Let me be brutally honest with you: if you asked me to recommend a Shakespeare play to get you hooked on the Bard, King Henry VI, Part 1 would be somewhere near the bottom of my list. Possibly underneath it. Possibly buried beneath a heap of dry parchment in a dusty cathedral library in medieval France, where it belongs.
And yet, here I am. Reading it. Reviewing it. Because I’m committed to the bit.
What Even Is This Play?
Okay. King Henry VI, Part 1 is basically the prequel to the prequel of Richard III. It’s the Star Wars Episode I of the Shakespeare History Cinematic Universe™—and yes, it also features a confusing cast of characters, a lot of political whining, and someone who is clearly meant to be cool but ends up annoying everyone (looking at you, Talbot).
The plot centers around the collapse of English control in France during the tail end of the Hundred Years’ War, as Henry VI ascends the throne as a child. What ensues is a mess of battlefield drama, petty noble feuds, and the world’s most strangely written take on Joan of Arc. This is the kind of play that makes you Google “Who’s the Duke of Gloucester again?” every five minutes, only to forget it ten seconds later.
The Vibe: Game of Thrones Meets AP European History
If you’ve ever thought, “Wow, I wish Succession had more chainmail and less coherent dialogue,” congratulations! This play is for you.
There are betrayals. Sword fights. Weird political marriages. And lots of yelling. But it’s all delivered with the energy of a group project where no one read the textbook, and everyone insists they’re the rightful group leader anyway.
Talbot: The Himbo War Hero
Talbot is presented as the Big Deal here—Shakespeare’s nod to chivalry, honor, and the good ol’ days when war was about stabbing people face-to-face, not arguing in council chambers. He dies heroically (of course he does), and everyone’s like “Noooo, Talbot!” even though I’d argue the man had major “dies offscreen in a Netflix show no one finishes” energy.
He’s basically the medieval version of that coworker who insists on doing everything himself and then complains about how overworked he is. But hey, at least he gets a son to die alongside him. Adorable, in a tragic kind of way.
Joan of Arc: Warrior, Witch, Walking Gender Panic
Now let’s talk about Shakespeare’s take on Joan of Arc. Or, as he writes her, “Joan la Pucelle,” which I can only assume was Elizabethan English for “hot girl the patriarchy doesn’t know what to do with.”
In this play, she’s basically the French Hermione Granger meets Maleficent. She talks to demons. She stabs dudes in battle. She lies, flirts, and dies in flames, because of course the English can’t let a competent French woman live.
It’s… messy. Problematic? Yeah. Fun? Also yeah. Every time Joan showed up, I perked up like a Victorian child spotting a chimney to fall into.
The Henry Problem
So, here’s the thing: the play is called King Henry VI, but Henry is barely a character. He’s a kid who cries a lot and lets everyone else do the talking. He’s not so much a protagonist as a warm body in a crown. Think: a cinnamon roll tossed into a lion’s den of political hyenas. I wanted to root for him, but also I wanted someone—anyone—to please get this boy a therapist and a spine.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend It?
Here’s the deal. If you’re deep into Shakespeare’s history plays and want the full backstory on the Wars of the Roses? Sure, read it. If you love overly dramatic speeches, absurd nationalism, and the medieval version of a Twitter feud? You’ll find something to enjoy.
But if you’re looking for a snappy intro to Shakespeare’s genius? This ain’t it. Read Much Ado About Nothing. Read Macbeth. Read literally anything where people aren’t just arguing over French territory for five acts.
TL;DR
Best Line:
“Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night!” (Because someone’s always being dramatic.)
Rating: 2.5/5 crown jewels
Would I reread? Only if I develop a crush on Talbot. Which, regrettably, seems plausible.
Kristen’s Final Word:
King Henry VI, Part 1 is like ordering a historical drama and accidentally getting political LARP fanfiction. But hey—at least Joan showed up to slay. Literally.
Want more chaotic literary takes like this? Follow [@kristen.experiments] on Instagram, where the Shakespearean drama is just getting started.
