Television Henry VI, Part 3

the battle of tewkesbury act 5, scene 4, in 1982 bbc shakespeare adaptation; note similarity in costumes of 2 sets of combatants – virtually impossible tell yorkists lancastrians

inspired notion political intrigues behind wars of roses seemed playground squabbles, howell , production designer oliver bayldon staged 4 plays in single set resembling children s adventure playground. however, little attempt made @ realism. example, bayldon did not disguise parquet flooring ( stops set literally representing [...] reminds in modern television studio ), , in 4 productions, title of play displayed within set (on banners in 1 henry vi , 2 henry vi (where visible throughout entire first scene), on shroud in 3 henry vi, , written on chalkboard richard himself in richard iii). many critics felt these set design choices lent production air of brechtian verfremdungseffekt. stanley wells wrote of set intended invite viewer accept play s artificiality of language , action, michael hattaway describes anti-illusionist, susan willis argues set allows productions reach theatrically toward modern world , ronald knowles writes major aspect of set subliminal suggestion of childlike anarchy, role-playing, rivalry, game , vandalism, if culture precariously balanced on shaky foundations of atavistic aggression , power-mad possession. 4 plays progressed, set decayed , became more , more dilapidated social order became more fractious. in same vein, costumes became more , more monotone plays went on – first part of henry sixt features brightly coloured costumes distinguish various combatants 1 another, tragedy of richard iii, fights in coloured dark costumes, little differentiate 1 army another. scene richard kills henry has 3 biblical references worked out howell; richard drags henry away, arms spread out crucified position; on table @ sat seen bread , wine, , in background, iron crossbar faintly illuminated against black stone wall. graham holderness saw howell s non-naturalistic production of reaction bbc s adaptation of henriad in seasons 1 , two, had been directed david giles in traditional , straightforward manner favoured series producer cedric messina; messina saw history plays conventionally orthodox tudor historiography, , [david giles] employed dramatic techniques allow ideology free , unhampered passage spectator, jane howell takes more complex view of first tetralogy as, simultaneously, serious attempt @ historical interpretation, , drama peculiarly modern relevance , contemporary application. plays, director, not dramatisation of elizabethan world picture sustained interrogation of residual , emergent ideologies in changing society [...] awareness of multiplicity of potential meanings in play required decisive , scrupulous avoidance of television or theatrical naturalism: methods of production should operate open plays out, rather close them recognisable familiarity of conventional shakespearean production.

although howell s third part of henry sixt based on folio text rather octavo, departed text in number of places. example, opens differently play, first twenty-four lines absent. instead begins edward, richard, clarence, warwick , norfolk hacking down door of parliament , warwick proclaiming palace of fearful king (1.1.25). opening scene differs play insofar clarence present start whereas in play introduced in act 2, scene 2 (clarence introduced, along edward , richard, in final scene of preceding adaptation). opening twenty-four lines, numerous other lines cut every scene. of more notable omissions include, in act 1, scene 1, york s stay me lords,/and soldiers stay , lodge me night (ll.31–32) absent, references margaret chairing session of parliament (ll.35–42). absent scene of dialogue between warwick , northumberland threaten 1 (ll.153–160) , margaret s references pains of child birth, , henry s shameful behaviour in disinheriting son (ll.221–226). absent act 1, scene 3 rutland s appeal clifford s paternal instincts; thou hast 1 son: sake pity me,/lest in revenge thereof, sith god just,/he miserably slain (ll.41–43). in act 2, scene 1, references clarence s entry conflict (l.143; ll.145–147) absent, had been introduced combatant @ end of 2 henry vi. in act 2, scene 2, 2 lines missing henry s rebuke of clifford s accusation has been unnatural disinheriting prince; , happy son/whose father hoarding went hell (ll.47–48). during ensuing debate between yorkists , lancastrians, richard s northumberland, hold thee reverentially (l.109) absent. in act 2, scene 3, clarence s plans rouse army absent , call them pillars stand us,/and if thrive, promise them such rewards/as victors wear @ olympian games (ll.51–53). in act 3, scene 3, oxford , prince edward s speculations contents of newly arrived letters absent (ll.167–170), warwick s reference salisbury s death , incident niece, did forget house of york/my father came untimely death?/did let pass th abuse done niece (ll.186–188). references lord bourbon absent scene (ll.253–255). in act 4, scene 4, first twelve lines absent (where elizabeth reports rivers edward has been captured).

however, there additions text, noticeably lines true tragedy. in act 1, scene 1, example, 4 lines added @ beginning of henry s declaration rather see civil war yield throne. between lines 124 , 125, henry states ah plantagenet, why seekest thou depose me?/are not both plantagenets birth?/and 2 brothers lineally descent?/suppose right , equity thou king... . in act 1, scene 1, line inserted between lines 174 , 175. when york asks henry if agrees truce, henry replies convey soldiers hence, , will. in act 2, scene 6, line inserted between lines 7 , 8; common people swarm summerflies. significant act 5, scene 1, entirety of clarence s return lancastrians taken true tragedy, replaces depiction of scene in 3 henry vi. others changes include transferral of lines characters other speak them in folio text, particularly in relation clarence, given numerous lines in part of play. example, in act 2, scene 1, clarence says edward s wonder how our princely father scaped,/or whether scaped away or no/from clifford , northumberland s pursuit (ll.1–3). clarence speaks richard s 3 glorious suns, each 1 perfect sun,/not separated racking clouds/but severed in pale clear-shining sky (ll.26–28); edward s sweet duke of york, our prop lean upon/now thou art gone, have no staff, no stay (ll.68–69); , richard s great lord of warwick, if should recount/our baleful news, , @ each word s deliverance/stab poniards in our flesh till told,/the words add more anguish wounds (ll.96–100). worth noting elizabeth s son, marquess of dorset, introduced after marriage of elizabeth , edward (act 4, scene 1). in text, dorset doesn t appear until richard iii.

a notable stylistic technique used in adaptation multiple addresses direct camera. example, henry s know not say, title s weak (1.1.135), revolt me, , turn him (1.1.152), , grief , sorrow court (1.1.211), , revenged may on hateful duke,/whose haughty spirit, wing d desire,/will cost crown, , empty eagle/tire on flesh of me , son (1.1.267–270); exeter s , i, hope, shall reconcile them (1.1.274); entirety of york s soliloquy in act 1, scene 4; warwick s pause breath during battle of barnet (2.3.1–5); of act 2, scene 5 (including dialogue henry, father , son) entry of prince edward @ line 125; of henry s monologue in act 3, scene 1, prior arrest (ll.13–54); richard s entire soliloquy in act 3, scene 2 (ll.124–195); margaret s ay, begins second storm rise,/for moves both wind , tide (3.3.47–48); warwick s soliloquy @ end of act 3, scene 3 (ll.257–268); richard s hear, yet not much, think more (4.1.85) , not i, thoughts aim @ further matter:/i stay not love of edward crown (141.124–125); warwick s o unbid spite, sportful edward come (5.1.18); entirety of richard s soliloquy in act 5, scene 6, after killing henry (ll.61–93) , richard s truth, judas kissed master/and cried hail , whenas meant harm (5.7.33–34).

the play featured in itv s shakespeare, 1978 six-part (heavily fictionalised) biopic of shakespeare (tim curry), written john mortimer. episode one, dead shepherd , focuses on shakespeare s apprenticeship christopher marlowe (ian mcshane), during time writes henry vi trilogy. focused upon act 2, scene 5; scene of son killing father , father killing son.

in 1964, austrian channel orf 2 presented adaptation of trilogy leopold lindtberg under title heinrich vi. cast list production has been lost. in 1969, german channel zdf presented filmed version of first part of peter palitzsch s 1967 two-part adaptation of trilogy in stuttgart, heinrich vi: der kreig der rosen 1. second part, eduard iv: der kreig der rosen 2, screened in 1971.