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Analysis of Henry’s speech of Harfleur showing his role as a leader and an inspiration Henry’s speech to his men before the battle of Harfleur is one of the most powerful, inspirational speeches of all time. The speech defines Henry as not only a friend unto his men, but also a powerful leader; ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more’, literally meaning to the break in the walls my friends, referring to the walls of Harfleur.
Henry is conjuring his men in a rally, including soldiers, noblemen and commoners, with the use of repetition of ‘once more’ to enforce the fact that this is not the first time it has been done, bringing up the memory of the Englishmen’s warlike ancestors of which they aspire to be like, so that they will follow him in his conquest.
The speech holds strong wildly exaggerated themes, to shock the public with what would happen if they were not to fight or help Henry in this great cause.
The purpose is partly to prove that the men were fighting for a good reason, and so they can have faith in their leader, but also to inspire them to fight the French ‘or close up the wall with our English dead’, ironic as the hole in the wall of Harfleur is enormous and would take thousands of bodies to even half fill but a thought which would not leave you.
Henry V is a negotiator, he reasons with his men, suggesting that men must not always fight, that ‘In peace there’s nothing so become a man as stillness and humility’ the soft ‘s’ sibilance adds a calming tone, and paints a picture of the ideal man, of which most men would inspire to be like, who is calm and good humoured.
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He goes on to contrast this with ‘but when the blast of war blows in our ears’, the onomatopoeic plosive ‘b’ sound is so loud and clear, as is the war with the imagery of ‘blows in our ears’ shows us that even the ideal man cannot ignore this, will not ignore this and that he must turn from the pacifist to the fighter.
The metaphorical language depicts the man turning from the civilised human he has become, back to nature with his predatory-like mind and that he must ‘imitate the action of the tiger’ and fight for his worth as an Englishman. Dynamic imperatives are used to directly address the audience, showing Henry’s leadership skills as he is telling them what to do and think ‘stiffen the sinews, conjure up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage’ he is urging his men to change in state, from man to the fighter to a point of uncontrollable anger and ferocity for battle.
Similes are used powerfully in addition to these imperatives; ‘like the brass cannon’ referring to the eyeball popping out of ones skull in rage, he is consuming his audience with the passion and rage of war with powerful imagery changing the atmosphere and preparing them for the battle of their lives where they are to prove themselves to the world, wildly exaggerated but very inspiring and puts him in complete control of all of their emotions, defining his status as King and leader.
In addition to the metaphorical comparison between human and animal, Henry relates the feelings of war to the processes of nature; ‘galled rock’ the men are hard as rocks, both in physical power and mentality. Other images include the ‘swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean’ proving to his men that it is a natural process for one to be overpowered with rage, especially when it is for a good cause as the one he is suggesting, and that we must take what is ours (France) like the waves take control of the ocean.
The men are reduced to powerless bodies; Henry goes on in his speech to control not only their minds but their bodies with ‘set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide’ the strong imagery instinctively makes you do the action which in itself grinds you and makes one feel consumed with rage, this is beyond inspiration, the men are physically empowered by the speech. Furthermore he makes it every man’s duty to their mothers to fight ‘dishonour not your mother.
The sentence is short and stands out for clarity as it is an important part of his speech, he wants them to feel guilty if they do not make their mothers, of which have raised them, proud. Onomatopoeic repetition adds rhythm to the speech and commands the men to go forth with their duties with use of ellipsis; ‘on, on’ the choice to go to war is no longer a choice but a factor of life that must happen, the men have turned into the animals of war and have now become ‘noble English’ further inspiring them to be as their forefathers were.
For after all their ‘blood is fet from fathers of war proof’ of which they must live up to, and the alliteration of the ‘f’ sound adds dynamicity to the speech, the war has become a physical part of them, it’s in their blood. Not only do the men want to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers, but Henry wants them to make history; ‘teach them how to war. Again another short sentence, he wants them to set the example, be the best men any King could have, slightly blowing his own trumpet there. Strong imagery of England and patriotism is used to make the men feel not only proud of their mothers and the king but also their country ‘the mettle of your pasture’ as England is seen to be fields of green countryside, much like the battlefield in which they fought.
To enforce this he uses rhetorical questions ‘swear that you are worth your breeding’ of which every man would swear he is, as part of his ego but also no man wants to feel unworthy. Henry also says that he can see the drive and determination in all of their eyes; ‘noble lustre in your eyes’ metaphorical but inspiring nevertheless, he makes every man feel as though he truly can do it, he is a fighter.
A further simile ‘I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips’ the greyhounds being hunting dogs, hungry for power. Follow your spirit and upon this charge’ act on your instincts, don’t think for war is something not of emotion of the weak, and as you do this you must ‘cry “God for Harry, England and Saint George! ”’ a half rhyme with charge the final couplet uses imperatives to state the cause as to which the men are fighting and boosts moral and patriotism, saint George being the patron saint of England, the final push for these men from men to soldiers.
Analysis of Henry V's Harfleur Speech: A Display of Military Power and Leadership. (2017, Feb 10). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/analysis-henry-v-speech-battle-of-harfleur-showing-his-power-and-role-as-a-leader-essay
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