(25) Henry VIII

Henry VIII is a different sort of play…a not very good sort…in my most humble of opinions. I'm just not feeling it with this one. It's different, in a lesser way, from the other plays and comes across as formulaic, with a plodding plot and oftentimes stilted, inauthentic language. I really did not find a whole lot to remember in this one, and I am looking forward to moving on. A quick summary: Henry VIII is king. Some of his advisors are power hungry despots. They fall from grace, one by one, until the last one (Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury), whom Henry saves. In between all this, the king divorces his first wife (Katherine), marries Anne Boleyn (Bullin in the play), and sires the infant Queen Elizabeth. The action here follows the history of this king (a familiar history to us I think), with all the embarrassing points left out of course, which brings me to my biggest problem with this play: its seemingly relentless political pandering to the Tudor regime. It’s nonstop, especially at the end with the birth of Queen Elizabeth, where there is a lengthy, eye-rolling passage spoken by the Archbishop of Canterbury on the fantastic merits and godly countenance of the infant Queen. Take this for example:

This royal infant--heaven still move about her!--
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: she shall be--
But few now living can behold that goodness--
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed: Saba was never
More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue
Than this pure soul shall be: all princely graces,
That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,
With all the virtues that attend the good,
Shall still be doubled on her: truth shall nurse her,
Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:
She shall be loved and fear'd: her own shall bless her;
Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,

“…like a field of beaten corn.” Really? This lavish and gushing praise goes on and on. I guess the Elizabethan audience would have liked this sort of thing, but for me, not so much. Maybe I’m overly sensitive to this type of thing (politics of this sort is a big turn-off for me), but I am certainly not alone (apparently this play is a regular on many a least-liked list).

So unfortunately, my run through the Histories ends in a whimper, not a bang, but oh well, no harm done. I am ready to move on to the Tragedies and the worlds of Caesar, Romeo, Othello, and Lear. The list of great Shakespeare plays in this genre is strong and long and I have been anticipating this jump for some time. As usual, check back often as I shall be chiming right in with copious amounts of misinterpretation, thematic misunderstanding, and general misjudgment. Good for me.