Henry VIII

Article written by Onyekachi Osuji

B.A. in Public Administration and certified in Creative Writing (Fiction and Non-Fiction)

‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare is a historical play about the politics and scheming in court during the reign of King Henry VIII of England and the events that followed his decision to divorce his wife Katherine amidst religious controversies, all of which culminates in the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth I by his second wife, Anne Bullen. The play also brings King Henry VIII’s blind trust of his advisor, Cardinal Wolsey to the fore and how the latter abused the power of his office and the trust of the king.

Key Facts about Henry VIII

• Title: The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight
• When Written: 1613 (date is based on the first recorded performance of the play)
• Genre: Historical Play; Tragicomedy.
• Setting: Sixteenth-Century England, during the reign of King Henry VIII
• Climax: Cardinal Wolsey’s fall from King Henry VIII’s favor
• Antagonist: Cardinal Wolsey
• Shakespeare’s sole authorship of ‘Henry VIII’ is uncertain. Due to inconsistencies in style within the play, ‘Henry VIII’ is believed to have been written by William Shakespeare in collaboration with his successor, John Fletcher.
• ‘Henry VIII’ burned down a theatre. At the first performance of the play at the Globe Theatre in June of 1613, a cannonball used for effect caught the roof of the theatre on fire and the Globe Theatre burned to the ground.
• The play was initially titled All Is True
• ‘Henry VIII’ is the last play written by William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare and Henry VIII

William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright in the English Language. He is credited as the author of thirty-seven plays and several poems. By chronology, ‘Henry VIII’ is the last in the sequence of plays by William Shakespeare, although the chronology of Shakespeare’s plays remains uncertain. The probable date of each play is often based on the first recorded date of performance of the play. The date of the first recorded performance of ‘Henry VIII’ is June 29, 1613. It was a remarkable performance because a cannonball used for effect in the performance caught the roof of the Globe Theatre on fire and the theatre was burned to the ground.

William Shakespeare’s authorship of ‘Henry VIII’ is believed by some scholars to be in collaboration with John Fletcher, his successor at the Globe Theatre. There are parts of the play that are somewhat different from Shakespeare’s style but consistent with Fletcher’s. Therefore, these differences in writing style form the basis for the theory of Shakespeare and Fletcher’s co-authorship of ‘Henry VIII’.

However, beyond the assumption of writing style, there is no other evidence or record that conclusively proves Fletcher’s co-authorship of ‘Henry VIII’ and so, it is still debatable.

Comments on early performances of ‘Henry VIII’ suggest that the play was originally titled, All Is True.  This is probable because Shakespeare is not known to personally superintend the printing of any of his plays—the versions published were copies from playhouses, prone to alterations by actors and theatrical managers.

Books Related to Henry VIII

• A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt. This historical play by Robert Bolt comes centuries after ‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare but revolves around the same subject. Also set in England during the reign of King Henry VIII, it gives another perspective to the tensions around King Henry VIII’s decision to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. The main character here is Sir Thomas More, a principled man who remains obstinate in his refusal to take the Oath of Succession and acknowledge the legitimacy of King Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn.
• Richard III by William Shakespeare. Another historical play by Shakespeare, Richard III chronicles the scheming and the bloody ascension of Richard III to the throne of England and the subsequent loss of his kingship and life to Henry VII who begot Henry VIII. In Act II, Scene I of ‘Henry VIII,’ the Duke of Buckingham alludes to characters in Richard III and implies that he is a descendant of an older Duke of Buckingham who was executed by King Richard III.
• Henry V by William Shakespeare. Like ‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare, ‘Henry V’ is one of the many plays Shakespeare wrote about an English monarch. The play narrates the story of King Henry V’s defeat of the French at the Battle of Agincourt despite military and tactical odds against him. Both plays depict the past volatile political relations between England and France.

The Lasting Impact of Henry VIII