Mikeelie Gale
Professor Tweedy
ENGL 215-001
18 November 2014

Henry V

Henry the fifth was a man of amazing character and a role model for both the young and old. Even though he went through a stage of rebellion in his early years by partying, drinking, and fooling around with women, once the throne was given to him, he owned up to his responsibilities and ended up becoming an amazing king that men and women of all ages still look up to today. As he grew up being heir to the throne, there was undoubtedly much pressure on him, but as one reads the book Henry V, written by William Shakespeare, they will see that once Henry inherited the crown, he proved to be a merciful king, a man of humility, and someone who gave all glory to God in everything he did.
Henry was a merciful king. Throughout his reign, there were many times that he could have enacted his right as king and punished many a Englishmen who did not agree or come under his leadership, but Henry chose to show mercy when he did not have to. When Henry went through the camp on the eve of battle disguised as a regular soldier to find out what the men were thinking and feeling about the war, he came across men who did not show him the loyalty that he wanted in his soldiers, and he met men who did not view him in a good light, yet he did not do anything. Henry understood that many of the men were scared, that they felt the war was already won by the French because of the number of soldiers that they had. Henry had compassion on the men as he felt the most pressure as the one leading all these men into battle that he did not know the outcome of. Henry could have gotten angry with the men for not agreeing or seeing eye to eye with him, but instead showed them grace for coming this far along on journey that many would never see the end of.
Henry was a man of great humility. Being a king, there must be an ample amount of opportunity for pride to overtake ones heart, and Henry was no exception. Satan whispering lies saying, “no one is greater than you” would flood ones mind and heart, but because Henry was a man of God, he was a humble man. Throughout his reign, there would have been many times that he was praised for his great accomplishments as king, but he never let anything get to his head. As he realized that being king was something that very few men could take on, he placed himself under advisors and friends that would counsel him to make wise decisions, and because of this, he is a king that many men today want to emulate. Henry showed humility in the way he lead his men. He believed his cause was a just cause, and one that he knew was right, and he conveyed that to his men without pride or arrogance, and that is why the men followed him till the end, and in turn that is why they won the war. Because of his humility, the English people loved and admired their king and through their love for King Henry, their love for England grew as well. A man who walks before the Lord humbly will not be put to shame, and that is exactly the type of man Henry was and the type of life he lived. Humility is a trait that few men possess, but Henry was one of the few that cultivated it and made it part of who he was not only as a king, but as a regular human being as well.
Henry gave all the glory to God, both through the good times and the bad times. Henry had a deep love for the Lord, and this showed through everything that he did. There was many times throughout his reign that he could have taken the credit for winning the battle, or making the wisest decision, but he never took any of the credit himself, and always gave it back to the Lord. When Henry and his men won the war, Henry told the men that when they arrived home, nobody was to throw a celebration, but that it should be a somber time of remembering the lives lost in the battle against the French. Henry did not want the praise of man. He knew that he could not have succeeded in winning the war without God by his side. King Henry states, “Come, go we in procession to the village: And be it death proclaimed through our host To boast of this or take that praise from God Which is his only.” (Pg. 86) Henry’s army was small compared to the army of the French, yet God allowed victory for the English because Henry was obedient to his commands. Out of the ten thousand French killed, only twenty-nine English soldiers lost their lives in battle. Without God on their side, the odds would not have been very promising for Henry and his men.
In conclusion, Henry was a merciful man, a man of great humility, and a man who gave all glory to God. There is so much one can learn and take away from this great king that he or she has the pleasure of reading about. Henry V is someone who emulates many amazing characteristics that every person should want to emulate in their own life. He was not perfect, and he knew that, but he was one who always strived to do what was right, and that is something that everyone should want to have said about them. From a Christian perspective, Henry’s love for the Lord is ultimately the reason for his success and why he is such a beloved part of history today.

Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Henry V. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2003. Print.