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Summary
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Henry VI Part 2, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Ambition
Nobles vs. Commoners
Religion and Politics
Patriotism
Magic
Summary
Analysis
Trumpets play as King Henry VI, the Duke of Gloucester, the Earl of Salisbury, the Earl of Warwick, and Cardinal Beaufort meet Queen Margaret, Suffolk, the Duke of York, the Duke of Somerset, and Buckingham. Suffolk announces that, as King Henry commanded, he conducted the marriage-by-proxy of Margaret in Tours. Kneeling, he announces that he is handing her over to King Henry as Henry’s bride. King Henry tells Suffolk to stand, kisses Queen Margaret, and prays to God to be grateful for his beautiful bride—supposing they love each other. After Margaret claims to have thought of him constantly, King Henry orders his lords to greet her. They kneel and exclaim, “Long live Queen Margaret.”
In 1444, the Duke of Suffolk negotiated the marriage King Henry VI of England to French princess Margaret of Anjou, niece to King Charles VII of France, as part of a treaty between England and France. The treaty was an effort to end a series of violent conflicts between England and France lasting from 1337 until 1453, which historians would later name “The Hundred Years’ War.” In this scene, Shakespeare imagines the first meeting between King Henry VI and Margaret. The meeting has at least two dramatic functions. First, it characterizes King Henry as devoutly religious: the first thing he does upon meeting Margaret, after kissing her, is praise God. Second, it foreshadows possible problems in Henry and Margaret, inasmuch as Henry hopes he and Margaret will love each other—but acknowledges they may not.
Active
Themes
Queen Margaret thanks the lords, who stand. Suffolk hands Gloucester, whom he calls “Lord Protector,” the treaty that Suffolk negotiated with King Charles of France. Gloucester begins to read the treaty aloud: King Henry will marry Margaret, the King of Naples’s daughter, and England will surrender Anjou and Maine to her father. Gloucester stops reading and drops the treaty. When King Henry asks what’s wrong, Gloucester claims he felt suddenly sick.
The Duke of Gloucester, whose name was Humphrey of Lancaster, became the Lord Protector of England along with his brother (the Duke of Bedford) after their nephew Henry VI was crowned king as a baby. In this historical context, a Lord Protector is someone temporarily in charge of England’s government while the actual monarch is a minor or otherwise unable to rule alone. The historical King Henry VI was no longer a minor when he married Margaret—he was in his twenties—but in this scene, Suffolk still refers to Gloucester as “Lord Protector,” which alludes to King Henry’s relative youth and lack of experience compared to the people around him. Meanwhile, Gloucester’s shock and horror when he reads that, as part of the treaty, England will be surrendering the French territories of Anjou and Maine suggests that the terms of the treaty are unfavorable to England, offending English patriotic pride.
Active
Themes
King Henry asks Cardinal Beaufort, whom he calls “Uncle,” to finish reading the treaty. Beaufort reads the rest: since Margaret has no dowry, Henry will pay the cost of her voyage to England. Henry expresses satisfaction with the treaty and grants Suffolk, formerly a marquess, the title of duke. He then declares York’s regency in France over and invites the lords to witness Margaret’s coronation. Henry, Margaret, and Suffolk go inside.
Active
Themes
Gloucester laments “the common grief of all the land” and asks whether his “brother” Henry and the other lords spent so much time, effort, and blood on claiming French territory—for nothing. He decries both the marriage and the treaty. Cardinal Beaufort questions Gloucester’s outburst and claims that England will retain France forever. When Gloucester points out that Suffolk gave away Anjou and Maine, Warwick laments that these territories, which he won in war, are being surrendered without a fight.
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York curses Suffolk, shocked that King Henry is marrying a woman who brings no wealth to the marriage. Gloucester cries out in indignation that Suffolk wants repayment for Margaret’s travel costs and declares she should never have come to England. Warningly, Cardinal Beaufort reminds Gloucester that Henry wanted this outcome. Gloucester accuses Beaufort of hating him, then he says goodbye to the other lords and leaves warning that they’ll lose France.
Active
Themes
Cardinal Beaufort argues to the remaining lords that Gloucester is their “enemy,” reminding them that Gloucester is next in line for the throne and implying that he wants to depose King Henry. Buckingham suggests that, since Henry has reached adulthood, they should end Gloucester’s protectorship. Beaufort goes to speak with Suffolk about it. Afterward, Somerset warns Buckingham that if Gloucester falls from power, “haughty” Cardinal Beaufort will try to replace him. Buckingham responds that he or Somerset could replace Gloucester instead. They exit.
Active
Themes
Salisbury tells Warwick and York that they should be concerned for England, unlike the self-interested Somerset and Buckingham. He argues that Gloucester is a virtuous aristocrat, whereas Cardinal Beaufort is arrogant and vulgar. Then he points out that the common people respect Warwick and York, and he suggests that the three of them should protect Gloucester against the others’ ambitions as long as Gloucester’s actions benefit England. Warwick and York agree. Then Salisbury and Warwick leave together, Warwick still lamenting the loss of Maine and vowing to win it back.
Left alone, York soliloquizes that King Henry, Suffolk, and the other lords were content to trade Anjou and Maine for Queen Margaret—though the trade leaves Normandy in danger—because the territories don’t belong to them but to York himself. York is the rightful heir of England, Ireland, and France. York declares his intention to take the throne from King Henry, who is too religious to be a good ruler. In pursuit of that goal, York will cozy up to Salisbury, Warwick, and Gloucester while it benefits him. Once Henry is distracted by Margaret and Gloucester has fallen out with the other lords, York will “raise aloft the milk-white rose” and overthrow Henry.
