Synopsis Henry VI, Part 1

frederick , alfred heath engraving of scene in temple garden john pettie (1871)

the play begins funeral of henry v, has died unexpectedly in prime. brothers, dukes of bedford , gloucester, , uncle, duke of exeter, lament passing , express doubt whether son (the yet uncrowned heir apparent henry vi) capable of running country in such tumultuous times, word arrives of military setbacks in france. rebellion, led dauphin charles, gaining momentum, , several major towns have been lost. additionally, lord talbot, constable of france, has been captured. realising critical time @ hand, bedford prepares himself head france , take command of army, gloucester remains in charge in england, , exeter sets out prepare young henry forthcoming coronation.

meanwhile, in orléans, english army laying siege charles forces. inside city, bastard of orléans approaches charles , tells him of young woman claims have seen visions , knows how defeat english. charles summons woman, joan la pucelle, (i.e. joan of arc). test resolve, challenges single combat. upon victory, places in command of army. outside city, newly arrived bedford negotiates release of talbot, immediately, joan launches attack. french forces win, forcing english back, talbot , bedford engineer sneak attack on city, , gain foothold within walls, causing french leaders flee.

back in england, petty quarrel between richard plantagenet , duke of somerset has expanded involve whole court. richard , somerset ask fellow nobles pledge allegiance 1 of them, , such lords select either red or white roses indicate side on. richard goes see uncle, edmund mortimer, imprisoned in tower of london. mortimer tells richard history of family s conflict king s family—how helped henry bolingbroke seize power richard ii, shoved background; , how henry v had richard s father (richard of conisburgh) executed , family stripped of lands , monies. mortimer tells richard himself rightful heir throne, , when dies, richard true heir, not henry. amazed @ these revelations, richard determines attain birthright, , vows have family s dukedom restored. after mortimer dies, richard presents petition crowned henry, agrees reinstate plantagenet s title, making richard 3rd duke of york. henry leaves france, accompanied gloucester, exeter, winchester, richard , somerset.

h. c. selous s illustration of joan s fiends abandoning in act 5, scene 3; plays of william shakespeare: historical plays, edited charles cowden clarke , mary cowden clarke (1830)

in france, within matter of hours, french retake , lose city of rouen. after battle, bedford dies, , talbot assumes direct command of army. dauphin horrified @ loss of rouen, joan tells him not worry. persuades powerful duke of burgundy, had been fighting english, switch sides, , join french. meanwhile, henry arrives in paris , upon learning of burgundy s betrayal, sends talbot speak him. henry pleads richard , somerset put aside conflict, and, unaware of implications of actions, chooses red rose, symbolically aligning himself somerset , alienating richard. prior returning england, in effort secure peace between somerset , richard, henry places richard in command of infantry , somerset in command of cavalry. meanwhile, talbot approaches bordeaux, french army swings around , traps him. talbot sends word reinforcements, conflict between richard , somerset leads them second guess 1 another, , neither of them send any, both blaming other mix-up. english army subsequently destroyed, , both talbot , son killed.

after battle, joan s visions desert her, , captured richard, , burned @ stake. @ same time, urged on pope eugenius iv , holy roman emperor, sigismund, henry sues peace. french listen english terms, under charles viceroy henry, reluctantly agreeing, intention of breaking oath @ later date , expelling english france. meanwhile, earl of suffolk has captured young french princess, margaret of anjou, whom intends marry henry in order can dominate king through her. travelling england, attempts persuade henry marry margaret. gloucester advises henry against marriage, margaret s family not rich, , marriage not advantageous position king, henry taken in suffolk s description of margaret s beauty, , agrees proposal. suffolk heads france bring margaret england gloucester worryingly ponders future may hold.