All the world is a stage

24 Replies

View and read Act IV scene 1 from the play Henry V

Video—1 hour and 27 minute to 1 hour and 41 minute (1:27-1:41)

Text—https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/henry-v/read/

Describe in one paragraph (5 sentences minimum) how Shakespeare explores the idea of “metatheatricality” in the scene. Remember that metatheatricality has to do with self-referentiality. How does Shakespeare play with the idea that theatre is like life, and life is like theatre? Is there a sense that there is a “play within the play” happening on stage? You must provide two direct quotes from the text to support your response, text directly. 

Due Tuesday March 5

24 thoughts on “All the world is a stage”

  1. Gordon Zheng

    Shakespeare explores the idea of mathematically in act 4 Scene 1 through the action of King Henry disguised as a soldier to gain insight into what they think. The act of disguising himself serves as a literal and metaphorical expression “a play within a play” where he acts like a common soldier referencing himself, like from a third-person view. One quote “I think the king is but a man, as I am: the violet smells to him as it doth to me”. This alone is where the king performs a role within his own army, blurring the lines between social status and placing them on a common ground to show the common humanity. Another quote “Upon the king! Let us our lives, our souls, Our debts, our careful wives, Our children, and our sins lay on the king”. As he knows and reflects on his burden as a king that his citizens and soldiers rely on him for safety and to lead them. These quotes highlight Shakespeare’s play like “theatre is like life”, as everyone has a role they have to fulfill, Through Act 4 scene 1, the king realizes the perspective from another side. Where the similarity between his role as a king in the grand scheme of the world play and our own purpose and role in the real life stage.

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  2. Christopher Perez

    Shakespeare plays with the idea that theatre is life and that the world is a stage many times throught Henry V. One of the moments that explores that self referentiality is when the King goes undercover in his camp to explore what his men think of him and what their current mental state was. Henry V says “I think the King is but a man as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me. The element shows to him as it doth to me.” This ironic scene has Henry V explaining that he’s simply just a man as his soldiers, but the premise is kind of silly from the standpoint of the audience. We can clearly see Henry V and so can the actors, however,  Henry V is blatantly acknowledging he is the King. Even though all of us can see him, the play allows us to immerse ourselves into the scene as we imagine how cold it is and how dark it is based on them sitting around the fire, but at the same time this is the actor acknowledging that he is obviously King Henry.

    Another quote that supports this is a few seconds later the King says “I will speak my conscience of the King. I think he would not wish himself anywhere but where he is.” This is King Henry again blatantly saying to the audience “I’m right here as you can see” without breaking the 4th wall in a sense.

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  3. jeffrey

    In Act IV, scene 1 of Henry V, Shakespeare explores the idea of metatheatricality through the character of Pistol, who engages in a playful and self-aware manner reminiscent of a theatrical performance. When Fluellen confronts Pistol about his debts, he responds by adopting a theatrical persona, declaring, “All hell shall stir for this” (IV.i.58). Here, Pistol seems to be exaggerating his reaction for dramatic effect, blurring the lines between reality and performance. Additionally, Pistol’s exchange with Fluellen references theatrical terminology, such as when Pistol refers to Fluellen as “Mars in swaddling clothes” (IV.i.44), likening him to a character from a play. This self-referential language reinforces the idea that the characters are aware of their roles and actions within the larger theatrical framework of the play

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  4. tsu

    Shakespeare explores the  idea of “metatheatricality” in these scenes through the self-referentiality of the characters of the play; they draw attention to the fact that they are characters being played by actors in a play. In the prologue, the chorus describes and sets the scene for the audience so that they can see the scene in their mind’s eye. They spend most of the scene describing the war camps, where the low morale of the British soldiers is uplifted by King Henry. At the end of the scene the chorus relays to the audience that the scene will transition next to the Battle of Agincourt. However, they lament that their reenactment is inaccurate and even disrespectful.

     â€œAnd so our scene must to the battle fly,

    Where, O for pity, we shall much disgrace,

     With four or five most vile and ragged foils

     Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous,

     The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see,

     Minding true things by what their mock’ries be.” (4.Prologue 49-54)

    Here they directly point out that this scene is a reenactment in their play, and will be inaccurate due to their ragged swords and ridiculous fighting choreography; but even this “mockery” of a retelling can be used to remember history.

    Another instance of metatheatricality can be found in scene 1 of act 4.  In this scene King Henry borrows Erpingham’s cloak and roams the camp in disguise. There he runs into Pistol, and is asked to identify himself:

    PISTOL. Qui vous lĂ ?

    KING HENRY. A friend.

    PISTOL. Discuss unto me: art thou officer or art thou

    base, common, and popular?

    KING HENRY. I am a gentleman of a company. (4.1 37-41)

    Here, King Henry identifies himself as a gentleman of a company. I believe that there are multiple ways to interpret his line, but I read it as King Henry referencing that he is the actor that is part of the theater company who is running the play. By having the character of King Henry identify himself as the actor who is playing him, Shakespeare plays with the boundary between fiction and reality atop the stage where both the character and actor recognize that they are within a play and acting. 

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  5. Jeremy Perricone

    Jeremy Perricone | D276

    Shakespeare explores the idea of metatheatricality through Henry pretending to be a common man in the presence of his soldiers. While in their midst he says, “I think the King is but a man as I am”. Life is quite literally like a play in this moment, because King Henry is acting like he is someone else entirely while speaking about himself, just as the actor playing King Henry is pretending to be him. Shakespeare also writes a moment where Henry addresses the audience, speaking directly to them as he describes his woes about being a king. Metatheatricality is shown here by breaking the fourth wall, and he even ends the scene calling the audience friends, saying “The day, my friends, and all things stay for me.”

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  6. Edison

    Shakespeare explored the idea of metatheatricality through the character’s self-awareness of their roles. An example is King Henry’s reflection if his soldier’s obedience by saying, “Every subject’s duty is the Kings, but every subject’s soul is his own.” This quote highlights that individual play their parts in the performance of life, similar to actors on a stage. Another example of metatheatricality is the interaction between King Henry and Pistol. Pistol has a line saying, “My name is Pistol called.” The quote itself sounds off but it can also be viewed also Pistol being aware of his theatrical identity. He expresses his name as a title which refers back to his character of being flamboyant.

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  7. Khalil

    The king was pretending to be someone else. he was doing that because he wanted to talk to the soldiers without them freaking out. he wanted them to remain in control . He had something to tell them.

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  8. ashley

    Metatheatricality refers to instances where actors are aware of what they’re doing on stage, aware that they are fictional. This shows that the whole world is a stage, and Shakespeare explores this idea in Act IV Scene 1. When Fluellen tells Pistol to eat the leek, he talks like he’s directing the scence “I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lousy knave, at my desires and my requests and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek” . It’s as if Fluellen is performing while making Pistol do something humiliating. This scene is like a play within the play, where the characters act out their roles just like actors on a stage. Shakespeare implies that life itself can be like a play.

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  9. johnwei

    jianwei shi

    Shakespeare describes the concept of “theater as life and life as theater” with his language and original performances. In this quote Henry V,“ The state of man in divers functions, Setting endeavor in continual motion, To which is fixed as an aim or butt, Obedience; for so work the honeybees, Creatures that by a rule in nature teach, The act of order to a peopled kingdom (line 93-97).” This passage explains well how Shakespeare used language to portray human life and then weaved that life into a play in his unique way, explaining to his audience the idea that life is theater. This relates to Shakespeare’s alternative “play within the play” as the Shakespearean form of performance is utilized to evoke the audience’s memory of similar elements in the performance. We can appreciate from Henry V to this passage that, “The civil citizens kneading up the honey, The poor mechanic porters crowding in, Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, The sad-eyed justice with his surly hum, Delivering o’er to executors pale, The lazy yawning drone. (line 207-212).” For example, if we are in an indoor theater, when the performance comes to Henry V’s explanation of bees and people, we can well appreciate from the performance that life is not easy, because we have experienced such feelings personally as far back as we can feel. This is different from a normal performance where the audience is made to visualize through raw emotion, lighting and costumes. All in all, Shakespeare’s explanation that plays are like life captures the reader’s heart well, and the play with the play staged in the theater does give the audience a better sense of the connection between the story and their memories.

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  10. Chi Chan

    Metatheatricality explores the idea that a play references itself as a piece of drama/theatre. In otherwords, it is a self-realization of the play showing that it is a performance blurring the idea of stage and reality. In Henry V, the two lines that I would choose that best reflects the concept are:

    Act IV Chrous: “And so our scene must to the battle fly, Where, O for pity, we shall much disgrace, With four or five most vile and ragged foils Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous,The name of Agincourt.”

    The Chorus starts with the words, “And so our scene” as if describing to the audience the scene and breaking the fourth wall.

    Another example would be King Henry’s last line: “The day, my âŒœfriends,⌝ and all things stay for me.”

    Calling the audience, my friends, also breaks the 4th wall.

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  11. Brian Flores

    The way how Shakespeare explore the idea of “metatheatricality” in the secne is how he was in the sense explaining how this is a sense of the play that was being produce. Michael Williams, about the King’s responsibility for the spiritual fate of those of his soldiers who die in battle was a sense that was use and inportant to know. While this is just one the other point is the following.Henry laments the care that accompanies his crown and then prays that God will not avenge upon him, in the upcoming battle, his father’s usurpation of Richard II’s throne and instigation of Richard’s death this was also noticeable that would be use to get the sense. In gerenal with this play has be important to understand that information.

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  14. Jairo H.

    “Overconfidence is a flimsy shield.” A quote taken from an irreverent media but one that resonates with me when discussing self-referentiality of Metatheatricality with an emphasize on “meta”. Here are some examples of the idea being expressed in the play(though its difficult to understand abstractions from their normal narratives) “But his own wringing. What infinite heart’s ease Must kings neglect that private men enjoy?. The King reflects from what he learns and consoles himself and in the way the audience. Another quote is ““We died at such a place,” some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left.” They make light of their current situation and provide perspective of their misfortunate circumstances.

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  15. sarah el

    Sarah Elnaggar —- D276

    ï»żIn both scenes (59-1:03, 1:27-1:41), Shakespeare explores the idea of metatheatricality by breaking the barrier between the actors and the audience. In the scene (59-1:03), the actors walk towards the edge of the stage and act their line engaging with the audience. In the second scene (1:27-1:41_1:29:40), Henry puts on his cape and disguises himself. The drunk man doesn’t know it’s King Henry underneath the hooded cape.The drunk man is talking freely about the king but does not know, he is talking to the king. In this scene, Henry and the audience know this secret but the drunk man doesn’t. It’s showcased as a “secret” between Henry and the audience. Another scene Henry pretends to be someone else is when he encounters a few bitter soldiers. He listens to their complaints and tries to change their perspective. He failed because they were stuck with their beliefs. In this scene, the audience still knows this “secret” that the soldiers don’t know. They are questioning the king’s plan, to the king. When King Henry engages with the audience with this “secret”, the audience perceives the show from a different perspective, which can provide a “play within the play” element to the show.

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