“This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.”
Before the infamous battle of Agincourt on the fields of France, the British nobles discuss their predicament. Realizing they are outnumbered five to one, one noble wishes aloud that more Englishmen could join them. Overhearing this, Shakespeare’s Henry V replies, “If we are destined to die, the fewer, the better for our country, and if to live, the fewer men, the greater share of honour. I pray thee, wish not one man more!” He then launches unto one of the greatest military speeches in history, one that would inspire countless British troops 530 years later during another British invasion of France. Henry uses the ideas of honor, brotherhood, and devotion to God to inspire his men to victory.
First, Henry appeals to his men’s sense of honor. “If it be a sin to covet honor,” he says, “I am the most offending soul alive.” In these strong terms he establishes his righteous desire to obtain honor on the field of battle. From Henry’s point of view, the less men fighting with him, the more opportunity for valor. He bids all cowards depart, for he “would not die in that man’s company that fears…to die with us.”
Henry also preaches the immaterial rewards of courage. “This day is called the feast of Crispian.” He goes on to describe how, on every future Saint Crispian’s Day, those few who chose honor will stand more erect, showing their scars with pride. “Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester” will become household words, their names flowing like the wine on Saint Crispian’s Day. Henry succeeds in using the value of honor to stiffen his men’s resolve.
Second, Henry inspires trust by becoming his men’s equal. Notice the personal pronouns in the most famous line from the speech: “We, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.” In Henry’s eyes, all his men are on equal footing, whether kings, nobles, or commoners, as long as they all fight with honor. In invoking brotherhood, Henry enables his men to view him fondly as a family member, instead of a distant military commander or monarch. This sense of camaraderie and brotherhood will strengthen their hearts in the coming battle.
There is another meaning behind Henry’s use of brotherhood that may not be obvious. Saint Crispian’s Day celebrates the martyrdom of the brothers Crispin and Crispian. They were killed together, but because they were doing the will of God, they were rewarded in the next life. Thus, Henry gives his men hope in the face of death. Even if they die, they die with honor, they die as brothers, and they die fulfilling the will of God.
The will of God is foundational to Henry’s speech and the war as a whole. In the first scenes of the play, Henry seeks God’s approval before embarking on his invasion of France. Despite being deceived by the Bishop of Canterbury, Henry and his men truly believed that they were fulfilling God’s will by taking back what was rightfully Britain’s land. With the conviction that their cause was just and that God was on their side, the small band of brothers could battle the invincible foe with courage.
In conclusion, we find that Shakespeare’s Henry V understood the power of convincing rhetoric. Employing the ideas of honor, brotherhood, and devotion to God, he created a convincing speech that has inspired patriotism in millions, whether British or not.
