ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses political rhetoric in Shakespeare’s English history plays. There are vying rhetorics of political advantage. All the English kings share a field of political rhetoric, but with a difference, especially surrounding the theme of legitimacy. Joan de Pucelle, Lady Grey, Queen Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, Anne, Queen Isabella and the Duchess of York all express tensions between private and public speech that have political implications. Machiavellian and saintly rhetorics vie in the speech of Richard III and Henry V. The public rhetoric of King John and Cardinal Wolsey rounds off the political language of the ten English history plays.
