Category Archives: Henry VI Part Two

When I started this project of reading everything by Shakespeare in roughly chronological order, I didn’t really think about how the man himself would grow as a writer. I imagined him springing forth fully-formed from a giant clamshell or something, writing the most influential literature in the Western canon from the start. The first twoContinue reading “Henry Reloaded”

As I mentioned in my last entry, I do not have a solid grasp on English history, so I didn’t know anything about John Cade and his uprising before this play. After reading Act IV and getting Shakespeare’s dramatization of Cade’s Rebellion, I still don’t think I really know anything about it. According to Shakespeare,Continue reading “Don’t call me Cade”

Poor Gloucester just can’t seem to get a break. He’s had to watch his wife’s public disgrace, lose his job, and face accusations of impropriety in his office. Unfortunately for him, Act III just gets worse for him. He starts off in ignominy and then dies violently through no fault of his own. York isContinue reading “Plotters plotting plots”

I have to admit that I love when a good character is taken down in a story. My favorite part of The Count of Monte Cristo is the first bit when Edmund Dantes’ life is turned into an absolute shambles and he goes to rot in prison. The revenge tale after is fun, but IContinue reading “Gloucester’s fall”

Here we go, starting on the middle installment of the Henry VI trilogy. I was excited to start on this because we were left with some intriguing loose ends at the end of the last play, with Henry being a young and inexperienced king, the struggle between York and Lancaster starting to heat up, theContinue reading “Henry VI Part T2: Judgement Day”