About Shakespeare’s Henry V
In Shakespeare’s Henry V, the construction of gender, especially its emphasis of masculinity, serves to justify war and its associated violence, control women, and solidify the gender hierarchy. Although Henry derives power from his masculinity throughout the play, he primarily does so when justifying war by feminizing France and overtaking the one female in a position of power, ultimately finding his identity as a ruler and a man in overtaking and controlling all things feminine. Henry’s first major act of […]
