Henry VIII By William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Essay, Research Paper

From the start, this play seemed scourged.

It closed after its debut because a fire burned down the theater where

it was being performed. Critics have lambasted Henry VIII for its lack

of action and rather anticlimactic ending. But the play was designed more

as a display piece for its rich and elaborate staging and costumes than

for its action or intrigue.

Another criticism leveled at the drama

was its avoidance of the issues of the Protestant Reformation in England.

Shakespeare was careful not to imply that the events of the play Henry’s

divorce of Katherine and his subsequent marriage to Anne – had led in any

way to England’s still smoldering break with the Church in Rome. By limiting

himself to a more subdued plot, Shakespeare tactfully avoided insulting

the ruling House of Tudor. On the other hand, the drama does explore the

type of political intrigue that may have actually taken place in the court

of this flamboyant and controversial monarch.