Henry VI, Part 2
The second part of the Henry VI trilogy (written first, c. 1590–1591) dramatizes the collapse of Henry VI's weak rule, the rise of the Duke of York's faction, Jack Cade's popular rebellion, and the first battles of the Wars of the Roses.
At a Glance
- Genre: History
- Approximate date: c. 1590–1591 (written before Part 1)
- Setting: England (London, St. Albans, etc.)
- Source: Holinshed's Chronicles; Hall's Union
- Acts: 5
Dramatis Personæ
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| KING HENRY THE SIXTH | Pious, weak king; Lancaster |
| QUEEN MARGARET | Forceful queen; Suffolk's mistress; drives policy |
| DUKE OF GLOUCESTER | Humphrey; Lord Protector; Henry's good uncle; destroyed by enemies |
| ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloucester | Ambitious; dabbles in witchcraft; brings Gloucester down |
| CARDINAL BEAUFORT | Bishop of Winchester; enemy of Gloucester |
| DUKE OF SUFFOLK | Queen's lover; behind Gloucester's fall; eventually banished and killed |
| DUKE OF SOMERSET | Lancastrian; enemy of York |
| DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM | Yorkist ally turned Lancaster |
| LORD CLIFFORD | Lancaster; killed at St. Albans |
| YOUNG CLIFFORD | His son; vows revenge on York |
| RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of YORK | Claimant to the throne; central antagonist |
| EDWARD and RICHARD | York's sons (future Edward IV and Richard III) |
| EARL OF SALISBURY | York's ally |
| EARL OF WARWICK | York's powerful ally; "the Kingmaker" |
| JACK CADE | Rebel leader manipulated by York; leads populist rebellion |
| GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK, SMITH, MICHAEL | Cade's followers |
| JOHN HUME, JOHN SOUTHWELL | Priests involved with Duchess Eleanor |
| MARGERY JOURDAIN | Witch |
| ROGER BOLINGBROKE | Conjurer |
| SIMPCOX | Impostor claiming miraculous cure |
| THOMAS HORNER | Armourer accused of treason |
| PETER THUMP | Horner's man; accuser |
| SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD | Killed by Cade |
| WALTER WHITMORE | Kills Suffolk |
| VAUX | Messenger |
Plot Summary
Act I: Henry VI marries Margaret of Anjou, brought to England by Suffolk with shameful concessions (England surrenders Maine and Anjou). Gloucester's enemies — Beaufort, Suffolk, Somerset, and Margaret — conspire against him. The Duchess of Gloucester is caught practicing witchcraft; she is humiliated and exiled.
Act II: York reveals his genealogical claim to the throne to Warwick and Salisbury, who pledge support. Gloucester is stripped of the protectorship. The false miracle of Simpcox is exposed by Gloucester. York uses Jack Cade as a puppet rebel.
Act III: Gloucester is arrested on false charges of treason, then murdered in his bed on Suffolk's orders. Henry is grief-stricken. Warwick accuses Suffolk; the Commons demand his banishment. Henry reluctantly exiles Suffolk. Margaret bids farewell to her lover. Suffolk is captured at sea and executed by Walter Whitmore.
Act IV: Jack Cade leads his rebellion with anarchic energy ("The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"). He captures London Bridge, beheads the Lord Say, and briefly holds London. Alexander Iden eventually kills Cade in a garden. York returns from Ireland with an army, demanding Somerset's imprisonment.
Act V: York confronts the King; Somerset is captured, then released, enraging York. Battle of St. Albans erupts. York and his sons fight the Lancastrians; Somerset and Clifford are killed. York and his faction are triumphant. The Wars of the Roses begin in earnest.
Key Themes
- Weak kingship — Henry VI's piety and passivity enable factional anarchy
- Popular rebellion — Cade's scenes combine satire, sympathy, and fear of the mob
- Political conspiracy — the destruction of "good" Gloucester by his enemies
- Dynastic legitimacy — York's genealogical claim vs. Lancaster's possession
Notable Quotations
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." *(Cade's rebel, Dick the Butcher, IV.ii)*
LibriVox Recording
Henry VI, Part 2 audiobook on LibriVox — Free public domain recording.
Cross-references
- Histories — genre context
- Henry VI, Part 1 — preceding events; Joan of Arc
- Henry VI, Part 3 — continuation; Wars of the Roses escalate
- Richard III — concludes the tetralogy