Henry VI, Part III

"The Third Part of Henry VI" is based primarily on Edward Hall's "The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke" and the second edition of Holinshed's "Chronicles". The trilogy is very much concerned with the roles individuals play in shaping a nation's destiny. It must have been performed in 1592 because Robert Greene's 1592 "A Groatsworth of Wit" parodies a line from it. The publication describes Shakespeare as an "upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you." In "The Third Part of Henry VI", a complete breakdown of society is given. People live and die according to a code of revenge, and the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children.

With Richard Plantagenet, the Duke of York, sitting on the throne now (in the absence of King Henry VI and his queen who have gone into hiding), the Yorkists confront the Lancastrians. Henry agrees to York's demand that he disinherit his son, the Prince of Wales, provided that York returns the throne to Henry and allows Henry to reign undisturbed. The king's cowardice disgusts his supporters and they leave him. Queen Margaret is infuriated by the situation and declares war on the Yorkists with the assistance of Lord Clifford and other supporters.

In the battle, Clifford kills York's youngest son, Rutland. York is then captured by Clifford and Northumberland, who taunt him with the details of Rutland's death. Margaret goes so far as to offer York a handkerchief stained with Rutland's blood and challenges him to wipe his tears with it. The York is forced to wear a paper crown in the final moments before he is stabbed to death.

Edward and Richard are informed of their father's murder and unite with Warwick who proclaims Edward the new Duke of York. Meanwhile, Margaret and Clifford meet with Henry to persuade him to undo disinheriting his son. Henry is unconvinced by their argument—based on his own experiences he isn't sure sons appreciate the legacy of their father. Henry himself, never really wanted to be king, in spite of being groomed for it his entire life. Poetry moves him, not the mad scramble for power. Edward and his men enter, demanding the throne. Edward blames Margaret's pride for the civil war. A battle ensues in which Edward's forces in. He is crowned king. By the end of Act II, Edward creates Richard Duke of Gloucester and George Duke of Clarence.

Act II's stellar scene five opens with a dark soliloquy by Henry on the ravages of war and kingship. "This battle fares like to the morning's war,/ When dying clouds contend with growing light,/ What time the shepherd, blowing of his nails,/ Can neither call it perfect day nor night/…For what is in this world but grief and woe?/…To kings that fear their subjects' treachery" (II. v. 1-53).

Edward sends Warwick to France to ask for the hand of the king of France's sister while Margaret goes to France to ask for aid against Edward. They arrive at the same time, however. Just when King Louis decides to give Edward his sister's hand in marriage, a messenger arrives with the marriage announcement of Edward and Lady Gray. Warwick is insulted by a waste of an errand and pledges his loyalties to Henry. Louis gives Margaret troops to fight Edward.

George is so displeased by Edward's marriage, that he leaves with Somerset to join Warwick. Edward is captured and gives up his throne. Soon after, Richard and Hastings free Edward from prison. Meanwhile, Warwick, George and others find Henry in the Tower of London and free him. Henry is restored to the throne and names Warwick and George as Protectors of the Realm.

Edward defeats and kills Warwick at the Battle of Barnet. In the Battle of Tewkesbury, Edward kills the Prince of Wales and captures Queen Margaret. Richard begins his campaign to remove all obstacles in his path to the throne. It commences with the murder King Henry VI who is imprisoned at the Tower of London. Henry prophecies: "Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born,/ To signify thou cam'st to bite the world" (V. vi. 53-4). It seems that the rule of Lancasterians has come to an end and that the Yorks will reign in peace. Richard is in the wings with a master plan to purchase the throne with the blood of his brothers.

It is not uncommon in Renaissance history plays, for a historically-true character to be representative of a historical mechanism rather than a human being, or for the sake of being an active participant in the drama, to have aged considerably. Shakespeare takes great liberties with the age Richard would have been at the time of these battles. In history, Richard would have been a mere child. In fact, most of Shakespeare's historical sources for his Henry VI series were very sympathetic to the House of Lancaster. The historical Richard was not so magnificently evil. He wasn't even deformed.