The prologue to the beginning of this play calls upon the "Muse" to help present the play. The chorus explains to the audience of the difficulties faced in pre

army hath enrounded him; nor doth he dedicate one jot of color unto the weary and all-watched night; but freshly looks, and overbears attaint with cheerful semblance and sweet majesty; that every wretch, pining and pale before, beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks. A largess universal, like the sun, his liberal eye doth give to everyone, thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all behold, as may unworthiness define, a little touch of Harry in the night" (li 35-47). The Chorus then takes the audience to the battle scene, calling upon them to once again to use their imaginations to picture the battle between the two countries at the Battle of Agincourt.

The play closes with an epilogue by the Chorus. The Chorus tells how the actual event that took place was much grander then that which was presented on stage. They close the story about the life of King Henry V by telling the audience that he had a son, Henry VI, whom went on to succeed his father. During his son's reign, he proceeded to lose France, which has been depicted in other plays.

The Chorus has multiple functions in the play. In act I, it set the scene and prepared the audience of what to expect. In act II, the Chorus sets the plot for the conspiracy planned against the King. It also brings out one of the major themes that occurs throughout the play, honor. In act III, help out with the plot using imagery to help the audience to picture events taking place. The prologue to act IV sets the scene up for the battle. The Chorus also gives the audience some insight into the character of Henry V as well. The prologue to the last act fills in the lapse in time that occurred since the battle was won up to the point where Henry returns to France. The Epilogue closes the play with the Chorus reminding the audience that the event depicted is hard to present on stage due to lofty subject matter dealing with such a great man as King Henry V.

In the prologue to Act V, the Chorus, once again, asks the audience to imagine certain events that have occurred since the ending of the last act. The King has left France to go back to London. Returning to London, King Henry's lords wanted him "to have borne his bruised helmet and his bended sword before him through the city" (li 17-19). However, King Henry refused to do so, he wanted to be free of "vainness and self-glorious pride." King Henry did not want to take away from any of the glory of God. He attributed all the victory to God. Once he arrived in London, all of the people ran out to cheer. The Holy Roman Emperor also came to London, from Fra

Some topics in this essay:
King Henry, King Henry's, II Chorus, Chorus Shakespeare's, English French, Act III, Act II, French Courts, England France, Henry VI, king henry, act ii, chorus audience, prologue act, play chorus, set sail france, chorus tells, ii chorus, king henry's, france act, set sail, act ii chorus, france act ii, prologue act iv, battle chorus audience,