Henry VI Part 3 Act 2 - "Now my soul's palace is become a prison..."

Henry VI Part 3 Act 2

Perhaps Shakespeare took a breath and had a contemplative moment in the middle of writing about the War of the Roses battles. There is a moment when Edward and Richard meet on the field of battle, wondering about their father’s fate. They reflect on the symbolic meaning of the light on the horizon, one the optimist, and the other, the pessimist. A messenger comes to tell them of their father’s death. Edward mourns his father, wishing that he were dead instead of his father:

"Now my soul's palace is become a prison

Ah, would she break from hence that this my body

Might in the ground be close up in rest.

For never henceforth shall I joy again"

But Richard cannot cry and is filled with rage and desire for revenge:

“I cannot weep; for all my body's moisture

Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart…

Richard, I bear thy name; I'll venge thy death,

Or die renowned by attempting it.”

So begins Act 2.

All seems lost for the Yorks. Queen Margaret’s army advances.

Clifford's speaks to Henry about nature, families and the responsibilities of fathers. He advocates that Henry show no mercy.

“To whom do lions cast their gentle looks?

Not to the beast that would usurp their den.”

Henry is not convinced. Edward and his men enter to negotiate. But negotiations don’t work and even Margaret shuts King Henry up. Edward blames Margaret for all the kingdom’s troubles. Everyone resolves to work things out on the battlefield.

The turning point of the battle is when Richard fights Clifford and the tide turns for Richard and Edward. Henry, of course, is standing on the battlefield watching a parade of soldiers with the dead, and he laments his lot. Clifford enters with an arrow in his neck and death at his back. Richard is thus denied revenge for his father’s death. Even Clifford now blames Henry’s weakness as a king for the country’s woes. Henry laments that he has not been a stronger king. A bit late, mate. Everyone urges Henry to leave the battlefield to save himself.

Edward and his forces seem to be winning and know that if they can ally with France, they will be able to subdue Margaret’s armies once and for all. Edward makes Richard the Duke of Gloucester and George the Duke of Clarence. Richard thinks that the title of Duke of Gloucester is unlucky and asks for a redraw (perhaps he has visited some witches or read an advanced copy of ‘Richard III). Edward is emphatic (something Henry never was) and they head off to London to see the London Eye, catch a show and claim the throne.