Henry VI of England
In culture
### In culture

[thumb\|First page of *The first Part of Henry the Sixth* from the *[First Folio](/wiki/First_Folio "First Folio")* (1623\)](/wiki/File:First-page-first-folio-1henry6.jpg "First-page-first-folio-1henry6.jpg")

William Shakespeare and possibly others completed the Henry VI trilogy around 1593, roughly 121 years after the real monarch's death. The period of history covered in the plays was between the funeral of Henry V (1422\) to the [Battle of Tewkesbury](/wiki/Battle_of_Tewkesbury "Battle of Tewkesbury") (1471\).

Though modern scholars are more interested in the context that the Henry VI trilogy paved for the more popular play [*Richard III*](/wiki/Richard_III_%28play%29 "Richard III (play)"), it was very popular during Elizabethan times. Rather than being representative of the historical events or the actual life and temperament of Henry VI himself, the Shakespearean plays are more representative of the pivotal political situation in England at that time: international war in the form of the Hundred Years' War, and civil strife in the form of the War of the Roses.

Shakespeare's portrayal of Henry is notable in that it does not mention the King's madness. This is considered to have been a politically advisable move to not risk offending [Elizabeth I](/wiki/Elizabeth_I "Elizabeth I") whose family was descended from Henry's Lancastrian family. Instead, Henry is portrayed as a pious and peaceful man ill\-suited to the crown. He spends most of his time in contemplation of the [Bible](/wiki/Bible "Bible") and expressing his wish to be anyone other than a king. Shakespeare's Henry is weak\-willed and easily influenced allowing his policies to be led by Margaret and her allies, and being unable to defend himself against York's claim to the throne. He takes an act of his own volition only just before his death when he curses Richard of Gloucester just before he is murdered.( Shakespeare, William: Henry VI, Part III Act 5, scene 6\)

There have been [many adaptations of *Richard III* in film](/wiki/Films_based_on_Richard_III_%28play%29 "Films based on Richard III (play)"), which include the bulk of Henry VI's cultural appearances in modern times. In screen adaptations of these plays Henry has been portrayed by: James Berry in the 1911 silent short *Richard III*; [Miles Mander](/wiki/Miles_Mander "Miles Mander") portrayed Henry VI in *[Tower of London](/wiki/Tower_of_London_%281939_film%29 "Tower of London (1939 film)")*, a 1939 historical film loosely dramatising the rise to power of Richard III;Nollen, Scott Allen. *Boris Karloff : a critical account of his screen, stage, radio, television, and recording work*. Jefferson, NC: McFarland \& Co., 2008\.  (p. 181\) [Terry Scully](/wiki/Terry_Scully "Terry Scully") in the 1960 [BBC](/wiki/BBC "BBC") series *[An Age of Kings](/wiki/An_Age_of_Kings "An Age of Kings")* which contained all the history plays from *Richard II* to *Richard III*; [Carl Wery](/wiki/Carl_Wery "Carl Wery") in the 1964 West German TV version *König Richard III*; [David Warner](/wiki/David_Warner_%28actor%29 "David Warner (actor)") in *[The Wars of the Roses](/wiki/The_Wars_of_the_Roses_%28adaptation%29 "The Wars of the Roses (adaptation)")*, a 1965–66 filmed version of the [Royal Shakespeare Company](/wiki/Royal_Shakespeare_Company "Royal Shakespeare Company") performing the three parts of *Henry VI* (condensed and edited into two plays, *Henry VI* and *Edward IV*) and *Richard III*; [Peter Benson](/wiki/Peter_Benson_%28actor%29 "Peter Benson (actor)") in the 1983 [BBC](/wiki/BBC_Television_Shakespeare "BBC Television Shakespeare") versions of *Henry VI* part 1, 2, and 3 as well as *Richard III*; Paul Brennen in the 1989 film version of the full cycle of consecutive history plays performed, for several years, by the [English Shakespeare Company](/wiki/English_Shakespeare_Company "English Shakespeare Company"); [Edward Jewesbury](/wiki/Edward_Jewesbury "Edward Jewesbury") in the 1995 film version of *[Richard III](/wiki/Richard_III_%281995_film%29 "Richard III (1995 film)")* with [Ian McKellen](/wiki/Ian_McKellen "Ian McKellen") as Richard; James Dalesandro as Henry in the 2007 modern\-day film version of *[Richard III](/wiki/Richard_III_%282007_film%29 "Richard III (2007 film)")*; and [Tom Sturridge](/wiki/Tom_Sturridge "Tom Sturridge") as Henry to [Benedict Cumberbatch](/wiki/Benedict_Cumberbatch "Benedict Cumberbatch")'s Richard III in the 2016 second season of the BBC series [*The Hollow Crown*](/wiki/The_Hollow_Crown_%28TV_series%29 "The Hollow Crown (TV series)"), an adaptation of *Henry VI* (condensed into two parts) and *Richard III*.

Henry VI's marriage to Margaret of Anjou is the subject of the historical novel *A Stormy Life* (1867\) by [Lady Georgiana Fullerton](/wiki/Lady_Georgiana_Fullerton "Lady Georgiana Fullerton").McGarry, Daniel D., White, Sarah Harriman, *Historical Fiction Guide: Annotated Chronological, Geographical, and Topical List of Five Thousand Selected Historical Novels.* Scarecrow Press, New York, 1963 (pp. 76, 78, 80\). The novel *The Triple Crown* (1912\) by Rose Schuster focuses on Henry's insanity. The novel *London Bridge Is Falling* (1934\) by [Philip Lindsay](/wiki/Philip_Lindsay "Philip Lindsay") depicts Henry's response to [Jack Cade's Rebellion](/wiki/Jack_Cade%27s_Rebellion "Jack Cade's Rebellion"). Henry VI also features in the short story "The Duchess and the Doll" (1950\) by [Edith Pargeter](/wiki/Edith_Pargeter "Edith Pargeter").Burgess, Michael, and Vassilakos, Jill H. *Murder in Retrospect: A Selective Guide to Historical Mystery Fiction* Westport, Conn; Libraries Unlimited, 2005\.  (p. 7\)


How does Shakespeare portray Henry VI in his plays?