Edward III Book

Great action scenes despite the many anachronisms, Edward III is still rewarding. It is the first of the great War of the Roses cycle (before Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1&2, Henry V, Henry VI Parts 1-3, and the inimitable Richard III). The authorship of this one by the Bard has long been contested, but most modern critics allow that Shakespeare wrote at least several acts himself.

Edward III takes power after his mother Isabella of France and her alleged lover Mortimer forced Edward II to step down. A succession controversy for the Frenc throne provokes the beginning of the One Hundred Years War when Edward III claims, rightly it would seem, the French throne. The French find a legendary Salic law that reserves the throne to male descendants which disqualifies Edward who was claiming the title through his mother Isabella. So, if you think Shakespeare is confusing, the real story that he is telescoping and abbreviating is far more complex!

In Shakespeare's play, the action is non-stop with battles galore. Edward III was particularly lucky to have won successively the battles of Sluys, Crécy and Poitiers against the French and thereby established a massive foothold on the continent. As explained in Norwich's Shakespeare's Kings: The Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337-1485, the Bard does not respect the timeline, but he does a fairly good job of capturing the momentum of events and draws memorable portraits of the various actors. I would also highly suggest the excellent A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century for more about this tumultuous period, but seen from a more French point of view.

One of Shakespeare's greatest characterizations in this play is the godlike Edward, the Black Prince. He is Edward III's heir and an incredible warrior with a relatively realistic, but characteristically dark personality:

Audley, the arms of death embrace us round,
And comfort have we none, save that to die
We pay sower earnest for a sweeter life.
At Cressey field out Clouds of Warlike smoke
Choked up those French mouths & dissevered them;
But now their multitudes of millions hide,
Masking as twere, the beauteous burning Sun,
Leaving no hope to us, but sullen dark
And eyeless terror of all ending night.
Edward III - Act IV Scene IV

In one of the most memorable scenes in the play, the Black Prince is about to succumb to overwhelming French numbers around him and Edward III is asked several times by his advisors to send reinforcements to help him. Edward III prefers to let the Black Prince fight his way out.

ARTOIS.
Rescue, king Edward! rescue for thy son!

KING EDWARD.
Rescue, Artois? what, is he prisoner,
Or by violence fell beside his horse?

ARTOIS.
Neither, my Lord: but narrowly beset
With turning Frenchmen, whom he did pursue,
As tis impossible that he should scape,
Except your highness presently descend.

KING EDWARD.
Tut, let him fight; we gave him arms to day,
And he is laboring for a knighthood, man.

[Enter Derby.]

DARBY.
The Prince, my Lord, the Prince! oh, succour him!
He's close incompast with a world of odds!

KING EDWARD.
Then will he win a world of honor too,
If he by valour can redeem him thence;
If not, what remedy? we have more sons
Than one, to comfort our declining age.
Edward III Act 3 Scene V

The Black Prince, of course, prevails and captures King John II and in the closing scene, the English retake Calais (including the scene of the Burghers of Calais immortalized by Rodin centuries later) and seem to be poised for total domination setting the stage for the tragedy of Richard II.

This play is a fantastic read, but it does help to do one's homework to understand the historical events behind the action. It is non-stop and a great start to the long cycle.