Literary Reference and the Lower Class in “Henry V”

One sign by which we may identify an educated person in the modern world is the referencing of literary works to illustrate or enrich their speech. Today’s culture of Hollywood worship has allowed film and even television to creep into that same hemisphere, but literary reference is the more classic indicator of a well-rounded intellect. And so it seems surprising that Shakespeare should give these types of allusions not to King Henry, nor to his dukes or earls, but to the lower class characters, especially Pistol.

When quarreling with Nym over who has the better claim to the Hostess’ hand, he mockingly requests that he “fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid’s kind, Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse.” (2.1.77-78) Understanding this reference requires knowledge of Robert Henryson’s Testament of Cresseid, wherein, according to our glossary, a fallen woman named Cressida is rejected by Diomede and infected with leprosy. In essence, Pistol tells Nym to seek out a leprous whore (kite) and make her his wife, rather than pursue Quickly any longer. But why not have Pistol, a common man, deliver this insult more plainly?

For one thing, such stories were likely more common amongst the working stiffs of the 16th century than similar ones might be to our working class today. For another, Pistol is a conceited individual, and makes himself out to be more sophisticated than he is. But Shakespeare’s method of lending him that air of sophistication is to imbue his speech with complex allusions and turns of phrase. From this authorial choice we learn that even though these types of reference were given to characters of lower class, they are not low-class themselves. Shakespeare was looking ahead to a time like ours, when knowledge of stories and poems and language would be a sign of intelligence.