Henry V is the play in Shakespeare ’ s history cycle where the residual is demonstrated at its weakest . But that is only natural , as Shakespeare seems to be proposing – in most probability to Elizabeth and her courtiers – that Henry V , his time and his ways be taken as an antidote to the residual and as such be set as a model of good government in their contemporary England . Henry , a Lancastrian by blood , is a good king because he takes strife and war away from home by fighting abroad . Thus , Henry V in a sense is an account of the domestic benefits of overseas war ; and it conveys the claim that a good English king is the one who maintains peace at home by engaging in overseas adventures .
Neither of the English kings since Edward III had either the time or the means to make considerable gains abroad , which , by implication , might have been the cause of civil unrest . Henry V is the first in many years to do so and , coincidentally , during his reign , as depicted in this play , England mostly enjoys peace at home . Therefore , Henry V in a way also advances imperialistic plans to which Elizabeth and her courtiers were apparently amenable . This fact is obvious in the direct reference to Essex ’ s campaign in Ireland to put down the Irish rebellion .
In this play , Shakespeare attempts to demonstrate the capability of King Henry by depicting the clerics supporting Henry ’ s war effort abroad on the one hand and by making the semblance of “ unity ” between the British of different social strata and national origins as a result of an overseas war on the other . We can see that the prospect of war overseas has inevitably pushed the king to assume supremacy over both state and church , of course with the clerics ’ consent and cooperation . This can have contemporary repercussions for Elizabeth as supreme
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