The inevitable phenomena of change is an intricate and complex concept that can be expressed as both possessing positive and negative implications on an individual, accentuating the self-actualisation of a persona. In the historical drama Henry V, Shakespeare presents the protagonist of the reckless Prince Harry who embodies both after assuming the royal throne in the sudden death of his father to later become the triumphant King Henry V, connoting towards the idea of his forced transformation. Correspondingly, The Door by Holub is a related poem that also revolves around the theme of change, evaluating the event to be a positive device to the growth of character within an individual despite its arguable negative aspects. These texts capture…show more content… Through the tarnished reputation of his juvenility and Henry IV’s destructive overthrow of Richard II’s reign, Henry V must mitigate the prejudiced stigmas from the English monarch and its people by proving his legitimacy as king. Shakespeare implements metatheatre through a chorus in the prologue of Act 1, foregrounding Henry’s warlike attributes through the allusion to the Roman deity Mars and insulates him as the “God of War”. Thus, this enlightens the audience to denounce any preconceived stereotypes and appraise his redeemed character of being a competent king. Articulated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, “The breath no sooner left his father’s body, but that his wildness… seemed to die too,” is an assertion of the contrast in behaviour. This transformation is sought to be the divine intervention from God as the archbishop uses godly imagery to interpret his conversion like an “angel” who “came and whipped the offending Adam out of him”, absolving Henry of his adolescent past whilst emphasising the strong religious views of the time. The Bishop of Ely further appreciates this change in “we are blessed in the change” and through the inclusive language, is agreed altogether. The analogy of the “nettle” overshadowing the “strawberry”, explores how Henry’s “vain, giddy, shallow and humorous youth” is a testament to his growth, highlighting the positive connotations of
