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    Henry VIII

    history

    Henry VIII is one of the last plays Shakespeare wrote, a history staged near the end of his career. It follows the powerful King Henry as he tires of his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and sets his heart on Anne Boleyn. To marry her, Henry must break with his own loyal advisers and the Church itself. Around him, once-mighty figures rise and fall, and the play ends by looking ahead to the birth of the baby who will become Queen Elizabeth I.

    ▸PROLOGUE▸SCENE I. London. An ante-chamber in the palace.▸SCENE II. The same. The council-chamber.▸SCENE III. An ante-chamber in the palace.▸SCENE IV. A Hall in York Place.

    ▸SCENE I. Westminster. A street.▸SCENE II. An ante-chamber in the palace.▸SCENE III. An ante-chamber of the QUEEN'S apartments.▸SCENE IV. A hall in Black-Friars.

    ▸SCENE I. London. QUEEN KATHARINE's apartments.▸SCENE II. Ante-chamber to KING HENRY VIII's apartment.

    ▸SCENE I. A street in Westminster.▸SCENE II. Kimbolton.

    ▸SCENE I. London. A gallery in the palace.▸SCENE II. Before the council-chamber. Pursuivants, Pages, & c.▸SCENE III. The Council-Chamber.▸SCENE IV. The palace yard.▸SCENE V. The palace.▸EPILOGUE

    Characters

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    Cardinal WolseyHenry's chief minister, architect of his own fallQueen KatharineHenry's first queen, facing divorceKing Henry VIIIKing of England, central figureDuke of BuckinghamNoble destroyed by Wolsey

    Famous Quotes

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    “Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my king, he would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies.”

    Cardinal Wolsey — Act 3, Scene 2

    “Farewell! a long farewell, to all my greatness! This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes; to-morrow blossoms.”

    Cardinal Wolsey — Act 3, Scene 2

    “Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye: I feel my heart new open'd.”

    Cardinal Wolsey — Act 3, Scene 2

    Further Reading

    Best Lines by Shakespeare: Quotes on Life, Love and More

    A curated collection of Shakespeare's most famous lines, organised by theme, from love and loss to daily wisdom, sport and celebration. Each quote includes the play it comes from and why it still resonates.

    Who Was William Shakespeare? A Complete Life and Biography

    The life of Shakespeare: born in Stratford 1564, the Globe, his death in 1616, and the First Folio. The facts, checked.

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