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Nick Rutter
Professor Travis Williams
ENG 280-0001
October 19, 2011
The Kings Speech: Rhetorical and Poetic Devices in Henry V
In the earliest part of the speech, King Henry introduces a crucial part of his rallying
speech, If we are markd to die (4.3. 20). First, if is a small but effective word putting doubt
in the certainty of death, and being markd to die implies life or death as a temporal matter of
fate, not a certain matter of statistics, which is Westmerlands implied argument that this speech
responds to (16-19). The imminent possibility of death is mentioned sparingly for the speechs
remaining forty-seven lines (20, 38-39, 61), so that this pathos-based argument isnt challenged.
This argument downplaying the significance of death leads directly into the next facet of
King Henrys argument, The fewer men, the greater share of honor (22). Honor is introduced
as something calculable, not as accurately as an object, but something there can be more or less
of while sharing it. Greater functions both as a designator for amount and magnitude of the
honor. While the greater share as an amount is larger, the amount of sharing going on is not
greater among fewer men, so in this sense, this syllogism can be understood also as an
oxymoron. The King dismisses the idea of greed as a motive for honor, By Jove, I am not
covetous for gold/Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost (24-25). As a King, he probably
should have no reason to covet for materials like the lower classes making up the fighting
majority, however this is designed equalize the King and his subjects on the battlefield in an
attempt to improve his ethos; this theme of unity is also used in contrast with the threat of
exclusion in lines 35-39 which will come up later. By Jove is also one of three lines to begin

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with placing God next to I (23, 24, 31), enforcing the idea that The King is God/Gods will,
a defining characteristic of the Anglican church, which while not existent in the setting of Henry
V was very established in 1599 when the earliest account of performing this play was recorded
(Riverside, 974).
The King uses his rhetorically established piety as way to discredit Westmerlands
argument with, Gods will, I pray thee wish not one man more (23) Gods will and pray
are deliberately close; the King puts himself on the side of God and also as representing Gods
will. Meanwhile, he calls Westmerlands laments for more support wishing, a secular word
which undermines his loyalty, faith, and request which is a reasonable and logical one. He
remands Westmerland once more, No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England (30). The
rhetorical figure of repetition, reminding his cousin that faith supersedes wishing for more men.
Also the order of the words no, faith, my coz may also continue the insinuation that
Westmerland has no faith.
The Kings alignment with God also justifies his lust for honor, But if it be a sin to covet
honor, I am the most offending soul alive. (28-29). Again, honor is presented in the position of a
physical, material possession, something to covet, which is a sin. But this rhetorical device
justifies coveting as long as its honor. The king has already aligned himself with God and His
will, so obviously, he cannot sin. The word alive is an encouraging one in the midst of death,
which again, is not mentioned when King Henry can help it.
Later in the speech, more poetic and dramatic devices come into play, like metadrama in
the lines,It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my
desires (26-27). The idea of the kings role transcends his clothes is another supporting
argument in attempting to dissolve differences between himself and his men. In this case the

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actor saying the lines would be guilty of wearing other clothes, In the Kings case, he may not
need to dwell on material possessions anyway if he already has them; however the rhetorics
purpose is to the continue the attempt to equalize his level and the level of his subjects.
Gods peace, I would not lose so great an honor/As one man more methinks would share
from me/For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! (31-33). This is the Gods peace,
separated by the comma, is the inferred idea of what Westmerland should wish for instead of
more men (30). One more man would take away the power of faith The King feels at this
moment. Does this mean that his faith is actually weak if they do come upon more men? The
intention is to boost the morale of the men in the company who are dismayed at the lack of menbetter to have them secure and confident in fighting with the amount they have then having one
newcomer without this security offset the balance. The best hope implies the only hope-This is
the most vulnerable part of Henrys speech, as it admits that this faith, this hope against hope, is
the only thing hes got-yet that enough is reason to fully get behind it. The alliteration of man
more methinks might be understood beyond its aesthetic as more men meaning more thinking,
understood to be a bad thing in this situation when King Henry argues that all that is necessary is
faith in God/him and a desire for honor.
The King engages in turning Westmerlands lament into a declaration of pride,Rather
proclaim it, Westmerland, through my host/That he which hath no stomach to this fight/Let him
depart, his passport shall be made/And crowns for convoy put into his purse. (34-37). Henrys
focus is not only to quell requests for more men, but to amplify requests for less, as in to sort out
those which hath no stomach from the effective soldiers. No stomach meaning both no
nausea tolerance for the gruesome sights of battle, but also implies and literally meaning no
guts, no courage, and by proxy, no glory. Mentioning that hell pay and give a safe passage to

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those who desert is built off of his rejection of wealth and materials in favor of honor-the idea is
that you dont want these crowns for convoy, you want the honor. Also, theyll be trading in a
sense crowns which can mean loyalty/honor for convoy, meaning a passage home. Theyll
be put into his purse insinuating that they wont earn the money either, undermining the sense
of honor that has been built up to this point. The let in let him depart, is a passive verb-the
phrase implies that nobody is forcing them to fight, that they can leave any time, and discourages
any patriots from fencing in the unwilling soldiers.
Instead of relying on physical coercion, the King uses the threat of exclusion mentioned
earlier, We would not die in that mans company/That fears his fellowship to die with us. (3839). The chiasmus of subjects [We (would not) die] [Mans company] [His fellowship] [Die with
us] assumes a fellowship among those who are willing to die fighting, and implies that those who
are not willing to fight have their fellowship with their kinsmen die. Also, further degrades he
which hath no stomach, saying that its not worth dying in his company. Though Henrys speech
is supposed to create unity with all classes and all soldiers against one cause, he uses the threat of
dividing and segregation, to achieve this goal. At this point, we are mathematically at the middle
of the speech, emphasized by the column break in the edition of this book.
The second half of the speech describes the contrast to the men fearful of death, much of
it is emphasized through repetition and catalogues, which are traced back to the sprawling war
epics of Homer. Crispin or Crispian is mentioned six times in this half of the speech (40, 43,
44, 46, 57, 67), and four times in the first eight lines (40-48). [T]he feast of Saint Crispin (40)
is a time of celebration, and Henrys repeated reminders may seek to transpose the revelry
associated with this holiday onto the battle as a means of distraction from the possibility of
death. It may also serve as the beginnings of having his soldiers, as well as the audience to

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remember with advantages (50). The brief list of famous warriors on lines 53-54 connects the
previous ideas of sharing honor with household words; King Henry has now attempted to
dissolve the class barriers and now raise them to the level of these heroes. He furthers the
encomium of his men by referring to them as good men (56) and gentlemen (64).