‘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.

Henry VIII Digital Art

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

Like many other Shakespearean plays, ‘Henry VIII’ continues to impact meaningfully over the centuries. Wise quotes from the play have been adapted into popular use, and the play has ignited readers in more interest in English and European political and religious history, particularly in the rule of King Henry VIII and the schism of the Church of England between Catholicism and papal authority.

‘Henry VIII’ sparked a boom in the film adaptation of Shakespearean plays. A 1911 silent film adaptation of ‘Henry VIII,’ directed by Will Barker and starring Arthur Bourchier, Herbert Tree, and Violet Vanbrugh, was one of the foremost Shakespearean film adaptions and its success heralded many other film adaptations of Shakespearean plays.

Over four centuries after its first known publication, ‘Henry VIII’ continues to be the subject of debate among scholars and pundits because of the controversies surrounding the play’s authorship and its interesting historical characters. ‘Henry VIII’ by Shakespeare continues to inspire scholars

Henry VIII Review ⭐

‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare is a play that is great in some ways but lacking by some standards. This review will give you reasons to decide whether or not to read the play and perhaps tell you how to place your expectations.

Henry VIII Best Quotes 💬

‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare is embellished with quotes that not only bring the characters to life but teach readers some valuable life lessons. Explore further to read more of ‘Henry VIII’ quotes.

Henry VIII Character List 📖

Characters in ‘Henry VIII’ by William Shakespeare are true-life historical individuals, ingeniously depicted by a legendary playwright to give insights into the personal motivations for the role they played in history. Cardinal Wolsey makes a stellar example of this genius portrayal.

Henry VIII Historical Context 📖

‘Henry VIII’ by Shakespeare is set in Sixteenth-Century England during the reign of King Henry VIII. It was a time of significant paradigm shifts in religion and politics in England and across Europe and these give the play very prolific historical contexts

Henry VIII Themes and Analysis 📖

With poetic dialogues, interesting symbols, and meaningful themes, ‘Henry VIII’ by Shakespeare would make a poetic feast for lovers of Literature.

Henry VIII Summary 📖

‘Henry VIII’ centres on the plotting of officials in King Henry VIII’s council and on some of the events that followed the king’s controversial decision to dissolve his marriage to Queen Katherine.