Sources Henry VI, Part 3

title page 1550 edition of edward hall s union of 2 noble , illustre families of lancaster , york.

for example, when henry urged clifford, northumberland , westmorland engage yorkists in combat in parliamentary chambers, reluctant, arguing yorkists have greater support in london lancastrians; know not city favours them,/and have troops of soldiers @ beck (1.1.67–68). both hall , holinshed report yorkists invaded parliament house, hall reports henry chose not engage them because majority of people supported york s claim throne. rutland s death scene (1.3) based on hall rather holinshed. although clifford reported having murdered rutland in both hall , holinshed, in hall rutland s tutor present, , in hall rutland , clifford engage in debate revenge prior murder. depiction of edward s initial meeting lady grey (3.2) based on hall rather holinshed. example, hall alone in reporting edward seemingly offered make queen merely motives of lust; edward affirming farther if thereunto condescend [to sleep him], might fortune of paramour , concubine changed wife , lawful bedfellow. later, holinshed not mention instance in george , richard express dissatisfaction edward s decision (depicted in play in 4.1), or questioning of edward why favouring relations of wife on own brothers. such scene occurs in hall, writes clarence declared gloucester that, make him know 3 1 man s sons, of 1 mother , 1 lineage descended, should more preferred , promoted strangers of wife s blood [...] exalt or promote cousin or ally, little careth fall or confusion of own line , lineage. more general aspect unique hall prominence of revenge motive of cruelty in play. revenge cited many times different characters guiding force behind actions; northumberland, westmorland, clifford, richard, edward , warwick declare @ point in play acting out of desire vengeance on enemies. revenge, however, plays little part in holinshed, hardly mentions word, , never offers major theme of war.

on other hand, aspects of play unique holinshed rather hall. example, both hall , holinshed represent margaret , clifford taunting york after battle of wakefield (depicted in 1.4), hall makes no mention of crown or molehill, both of alluded in holinshed (although in chronicle, crown made of sedges, not paper); duke taken alive , in derision caused stand upon molehill, on head put garland instead of crown, had fashioned , made of sedges or bulrushes. more evidence shakespeare used holinshed found in scene warwick in france after joining lancastrians (3.3), , king louis assigns admiral, lord bourbon, aid warwick in assembling army. in holinshed, admiral referred lord bourbon , in play (and in reality), whereas in hall admiral erroneously called lord burgundy . aspect of play found in holinshed edward s offer of peace warwick prior battle of barnet; warwick, wilt thou ope city gates,/speak gentle words , humbly bend thy knee?/call edward king, , @ hands beg mercy,/and shall pardon thee these outrages (5.1.21–24). offer edward not reported in hall, makes no reference yorkist attempt parley warwick. incident found in holinshed.

the murder of rutland charles robert leslie (1815)

although shakespeare s main sources factual material hall , holinshed, seems have used other texts thematic , structural purposes. 1 such source sackville , norton s gorboduc (1561), play deposed king divides land between children, , shakespeare used source king lear. gorboduc reprinted in 1590, year before shakespeare wrote 3 henry vi, , seems have used model exploring , representing destruction of civil society factional conflict. more specifically, gorboduc known pre-seventeenth century text containing scene in son unknowingly kills father, , father unknowingly kills son, , such, served source act 2, scene 5, in henry witnesses such incident.

another thematic source may have been william baldwin s mirror magistrates (1559; 2nd edition, 1578), well-known series of poems spoken controversial historical figures speak of lives , deaths, , warn contemporary society not make same mistakes did. 3 such figures margaret of anjou, king edward iv , richard plantagenet, 3rd duke of york. york s final scene, , last speech in particular (1.4.111–171), identified being type of scene suitable traditional tragic hero has been defeated own ambition, , how york presents himself in mirror, tragic hero dynastic ambitions caused him reach far , led ruin.

thomas kyd s spanish tragedy (1582–1591) may have served minor influence. of specific importance handkerchief soaked in rutland s blood margaret produces during york s torture in act 1, scene 4. have been influenced recurring image of bloody handkerchief in immensely popular tragedy, insofar handkerchief soaked in blood of son, horatio, carried protagonist, hieronimo, throughout play.

a minor source shakespeare used arthur brooke s tragical history of romeus , juliet (1562), shakespeare s source romeo , juliet. of margaret s speech army in act 5, scene 4 taken verbatim brooke. in romeus , juliet, friar laurence advises romeus stand troubles, , brave in face of great danger;

it has been suggested shakespeare may have used several mystery cycles sources. randall martin, in 2001 edition of play oxford shakespeare notes similarities between york s torture in act 1, scene 4 , torture of christ depicted in buffeting , scourging of christ, second trial before pilate , judgement of jesus. suggests debt of influence murder of rutland in act 1, scene 3 slaughter of innocents. emrys jones further suggests shakespeare may have been influenced in york s death scene desiderius erasmus tragicus rex , thomas more s utopia (1516) , history of king richard iii (1518), of richard s soliloquy in act 5, scene 6 taken, references need play actor.