Henry VI Part 2 Character Analysis

King Henry VI

King Henry VI, crowned monarch of England as an eight-month-old baby, is a gentle and religious young man who would prefer not to be king. He seeks to keep the throne, though, perhaps because he… read analysis of King Henry VI

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

The Duke of York is an ambitious, energetic, and manipulative English nobleman who wants to seize the throne from young King Henry VI. Toward the play’s beginning, he maneuvers both sides of the warring… read analysis of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

The Duke of Gloucester is uncle to King Henry VI and England’s Lord Protector, a position he assumed early in Henry’s reign because Henry, crowned as a baby, was too young to manage the government… read analysis of Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

Queen Margaret

Margaret, an impoverished French princess, is married to King Henry VI as part of a treaty between England and France negotiated by the Duke of Suffolk. During the treaty negotiations in France, Margaret comes… read analysis of Queen Margaret

William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk

The Duke of Suffolk is a proud, ambitious noble in the court of King Henry VI. When the play begins, he has just negotiated a treaty between England and France on Henry’s behalf. The… read analysis of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk

Cardinal Beaufort

Cardinal Beaufort, great-uncle to King Henry VI, is both a bishop and a political advisor in the English royal court. Despite his official position in England’s religious hierarchy, he is much less genuinely pious… read analysis of Cardinal Beaufort

Earl of Salisbury

The Earl of Salisbury, an elderly English nobleman, agrees with the Duke of Gloucester’s criticism of the treaty that the Duke of Suffolk negotiated between England and France. Anticipating that Suffolk, Cardinal Beaufort… read analysis of Earl of Salisbury

Earl of Warwick

Son to the Earl of Salisbury, the Earl of Warwick is a warlike noblemen disgusted by the peace treaty, negotiated by the Duke of Suffolk and approved by King Henry VI, that cedes… read analysis of Earl of Warwick

Dame Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester

Wife to the Duke of Gloucester, the Duchess is a proud, ambitious woman who scorns England’s new queen, Margaret, for Margaret’s impoverished background. She tries to tempt Gloucester to usurp King Henry VI… read analysis of Dame Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester

Jack Cade

Jack Cade is a commoner who once fought under the Duke of York in Ireland. As part of York’s plan to seize the throne from King Henry VI, York asks Cade to start a… read analysis of Jack Cade

Duke of Somerset

A powerful advisor to King Henry VI, the Duke of Somerset is a political rival of the Duke of York. York uses Somerset’s supposed treachery as an excuse to lead an army from… read analysis of Duke of Somerset

Minor Characters

Buckingham

An ambitious nobleman in King Henry VI’s court, Buckingham conspires with the Duke of Suffolk and others against the Duke of Gloucester. Later, he fights on Henry’s side against the Duke of York, who wants to seize Henry’s throne.

Old Clifford

An English lord loyal to King Henry VI, Old Clifford helps end Jack Cade’s rebellion by persuading the angry commoners to desert their leader. Old Clifford is killed by the Duke of York in the first major battle between York’s and Henry’s forces.

Alexander Iden

Alexander Iden is a contented, moderately wealthy squire from Kent who kills the rebel Jack Cade when Cade invades his garden and insists on fighting him. After identifying Cade, Iden brings Cade’s head to King Henry VI, who knights Iden as a reward.

Sir John Hume

Sir John Hume is a greedy priest whom the Duke of Suffolk and Cardinal Beaufort pay to help entrap the Duchess of Gloucester in treasonous witchcraft.

Henry VI Part 2 Characters