Henry VI, Part 1

Book excerpt: After the death of King Henry V, his young son ascends to the throne. As he’s too young to rule, the English nobles rise to the challenge and take charge. Meanwhile, in France, Joan la Pucelle (Joan of Arc) persuades the newly crowned French king, Charles VII, to reclaim French lands held by the English. Lord Talbot, the national hero, leads the English to battle France. As the war rages on the continent, the feuding dukes of York and Somerset quarrel over who is responsible for sending reinforcements. The power struggles at court create unrest and set up future conflicts. "Henry VI, Part 1" looks at the early English history and the country’s tumultuous relationship with the French. The play is the first of four history plays (the others being "Henry VI, Part 2," "Henry VI, Part 3" and "Richard III") known collectively as the "first tetralogy." William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Considered the greatest dramatist of all time, he is widely regarded as the most influential English language writer. Shakespeare’s plays focus on the range of human emotion and conflict, and have been translated into more than 100 languages. Many including "Hamlet" "Macbeth" and "Romeo and Juliet" have been adapted for stage and screen.