Though he was wild and rambunctious in his youth, Prince Hal has now ascended the throne as King Henry V, the cunning and ambitious ruler of England. Embarking on a campaign in France, King Henry V deftly leads his fleet into the breach in an attempt to take the French territory of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War. Henry V is the last of four connected plays about successive British monarchs, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II.
Known as "The Bard of Avon," William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously popular during his life, Shakespeare's works continue to resonate more than three centuries after his death, as has his influence on theatre and literature. Shakespeare's innovative use of character, language, and experimentation with romance as tragedy served as a foundation for later playwrights and dramatists, and some of his most famous lines of dialogue have become part of everyday speech.
