Beowulf and henry V: a question of war

In both Beowulf and Henry V the cultural value placed on war as a means to national security and peace is that it is an assumed necessity, a means of peace between nations as well as between individual men. In Beowulf the attitude of the time is ‘kill or be killed’ and war is necessary for a nation if it is to be preserved. Whether under attack from the Danes or enemies such as Grendel, Grendel’s moth

In Henry V the reader is also led by the author to question war because of the same situation that presents itself in Beowulf; that winning eventually leads to losing. Similar to the narrator of Beowulf, Shakespeare understands that with war comes devastation and that ultimately God is in control over the lives of men. The underlying warning of the play is that everyone is human and that eventually all humans die, whether because of natural occurrences or because of the human weaknesses of fellow man. Harry believed that all his men were behind him one hundred percent and that they too believed that the war was right and for the good of the people, but through the author the reader sees otherwise. While Harry is disguised and wandering around the camp with the men, he falls into conversation with some of them and one confirms the fact that they all aren’t so gung-ho about being there by saying “I would [the king] were here alone; so should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men’s lives saved” (4.1.123-125). The men wondered why they were fighting the war and questioned Harry’s ability as king. While the men were off fighting France: who was at home protecting England? What about the Scots? Devastation of the home front is an issue explored by the author as well. Burgundy’s speech about peace reinforces the idea that no matter what happens while at war, it is inevitable that the home land suffers on both sides. Burgundy says “all our vineyards…defective in their natures, grow to wildness, even so our houses, and ourselves, and children have lost, …, the sciences that should become our country[s]” (5.2.54-58). The Epilogue allows the reader to know that history repeats itself. Even though Harry had won the war this time around, his son lost it all when he came into power. The reader is told “of [England] left [to] his son imperial lord, Henry the Sixth, …lost France and made his England bleed” (Epilogue.8-12). It leads one to ask again, why condone war at all if winning leads to losing? In the case of English history, it’s all a vicious cycle of wins and loses.

The narrator of Beowulf understands that with war comes destruction, devastation, and the loss of innocent lives, but leads the reader to ask what’s the point of it all? God is ultimately in control. Even if you win, you lose. Throughout Beowulf the reader is told about how good, pure and selfless Beowulf is and about how he risked himself for all of his men and kingdom numerous times, but even though Beowulf was good, the human weaknesses in others led to his demise. Fate played an important role in Beowulf’s life with the fate of his men resting upon him and in the end his fate was decided by his men’s betrayal of him, ultimately causing his death. Hrothgar’s long speech in which he warns Beowulf about the weaknesses of men plays an important role in helping the reader realize that winning isn’t always winning. Hrothgar reminds Beowulf that men sometimes get caught up in their own want and forget what’s important by saying, “he know no defense – the strange, dark demands of evil spirits…his final destiny he neglects and forgets, since God, …, has given him a portion of honors” (25.1746-1751). Hrothgar warns Beowulf to “defend y

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