A fresh look at a play usually regarded as the first component of a three-part historical epic
this edition argues that Henry VI Part 1 is a 'prequel' a freestanding piece that returns for
ironic and dramatic effect to a story already familiar to its audience. The play's ingenious
use of stage space is closely analysed as is its manipulation of a series of setpiece combats
to give a coherent syntax of action. Discussion of the dramatic structure created by the
opposing figures of Talbot and Jeanne la Pucelle and exploration of the critical controversies
surrounding the figure of Jeanne lead to a reflection on the nature of the history play as
genre in the 1590s.
