King Henry VI, Part 1

by William Shakespeare

"King Henry VI, Part 1" by William Shakespeare is a history play believed to have been written in 1591. Following the sudden death of King Henry V, England descends into chaos as French territories slip away and political rivals tear the realm apart with personal feuds. The symbolic choosing of red and white roses marks the beginning of devastating conflict, while military disasters in France reveal the cost of domestic division. This play dramatizes the unraveling of English power and the seeds of civil war.