King Henry VI, Part 1

King Henry VI, Part 1 by William Shakespeare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The mixture of elements in this play rather supports the suggestion it was the work of several dramatists. The broad sweep is the conflict between France and England symbolised by the warriors Joan Puzel and Talbot, the latter of course far more sympathetically drawn. But there’s a bunch of other stuff, including random amorous Countesses and a very contrived rose garden scene that sets up the idea of a war of the roses. Supposedly a prequel of what we now call parts two and three, and like a lot of prequels quite unsatisfying on its own.

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