Henry VI, Part 3 story
Henry VI, Part 3 (often written as 3 Henry VI) is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591 and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England. Whereas 1 Henry VI deals with the loss of England's French territories and the political machinations leading up to the Wars of the Roses and 2 Henry VI focuses on the King's inability to quell the bickering of his nobles, and the inevitability of armed conflict, 3 Henry VI deals primarily with the horrors of that conflict, with the once stable nation thrown into chaos and barbarism as families break down and moral codes are subverted in the pursuit of revenge and power.
15 total · 2 choice · 3 major · 10 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| the desire for vengeance | choice | Clifford particularly sought vengeance for his father; Magaret tormented York in her lustful vengeance; Warwick swore vengeance; there were many other incidents of that sort and the war became something of a vendetta |
| the horrors of war | choice | we saw how civil war leads to suffering and many dead children; Henry VI lamented the horrors and commented on a son killing a father and a father killing a son |
| absolute monarchy | major | King Henry VI's right to rule was challenged by the Duke of York |
| civil war | major | the Wars of the Roses |
| the lust for power | major | the struggle mostly turned into one for survival, but the lust for power is still perceivable in York's and Margaret's sons NOTE: may become more important towards the end |
| brother and brother | minor | York's sons |
| coping with having injured someone | minor | a father had unwittingly killed his own son and a son his father, and they both regretted what they had done |
| coping with the death of a child | minor | A father mourned the death of an only son he had killed. |
| coping with the death of a parent | minor | A son mourned the father he had killed. |
| courage in the face of death | minor | York faced his death with notable valiance |