Written by William Shakespeare for Queen Elizabeth during a time of Irish rebellion, Henry V serves its intended purpose of inspiring nationalistic passion. In the play, Shakespeare created an idealized hero king, Henry, whose story was designed to stir feelings of national unity at a time of bitter religious divisions. Henry V proved itself to be a determined force of patriotism in Shakespeare's day, and still today it continues to echo the telling tale of the most gloriously revered monarch in English history. What makes the story worth telling, and perhaps worth remembering, are the qualities that make Henry universally admired as a true hero king. Essentially, the man has everything a person admires. At the heart of Henry, however, are genuinely universally admired qualities: his bravery, his eloquence, his ability to appear royal or modest according to the situation at hand, and his willingness to step down...