Brandyn Hasenohr
When I was signing up for what book in my honors com and lit class I definitely did not want to read Henry V, but from reading this book I have learned that there is more to it. When I first saw this book I thought “my god” I am not going to understand any of this, and for a while at the start of the book I had to look up modern text and ask my teacher for help because this is a very hard book to understand. Although it is hard to read if you just stick with it and get through the first ACT you will definitely understand it more and really connect with it better. Going through the book I really didn’t know what I want to write about until I got to the battle scene, and then it hit me conflict. From then on I started researching marines they are always dealing with conflict and making hard decisions especially during war. Also I thought of marines because I may be one someday and I have a couple of friends going into the military as well.
Henry V was a very intense and questionable book, King Henry was a very young adult at the time just like me (16-18). And that’s just some one of the personal connections I have had with Henry. If you haven’t read it is about a young ruler (King Henry) who feels he has the right to some of the Frenches land. As well as the young King Henry trying to prove himself and show that he is not a young foolish kid that everybody thinks he is. Also reading the book I was thinking, if King Henry was around my age and was ruling England and about to go to war I would be freaking out and wondering what I could do to prove myself and show that hey I’m not just a kid. Throughout the book Henry gets ready for war and deals with tons of conflicts on the way.
From reading Henry V I found a huge conflict between Henry and some of his friends or people who he thought were his friends. In this part of the book 3 traitors who were paid by the French try to kill henry before he leaves port. But he catches on being the smart young adult he is and confronts them, they confess and are executed. (pg. 27-34 Act 1) From reading this part of the book it really leads me to my issue conflict. I think about this topic a lot i feel im not the only one, anyone who has ever dealt with a conflict before or made hard decisions could understand. This is a huge conflict in the book, think if he hadn’t caught on and stopped the 3 men he could have died and the French may have won.
After this part of the book it he kind of went silent for 20 pages but when Henry and his army got to their first stop (Harfleur) he came in more conflict with some Frenchmen. If he wanted to win the war he would have to take over land and communities. Next Henry is talking to the governor of Harfleur and he states “if you don’t open up the gates then we are going to break in kill the men and children, and rape your women” (pg. 48-53 Act 2). Now the governor has to surrender because he knows that troops will not be there in time to help the city, and he doesn’t want to take the risk of his people dying, which I can understand they are not fitted for war there are women and children inside.
Remember this is a very short book but very hard to understand I mean it Shakespeare. While I was reading the fourth act another big inner conflict came up. In the 4th act he talks to his brothers (close friends) about what he should say for his speech, after they talk he prays to god and asks him to help him tomorrow when he gets up and gives it to his army. I feel this was an inner conflict because when he is talking in his speech he states “He tells the soldiers that anyone who wants to leave can and will be given some money to head for home. But anyone who stays to fight will have something to boast about for the rest of his life and in the future will remember with pride the battle on this day”. And I had to read this a couple of times to understand this part, and I finally found the inner conflict. If he lets to many men go home he might lose but if he doesn’t he will look like a ruthless dictator, but he knows some men don’t which to fight and to see another day. When I connected to this conflict I understood where henry was coming from, I understood it as it was his fight not his peoples some of his people didn’t wish to fight that’s why he didn’t make them stay if they didn’t want to.
From reading this book it has really connected with me, these conflicts helped me find a personal connection. And that’s why I chose the marines not only because they are kind of linked to king Henry but also I am very fond of them and wish to be one someday. Marines live a hard life especially in war they are faced with conflict and hard decisions under pressure. King henry has made tuff decisions in war, but other people do as well.
The purpose of the letter is to just show how hard it is to be in the marines and what you have to do to get the job done. Especially marines because they are faced with killing which is a big thing to do, to take another person’s life.
King henry and marines are a lot a like they both have and had to make tuff decisions and deal with conflict. Being a marine and a king is hard, and conflict is everywhere.
