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Henry VI Part 3

By William Shakespeare - Stage play

Stage playStage

Roles

  • Gloucester (Richard
  • III)
  • King
  • Henry
  • VI

About this piece

Gloucester (future Richard III) kills King Henry VI

Summary

The play is about the house of York's claim to the throne against King Henry VI. The Duke of York organizes a revolt against King Henry VI and wins. However, he promises King Henry VI that he will let him rule England until his death. The Duke of York will be his successor. York's sons, Edward and Richard, persuade their father to break his promise and seize the crown before Henry's death. York is persuaded to fight against Henry's army. The two opposing sides fight and York is killed. York's army, however, prevails and the king flees with his army. King Henry flees to Scotland but is captured. Edward becomes king and proposes to Lady Gray to his brothers' surprise, after sending Warwick to France to ask for the King of France to give his sister in marriage to him. Queen Margaret, Henry's wife, goes to France as well to beg for help. A messenger arrives with news that King Edward has married Lady Gray. Warwick feels betrayed and vows vengeance. He decides to support the deposed King Henry and Queen Margaret, gathers an army with the support of the King of France and goes to England. Warwick's troops manage to capture Edward but he manages to escape with the help of Richard and Hastings. Edward gathers an army with all his supporters and faces Warwick. Warwick is killed in the battle. Margaret is defeated and her son stabbed. In this scene Richard goes to the Tower of London to kill King Henry VI. King Henry knows what Richard has in mind. He compares himself and his son to Daedalus and Icarus, who, the legend says, fled from Crete with wax wings. Icarus fell to the sea when he flew too close to the sun and his wings melted. He compares Edward to the sun and Richard to the sea that killed him. He curses him and predicts Richard will bring grief to a lot of people in the future. Richard stabs him to death and then ruminates on the future that awaits him. ACT V, Scene 6

Tone

Enemies/Antagonists

Use cases

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