Diagnosing Henry VI

One of Shakespeare’s earliest and arguably worst plays is probably Henry VI, all three parts. It’s essentially about the start of the wars of the roses. As such, I would not qualify Henry as the star of his own play. This is actually an excellent reflection of his life. He was king from infancy and lacked the strong will necessary to be a medieval ruler, so he was dominated by other nobles and even his own wife. By some accounts he was feeble minded, by others extremely pious.

 

One thing the historians can agree on however, is that he had some sort of mental breakdown. He went into what we would now call a catatonia for over a year. It has been the source of much debate for centuries. Today, Dr. Lisa and I take on the task and discuss what a possible diagnosis could have been. Sit back, enjoy, and let’s jump into Henry’s head.

 

Teller of Tales by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4467-teller-of-the-tales

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

Minstrel Guild by KevinMacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4056-minstrel-guild

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

Beginning quote from the unpublished biography of Henry VI by Kerry R. J. Tattersall