Kill the Prisoners: Shakespeare’s Henry V at Agincourt, <br/>Just War Theory, and the End of Chivalry

Abstract

In England, Henry V is a legend. Shakespeare’s play of the same name, which depicts Henry’s surprise triumph over the French at the Battle of Agincourt, is probably the main source of the tradition. The outnumbered English did not follow the code of chivalry, but the French did so for the most part. Shakespeare thus forces us to consider a perennial dilemma: When is war justified? When Henry gives the order to execute his French prisoners of war, is he acting justly? What became of the Chivalric Code? We conclude that on October 25, 1415, in the muddy fields of Agincourt, chivalry—a product of feudal custom—died. The connotations of the word “chivalry” may be unclear to modern readers because it has been misused to imply, among other things, civility, particularly toward women. Nonetheless, some aspects of the chivalric code continue to exist. In its Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan, and Outdoor Code, the Boy Scouts of America embody their own unique interpretation of chivalry. Like other military academies, the United States Military Academy at West Point maintains a Cadet Honor Code. The International Criminal Court’s Rome Statute, the Geneva and Hague Conventions, and other legal documents set up the parameters for conducting wars and outlawing particular actions. Shakespeare makes us think about the possibility that existential problems could lead to moral conundrums where there could not be a good option. This study provides guidance on how to approach the teaching and learning of moral conundrums, like the one that Henry V encountered at the Battle of Agincourt.