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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Katherine think Henry will mock her?

2. What amusing mispronunciation of a famous historical figure does Fluellen make when he is speaking with Gower?

3. Who does Exeter say he had witnessed the Duke of York comforting on the battlefield as both men lay dying?

4. What is Queen Isabel's response when Henry asks if she will accompany the French king and the English representatives to the negotiations?

5. Who does Gower suspect had murdered the boys and stolen and burned the king's possessions?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the constable mean when he tells the other soldiers, "straight to horse"?

2. What is Henry's reasoning for wanting to go forward with Bardolph's execution?

3. Describe England's celebratory mood as Henry and his army return home from France.

4. What are some of the conjectures that the constable, Orleans, and Rambures make about Henry and the English?

5. Summarize the message from the French king that Montjoy gives to Henry.

6. What is Grandpre's attitude toward the English camp?

7. Compare the demeanor of the English troops to that of the French troops before the battle of Agincourt.

8. Why do the French soldiers feel so ashamed during the battle?

9. Explain why Henry's post-war stay in England is cut short.

10. Describe the death toll of the battle of Agincourt. For example, were the losses lopsided or did both sides suffer fairly equally? How are the dead accounted for in terms of class and social status?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the role of gruesome rhetoric in the play such as Henry's graphic description of what will happen to the people of Harfleur if they do not surrender. Provide some examples. Why is this rhetoric effective? Would this type of rhetoric be considered appropriate today? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the importance of communication and means of communication in the play. Some questions to consider are: How are messages exchanged; what kinds of information are conveyed in various messages throughout the play; what are some of the adverse or comical effects of miscommunication or breakdowns in communication; how do the characters cope with various barriers to communication (for example: time, distance, differences in language, dialect and culture, difficult circumstances, etc.)?

Essay Topic 3

Compare this play to another work with which you are familiar and that is similar to the Life of Henry the Fifth is some way in regards to genre, theme, setting, period, authorship, etc. For example, you might compare this play to another of Shakespeare's plays, a play by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries (Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, etc.), an epic war drama of any period (300, Braveheart, etc.), or a story set in the medieval or Renaissance period in Europe (The Princess Bride, Le Retour de Martin Guerre, etc.). Try to focus your analysis on the two works' similarities and how understanding of the one helps you appreciate the other.

(see the answer keys)

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