King John
84. Shakespeare, The Life and Death of King John
This play is Shakespeare’s re-imagining of the life of England’s most infamous king. It opens with a message to King John from France: the French king is preparing to invade England on behalf of Arthur of Brittany, John’s nephew and a rival claimant for the throne. John instantly retaliates by invading France, and there follows a dance between war and diplomacy as the various French and English factions bid for power.
Obviously this is not one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, or even one of the most famous histories. I can see why - there’s really not much to say in terms of plot, and the characters are flatter than in many of his other works. John is certainly no Lear or Macbeth, and the conflicts appear to be mostly external: threats from France, threats from the pope, threats from the English court. Still, I enjoyed this play for its dramatization of history, and it makes me want to read more about the era. I also saw some interesting parallels between the events of the play and the events of Shakespeare’s time, especially the Protestant Reformation. For anyone interested in the history of this time period, I’d recommend King John.