Henry VI Part 2

By William Shakespeare

Part of the Folger Shakespeare Library series

Power crumbles as betrayal and rebellion threaten a kingdom's fragile peace.

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318 pages

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Bookroo's summary

In a kingdom teetering on chaos, the Duke of Gloucester's murder sets off a chain of treachery. As the Duke of Suffolk and the cardinal fall, King Henry's spiritual detachment leaves him vulnerable. With Jack Cade's uprising and the Duke of York's ambitions, the stage is set for the Wars of the Roses. Will Henry's reign survive the storm of ambition and betrayal, or will the red and white roses clash in a battle for the throne?

From the publisher

Henry VI, Part 2 presents a kind of story that was popular before Shakespeare began writing, tracing the fall of powerful individuals to their untimely deaths. The first to go is the Duke of Gloucester, Lord Protector of England and the most powerful man in the kingdom, who is murdered after his wife goes into exile. Next to meet a bad end is the Duke of Suffolk, the queen’s lover, who rules England through her. After Suffolk conspires with the cardinal of Winchester to kill Gloucester, he is banished and assassinated. The cardinal dies raving of his own guilt. Ultimately, the king’s weakness lies behind these events. Preferring spiritual contemplation, he has left others to contend for power. Now his liberty is at risk as Jack Cade, and then the Duke of York, rise against him. The play leaves us in suspense about Henry’s fate by ending with the start of the Wars of the Roses–a conflict setting the white rose of the Duke of York against the red rose of King Henry, of the House of Lancaster. The authoritative edition of Henry VI, Part 2 from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Nina Levine The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

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