The Life and Death of King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England (ruled 1199–1216), the son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and the father of Henry III of England. It is believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, but it was not published until 1623 when it appeared in the First Folio.
Characters of the Play:
King John: The King of England.
Eleanor: John’s mother
Philip: The King of France
Arthur: Son of John’s elder brother and rightful heir to the throne.
The Bastard: Illegitimate son of Richard the Lionhearted, the Bastard’s proper name is Philip
Louis: Philip’s son
Pandolf: A messenger from the pope
Hubert: One of John’s men
Constance: Arthur’s mother
Pembroke: One of John’s followers
Salisbury: One of John’s followers
Austria: One of Philip’s men
Blanche: Niece of John
Essex: One of John’s followers.
Lord Bigot: One of John’s followers.
Melun: One of Louis’s men
Falconbridge: The Bastard’s younger (legitimate) brother
Lady Falconbridge: The Bastard’s mother
Chatillon: A messenger from France
Prince Henry: John’s son
Summary of the Play:
The title figure provides the central focus of the play. In addition to influencing him, many contrasting characters bring irresolvable and individual problems into dramatic focus. The king's overbearing mother, Queen Eleanor (formerly Eleanor of Aquitaine), and Philip the Bastard, whose support of the king contradicts all moral and political pretensions, are among these characters.
At the beginning of the play, King John usurped his nephew Arthur's royal title with the help of his mother; the king of France demanded Arthur's succession to the throne due to a threat of war. Philip and Robert Faulconbridge are arguing over their inheritance. Eleanor identifies Philip as resembling her late son, King Richard Coeur-de-lion. In admitting his son is Richard's son, his mother reassures him that he has dropped all claims to the Faulconbridge lands. In the war against France, the Bastard is named Sir Richard Plantagenet after he has been knighted and becomes John's staunchest military commander.
Lewis, the dauphin, heir to the French throne, marries John's niece Blanche as the fighting continues. This expediency does not, however, end the war when armies led by Eleanor and Arthur's combatant mother, Constance, are at the forefront. Ultimately, King John can capture young Arthur. However, this success soon turns against John when he discovers that Arthur is too dangerous a presence because he has become a rallying point for John's political enemies. He orders Hubert de Burgh to kill Arthur. However, Hubert cannot execute such an inhuman command, allowing the child to survive. While attempting to escape, Arthur falls and dies in a tragic accident.
The Cardinal succeeds in encouraging a French invasion of England after urging the French to support the papal government against the rebellious John, only to discover, after John reluctantly submits to the papacy, that the French dauphin does not agree to call off his invading forces. Thus, the war becomes a futile exercise for all sides. John becomes increasingly weak and uncertain, and only the Bastard continues to fight until he becomes poisoned by a traitorous monk. The Bastard accepts Prince Henry's imminent accession to the throne and pledges fealty to him after Prince Henry arrives to care for his dying father.
Sources:
King John | work by Shakespeare | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/King-John
Comments