Has the Nature of Leadership or the Nature of the Leader Changed During the Prince of Wales

8/8/2019 Has the Nature of Leadership or the Nature of the Leader Changed During the Prince of Wales

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Short Essay, Z3291898

Has the nature of leadership or the nature of the leader

changed during the Prince of Waless transition from Hal to

Henry V?

By MIDN Stuart Francis, RAN z3291898

The first question that one must ask themselves in order to fully understand the question is, what a

leader is and what is the nature of a person. The term Nature is defined by the Australian Concise

Oxford Dictionary (5th

Ed, 2009)as a things or persons innate or essential qualities or character. The

term Leader is defined by the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary (5th Ed, 2009)as a person or

thing that leads. So, from this it can be gathered that a Leader by nature is someone who through

their innate qualities is capable of Leadership. From this definition it can be stated that the Prince of

Wales fulfils this criteria as witnessed by Henrys actions at the battle of Agincourt. Henry is more

than capable as a natural leader as he is able to rally his troops when they are lacking numerical

superiority and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But, how did he get here? Did he always have

these qualities? In order to prove that the Prince of Wales did indeed possess the qualities of a

Leader all along three passages will be analysed to put some evidence to these statements and

prove once and for all that the Leadership of Henry V was there all along and that the Nature of

leadership has not in fact changed. As Henry V, Hal and Harry the King have always andwill always

value honour.

The first extract to be analysed is Henry IVPart 1, Act 3, sc2 : ll. 94-159 (p.5351). In this extract we see

King Henry IV berate his son the Prince of Wales for his behaviour. Harry is told that his recent

frequent appearances in the public eye have led to comparisons with the previous king Richard II As

thou art to this hour was Richard then (p.535). King Henry decrees that Hotspur has a right to the

1William Shakespeare (2008). The Complete Works of William Shakespeare .9th ed. London: Collins. Hereafter, page

references will be given in the essay


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Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes

Than that which hath no foil to set it off.

Ill so offend to make offense a skill,

Redeeming time when men think least I will.(p.518)

His skilful crafting of circumstances in order to make his triumphant return all the more elaborate is

certainly a skill attributable to leadership as this allows him to gain the most essential part of

manhood, honour.Hal believes that killing Hotspur will pardon him from all of his transgressions and

make his father proud to call him son as is evident from this statement I will redeem all this on

Percys head, And, in the closing of some glorious day, Be bold to tell you that I am your son(p.535)

He plans of doing this by taking Hotspurs honour by defeating him in battle and thus becoming the

son that his father always wanted. To do this he plans the Northern youth exchange (p.535) where

Hal shall trade his glorious deedsfor my indignities (p.535). Even from this early stage in Hals

career as a leader it is evident that it is in his nature to covert honour as all leaders do. He is going to

do anything that he can in order for him to make his father and the people of England respect him

and if that involves fighting and killing the competition for his fathers affection then so be it. In

doing this he also identifies an essential part of leadership, a leader is always seeking approval from

someone else whether it be his father or the people he serves and this lesson remains with him for

the duration of his life.

The next extract to be dissected isHenry V, Act 4, sc 1: ll. 212-260 (p.613). This scene deals with new

King Henry V. Hal has become Henry, he has fulfilled his promise and defeated Hotspur and become

the man he always said he could be. In order for the young king to understand how his men are

feeling prior to their moment of truth at the Battle of Agincourt, Henry disquises himself as a simple

common soldier and speaks to the men as though they were equal. He knows that no soldier who

valued his life would speak honestly about these things to the king, but Harry Le Roy is a completely

different matter. He does this because it is essential to serve your subordinates, as Henry learned as

a young man through the words of his father. He discovers that his men are both afraid of the


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overwhelming odds facing them and concerned at the kings motives and courage. One of the men

by the name of Williamsgoes so far as to challenge Henry to a dual in order to prove his point that

the King has set them towards an unwinnable situation. The King as a parting notion mentions this

statement Indeed, the French may lay twenty French crowns to one they will beat us, for they bear

them on their shoulders. But it is no English treason to cut French crowns, and tomorrow the king

himself will be a clipper. (p.613) He makes it clear to the men that tomorrow the King will prove his

worth in the face of an overwhelming adversary. As a result of this conversation the King enters a

soliloquy in which he questions his own position. He muses the purpose behind the loneliness and

isolation that power brings and that the only comfort he has is ceremony. He wants to know

whether ceremony means anything at all O Ceremony, show me but thy worth (p.613). He is

disillusioned with the ceremony attached to titles and position art thou aught else but place,

degree and form(p.613). He knows that at the end of the day it is up to him as a man to prove his

worth as king not the title and ceremony that precedes it as he states

I am a king that find thee, and I know

'Tis not the balm, the scepter, and the ball,

The sword, the mace, the crown imperial,

The intertissued robe of gold and pearl,

The farcd title running 'fore the king,

The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp(p.613).

It is this kind of insight that proves his worth both as a man and as a leader. He knows that he must

earn the honour of King as it is not given to him by birth. Although, he also realises that the only

person he can confide these thoughts with is his own consciousness.

I have chosen Henry V, Act 4, sc3: ll. 16-68 (p.614)as the next extract to be dissected. This is the

famous Crispian day speech, the speech that rallies the Soldiers behind their young king in the face

of adversity. What appeals the most about this speech is not so much the words themselves, whilst


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stirring as they are, but more the matter that Henry has just been told by some of his men that they

sincerely believe that defeat is imminent. It is a true show of character for a leader to rally their

troops when all the odds are stacked against them. The theme of honour again rears its head this

time in the form of motivation towards the men

And gentlemen in England now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.(p.615)

He dispatches the cries for additional men with statements such as

If we are mark'd to die, we are enow

To do our country loss; and if to live,

The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.(p.615)

He openly admits that honour is the main driving force behind his motives but be it a sin to covet

honour, I am the most offending soul alive (p.615) But what is most notable in this speech is the

following on of the theme that ceremony and titles mean nothing more than the paper they are

written on, he goes on to say that if these men stand and fight with him today then they will become

part of his band of brothers and will always be remembered. He realises that all men of the day are

like him and are drawn towards honour as its the only thing you can leave behind and stake your

claim in history.

Has the essential nature of leadership changed during the course of the Prince of Waless transition

from boy heir to King? Well, no it hasnt and it wont ever as leadership is all about the simple task of

getting men to do what you want when you want it by whatever means applicable during the day.

Today that may be money but back then it was honour and Henry used this to motivate his men and


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himself in order to reform and become the King that the people of England deserved. Has the

nature of the leader changed? Again, no it hasnt as Harry, Hal and Henry all used the same simple

motivator of honour and respect to achieve their goals. His efficiency in utilizing these motivators

has improved but his nature has not. In other words he has just gotten better at what comes

naturally and this is essentially what all men strive for.

Stuart Francis

MIDN Stuart Andrew Francis, RAN

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Has the Nature of Leadership or the Nature of the Leader Changed During the Prince of Wales