Henry V Throwback

I am currently rereading this book that I love, Annie Between the States, about a girl living in Virginia during the Civil War. In one scene, she meets William Farley, a scholarly soldier, who quotes Henry's speech from Henry V. As soon as I read that, I was so excited because I knew what they were talking about! That made me think about our discussions of Henry V in class. Henry gave his speech in Act III, and we discussed the significance of this speech because it serves as inspiration for the men. Most of the soldiers feel as if theirs is a lost cause, but Henry tries to muster support and convince them to fight to the death. This also marks Henry's maturity, for he is no longer the irresponsible boy shirking his duties, but he is taking responsiblity for his country. We talked about the manner in which he delivered his speeach, and I envisioned it being similar to King Theoden hitting the spears of his soldiers lined for battle in Lord of The Rings: Return of the King. He inspires the men there, just as Henry inspired his men.

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