Is it the conflict within or conflict between characters that makes Shakespeare's play King Henry V so compelling?

Henry V takes place against the backdrop of The Hundred Years' War, which, as the name suggests, was a long, drawn-out conflict—a particularly brutal one at that—between England and France. The wider conflict in turn generates a number of conflicts in miniature between characters and also internal conflict within King Henry himself. All the various conflicts in Henry V are therefore in some way interrelated. The most compelling of these are arguably those that reveal the myriad complexities of Henry's character, complexities that make him such a fascinating individual.

Much like Hamlet, King Henry V is torn between two seemingly contradictory roles. On the one hand, he sees himself as an avowedly Christian monarch, one sworn to uphold and defend the teachings of Christ. He is "no tyrant, but a Christian king." At the beginning of the play, he worries about the Christian propriety of his claim to the French crown. Ironically, it is the Archbishop of Canterbury who persuades Henry that he is well within his rights. However, the Archbishop's sly advice has less to do with Christian piety than with a cynical attempt to delay Parliament's appropriation of Church wealth.

Nevertheless, we can see that Henry is suitably conflicted right from the outset. As well as seeing himself as a soldier of Christ, he is also aware that he needs to live up to the role of warrior-king, fearlessly leading his country into battle against the enemy. This is no mere bravado; the expectations of his fellow countrymen and the honor of his throne demand a strong martial posture. Henry does not want to disappoint.

Putting on the mantle of warrior-king is not just for the benefit of England; it allows Henry to deal with an internal conflict that has been raging deep within his soul for some time. If we cast our minds back to Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, we remember what Henry used to be like before he ascended the throne, when he was "madcap Prince Hal," an upper-class delinquent fond of thievery and hanging out with low-life characters in taverns.

Now he finally appears to be the "sweet hope" that everyone prayed he would be. He has torn asunder "the veil of wildness," overcome the impetuosity of youth, rejected Falstaff's bad influence, and become a man at long last. Yet, Henry is still somewhat insecure, not entirely comfortable in the role of king, and he hates to be reminded of his younger days.

The Dauphin's insolent "gift" of tennis balls does precisely this. Henry's response to French disrespect is swift and decisive. He will wreak revenge upon them but in support of his God-given rights as king. The unfortunate intervention of the French Ambassador has given Henry the opportunity to deal with his various inner conflicts in one fell swoop. Henry's threats to the French show him to be a man, a warrior, and (in his mind, at least) a Christian.

Unfortunately, resolution is merely temporary. Henry struggles to achieve any lasting sense of resolution to his various conflicts, try as he might. In his role as both Christian and king he veers wildly from one part of his identity to another, often without rhyme or reason. He promises that French prisoners will be fairly treated but has no compunction about having a number of them summarily slaughtered at the Battle of Agincourt. He has his former friend Bardolph hanged for looting a church. It is highly significant that Bardolph used to hang around with Henry during his misspent youth. The summary justice meted out to the "madcap" Hal's former drinking companion is again a way of Henry dealing with inner conflict. As a king, he will tolerate no indiscipline among his men; as a Christian, he is grossly offended by the act of stealing from churches; as a man, he no longer wishes to be reminded of his previous immaturity.

Perhaps it is just as well that Henry never truly achieves resolution. For it is precisely those raging inner conflicts that generate so much of the play's action. Inner conflict combines with outer to provide immense dramatic tension that partakes of both but ultimately transcends them. This is the greatest achievement of Shakespeare in Henry V.