Review of "The Politics of French Language in Shakespeare's History Plays" by David Steinsaltz

In "The Politics of French Language in Shakespeare's History Plays," David Steinsaltz suggests William Shakespeare promoted the English language in the history plays involving King Henry the IV, V, and VI. Swept up in the "linguistic patriotism of his day," Shakespeare relied on the history of the long English and French rivalry to distance the Francophone language that once dominated England.

The author provides a history of how the French language permeated into the English culture and its standing as the official language of the royal court of England for a time. As the years moved on from the time of the Normal Conquest, Englishmen became increasingly displeased with living under a language different than their own. Englishmen could feel the remnants of the French language in their own language; Englishmen believed they were ill-mannered, rude, and even effeminate. In the fourteenth century, the country became more involved in using the English language as something to rally against the French. The English language achieved a higher status due to the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and increasing use of English by nobles and, then, the royal court.

With the history plays about King Henry IV, V, and VI, the author demonstrates how Shakespeare displayed his feelings toward the French. Because lawyers in that time spoke French, there were urged to be killed, often being referred to as conjurers and sorcerers. France itself is proclaimed a "fickle, wavering nation" in Henry VI. In the text, French is the "language of French poltroons and English thieves and all who wish to deceive" (Steinsaltz 6). The King becomes the symbol of English power and language in several different speeches using mainly Germanic instead of Francophone words in place in the English language long before the time of Prince Hal. In Act V, Henry (Hal) overcomes the French as he makes Katherine speak to him in broken English rather than her native French. This action is a symbol of French breaking to the sheer will of England, politically and linguistically.

In conclusion, Steinsaltz suggests that Shakespeare used the English language along with the aforementioned plays of King Henry to allow the audience in the Globe Theatre to feel the overthrowing of the French language. Instead of truly seeing a full representation of the defeat of France on the battlefield, the audience feels the overthrowing of the French in their minds due to shared language.

Steinsaltz, David. "The Politics of French Language in Shakespeare's History Plays." Studies in English Literature. 42. 2: (2002): 317-35 16 June 2005