#historicalplay — Public Fediverse posts

Book Review: The Life and Death of King John by William Shakespeare

Author: William Shakespeare
Title: The Life and Death of King John
Publication Info: New York : Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2020 [written circa 1596]
Summary/Review:

King John is the earliest chronological setting for his English history plays, taking place in the early 13th century.  It’s also one that doesn’t get read or staged very often.  This is because it is a pretty average Shakespeare work, perhaps even self-derivative.  And for a play about war, there’s an awful lot action taking place off stage that gets mentioned in the dialogue.

John ascended to the throne after the death of his elder brother Richard the Lionhearted.  However, the young Arthur, the son of John’s other older brother Geoffrey, also has a claim to kingship.  Naturally, King Philip of France supports Arthur’s claim and his troops meet Arthur’s troops outside the city of Angers, one of the English crowns holdings on the French mainland.  Humorously, the people of Angers refuse to open the gate to either army so John and Phillip temporarily ally to attack the city!  But the people of Angers suggest instead that John’s niece Blanche of Castile marry the Dauphin (and with the exchange of some territory as well) create a peace.  There’s a scene where John and Philip are so happy with this plan that they walk around holding hands that’s almost Monty Pythonesque, like they’re a couple of kids making up on a playground.

Sadly, the peace will not last as Arthur’s mother Constance is insistent that Phillip keep to his oath.  Furthermore, the legate of the Pope arrives to excommunicate John and manipulates Phillip into reopening his war on England.  Incidentally, John’s angry denouncement of the papacy sounds very much like it was written by a Protestant in Tudor England.  Much of the play covers the ensuing wars with various betrayals and atrocities. Curiously, the historical event most tied to King John – Magna Carta – is not even mentioned in the play.

Key characters in the play, perhaps more than even John, include Sir Richard the Plantagenet and Hubert.  Richard is the illegitimate son of Richard the Lionhearted, originally known as Philip Faulconbridge, but his paternity is recognized and he is knighted early in the play.  The script refers to this character simply as “The Bastard,” but he proves to be John’s most loyal and clever soldier.  Hubert is tasked with murdering the captive Arthur but has second thoughts in a series of miscommunications that dominate the center section of the play.

Rating:  ***

I’m reading every Shakespeare play, one per month, in chronological order.  Here’s my progress thus far:

1. The Two Gentlemen of Verona
2. The Taming of the Shrew
3. Henry VI, Part 1
4. Henry VI, Part 2
5. Henry VI, Part 3
6. Titus Andronicus
7. Richard III
8. The Comedy of Errors
9. Love’s Labours’ Lost
10. Richard II
11. Romeo and Juliet
12. A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream