Chorus, who repeatedly apologizes for the limitations of the stage and asks the audience to use their imaginations

Available in multiple formats:

• Paperback & Hardcover: Beautifully designed print editions presenting the complete, unabridged text made to last.

• Ebook: DRM-free EPUB compatible with Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and all major e-readers.

• Audiobook: Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged, available on all major audiobook platforms.

A beautifully crafted edition for your shelf, your device, or your ears, or the perfect gift for anyone who knows that the band of brothers always includes the ones who do not come home.

About the Author

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he moved to London and became a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later the King's Men). Henry V was written around 1599, the year the Globe Theatre opened. The play's famous Chorus, which apologizes for the "wooden O" of the stage, is thought to refer directly to the new Globe. The play has had a complex political history: Laurence Olivier's 1944 film, dedicated to the troops fighting World War II, is a stirring patriotic epic. Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film, made during the Falklands War and the Troubles in Northern Ireland, is darker, bloodier, and more ambivalent. The play is also the source of the phrase "band of brothers," which has been used by everyone from military units to the HBO miniseries about World War II. Shakespeare's other major works include Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, and The Tempest. He died in 1616 at the age of 52 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.