In Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 1, Henry Bolingbroke (King Henry IV) explained to his son that he in his quest to seize the crown from Richard II, he had engaged in a kind of public relations campaign by consciously ensuring he was rarely seen in the public eye. As a result, the sight of him was sweet like honey, which becomes sickly when tasted too often. Therefore, Henry IV reasons with his son, it is best to retire from the public eye and only be seen on special occasions and, when see, be at one's best.
Bolingbroke's son prince Henry - who later becomes King Henry V - made himself readily available to 'common folk' and often was seen in public. Henry V frequented taverns and spent much of his time with ordinary people and even with thieves. Henry V had his own strategy in allowing himself be seen as a playboy and dissolute youth. Henry V's thinking was that by reducing the public expectations of him, when ultimately he decides to do something useful it would be doubly noteworthy in the public mind as Henry V will be seen to have repented from his waywardness. 'Wow, hasn't he changed? Who would have thought he had it in him?' and similar exclamations might arise. Whereas had Henry V always been a well-behaved prince, like his younger brother, then any great deed might not have been as admired or recognized.
Naturally, Henry IV did not appreciate his son's approach and actually believed that his son really was a dissolute playboy. Yet, son was more like father than the father knew.
References to Henry V's early waywardness are made even into Henry V's kingship, in the diplomatic approaches made by France as presented in Shakespeare's later play Henry V which covers Henry V's invasion of France.
Political campaign managers of today might find these fundamental aspects of Henry IV and Henry V useful historical notes.
Shakespeare's Henry IV and Henry V also present the phenomenon of a political leader carrying out the promises of their predecessor to their supporters, which the predecessor had not fulfilled. For example, suppose Barack Obama had promised the Queen of England and her networks that he would destroy Syria and remove Assad, and on that basis the Queen of England supported Obama's push for the presidency and offered every support which her great wealth and networks could provide. Supposing that Obama was unable to complete the job despite making every effort, and suppose those same networks supported Hillary Clinton as a natural successor to Obama. Then Clinton might have attempted to fulfill what she saw as her natural obligation - to finish the project which had been placed on Obama's shoulders.
In Henry V's invasion of France, the son was faithful to the father, as Henry V was merely fulfilling the promises Henry IV had made to the English aristocrats who had supported Henry IV's usurpation of the crown from Richard II. This is like a successor president
Henry IV had said to the English aristocracy 'make me king, and you shall have plunder'. In the mind of the English aristocrats, Richard II had been too intent on building the nation of England, which benefited the culture of England and benefited ordinary people, did nothing for the wealth and status of the English aristocratic families. However, Henry IV's kingship was marred by rebellions from within England and so Henry IV had been unable to fulfill his promises. In Shakespeare's history play, Henry V, Henry V fulfills his father's promises to take England to war with foreign nations to create opportunities for the English aristocracy to extract plunder. As king leading the English forces in France, Henry V makes a show of hanging one of his former tavern buddies for breaking the rule that no church be touched - as only 'legitimate plunder' is permitted.
The edition of Henry IV Part 1 here at Amazon dot com and here at Amazon dot co dot uk says more in the introduction and in the footnote annotations to the text of the play about the public relations machinations of the Henry IV and Henry V, father and son, as presented by Shakespeare.
Bolingbroke's son prince Henry - who later becomes King Henry V - made himself readily available to 'common folk' and often was seen in public. Henry V frequented taverns and spent much of his time with ordinary people and even with thieves. Henry V had his own strategy in allowing himself be seen as a playboy and dissolute youth. Henry V's thinking was that by reducing the public expectations of him, when ultimately he decides to do something useful it would be doubly noteworthy in the public mind as Henry V will be seen to have repented from his waywardness. 'Wow, hasn't he changed? Who would have thought he had it in him?' and similar exclamations might arise. Whereas had Henry V always been a well-behaved prince, like his younger brother, then any great deed might not have been as admired or recognized.
Naturally, Henry IV did not appreciate his son's approach and actually believed that his son really was a dissolute playboy. Yet, son was more like father than the father knew.
References to Henry V's early waywardness are made even into Henry V's kingship, in the diplomatic approaches made by France as presented in Shakespeare's later play Henry V which covers Henry V's invasion of France.
Political campaign managers of today might find these fundamental aspects of Henry IV and Henry V useful historical notes.
Shakespeare's Henry IV and Henry V also present the phenomenon of a political leader carrying out the promises of their predecessor to their supporters, which the predecessor had not fulfilled. For example, suppose Barack Obama had promised the Queen of England and her networks that he would destroy Syria and remove Assad, and on that basis the Queen of England supported Obama's push for the presidency and offered every support which her great wealth and networks could provide. Supposing that Obama was unable to complete the job despite making every effort, and suppose those same networks supported Hillary Clinton as a natural successor to Obama. Then Clinton might have attempted to fulfill what she saw as her natural obligation - to finish the project which had been placed on Obama's shoulders.
In Henry V's invasion of France, the son was faithful to the father, as Henry V was merely fulfilling the promises Henry IV had made to the English aristocrats who had supported Henry IV's usurpation of the crown from Richard II. This is like a successor president
Henry IV had said to the English aristocracy 'make me king, and you shall have plunder'. In the mind of the English aristocrats, Richard II had been too intent on building the nation of England, which benefited the culture of England and benefited ordinary people, did nothing for the wealth and status of the English aristocratic families. However, Henry IV's kingship was marred by rebellions from within England and so Henry IV had been unable to fulfill his promises. In Shakespeare's history play, Henry V, Henry V fulfills his father's promises to take England to war with foreign nations to create opportunities for the English aristocracy to extract plunder. As king leading the English forces in France, Henry V makes a show of hanging one of his former tavern buddies for breaking the rule that no church be touched - as only 'legitimate plunder' is permitted.
The edition of Henry IV Part 1 here at Amazon dot com and here at Amazon dot co dot uk says more in the introduction and in the footnote annotations to the text of the play about the public relations machinations of the Henry IV and Henry V, father and son, as presented by Shakespeare.
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