AHC: Shakespeare's Harold Godwinson

Yeah, he appeared in Holinshed, and Shakey wrote about Edmund Ironside, so he was evidently aware of the period. Patrons (particularly Elizabeth) might not like the tragic hero being an ostensible usurper, and the public might not like to be reminded about getting beaten by the French, but he dealt with similar issues in other plays - semi-heroic usurper in the character of Henry IV and foreign conquest of England in Cymbeline, to name two.
 
Well, he deals with an invasion of England in Lear as well - although both that and Cymbeline are dramas rather than history plays. However, it wouldn't be unlikely that he breaks off somewhere at a high point following Harold's victory over the invading Danes, but before the Conqueror has landed. Or, if he does take it through to Hastings, that he perhaps still portrays the Conqueror as a foreign usurper who is actually incompetent but his victory is more due to Harold's troops being exhausted rather than any skill of his own. In fact, Shakespeare might be inspired to write this in light of the Armada's defeat, perhaps with plans to write about the foreign conqueror in the second half, which he "conveniently" never gets around to. Maybe working snippets of Elizabeth's Tilbury speech into Harold's pre-battle exhortation. Let him kill his horse a la Warwick the Kingmaker at Barnet (if he had one), and Harold represents the epitome of Englishness as opposed to the marauding Danes or the ruffian Normans.
 
Or he could cast William as Henry VII, and Harold as the usurper - maybe a TL where Shakespeare couldn't use Richard III as the ultimate evil, (Plantagenet support remains stronger somehow?) and so Harold is used as a blatant stand in.
 
Yes, I would think either William the Conqueror or Edgar the Atheling would be logical choices for the hero, as Elizabeth/James are descended from those two.

Maybe Harold usurps the throne following the death of the Confessor (which he may or may not have helped with in the play; possible Edward the Exile ditto), and then maneuvers to be crowned as king, despite the Atheling and his previous oath to William. William's invasion triggers a Macbeth-style breakdown, ending with the crowning of William the Conqueror. Blame Harold for usurpation and portray the Normans as merely upholding the oath Harold forswore. If it's after 1603, mention that Edgar's sister and heiress is married to the King of Scotland, while we're at it.

After all, for much of Elizabeth and James's reign, relations with France are actually decent.
 
Yes, I would think either William the Conqueror or Edgar the Atheling would be logical choices for the hero, as Elizabeth/James are descended from those two.

Maybe Harold usurps the throne following the death of the Confessor (which he may or may not have helped with in the play; possible Edward the Exile ditto), and then maneuvers to be crowned as king, despite the Atheling and his previous oath to William. William's invasion triggers a Macbeth-style breakdown, ending with the crowning of William the Conqueror. Blame Harold for usurpation and portray the Normans as merely upholding the oath Harold forswore. If it's after 1603, mention that Edgar's sister and heiress is married to the King of Scotland, while we're at it.

After all, for much of Elizabeth and James's reign, relations with France are actually decent.

Perhaps the wedding of Matilda of Scotland and Henry I will be the ending of the story.
 
Yeah, he appeared in Holinshed, and Shakey wrote about Edmund Ironside, so he was evidently aware of the period. Patrons (particularly Elizabeth) might not like the tragic hero being an ostensible usurper, and the public might not like to be reminded about getting beaten by the French, but he dealt with similar issues in other plays - semi-heroic usurper in the character of Henry IV and foreign conquest of England in Cymbeline, to name two.

Make Harold's vow of fealty to William the opening of the play. Cast him as a tragic hero, hubristically claiming the throne of England and then driven by ambition to ignore his vow to William (nicely overlooking the possible element of compulsion there).
 
More likely we get a random supernatural prophesy of the union rather than a huge time jump.


Or just don't have the time jump. Bring the wedding forward to 1067.

Shakespeare was no stickler for historical accuracy. In MacBeth he makes King Duncan's sons old enough to be framed for their father's murder, though in reality they were infants at the time.
 
Shakespeare was no stickler for historical accuracy.
You mean like Theseus, Duke of Athens? Well, two out of three is not bad.

On a Harold Godwinson play, if Shakespeare were to write it in the reign of James I, another foreign monach who was the lawful King of England, that would be right up his (Will's) street. Not sure though who Harold who be modelled on or for that matter, the Norwegians. In addition, the little matter of a papal banner from Pope Alexander would have to be erased.:eek: I doubt though the Bard would find a problem in any of this.:D
 
Scene 1: Picardie, a beach

Enter HAROLD and his COURTIERS. A tempestuous noise heard.

HAROLD:
Good Cedric, tell me now- what land is this
That we, unfortunates, have been cast on?

CEDRIC:
Earl Harold, ere our bark did lose its way
I heard the captain say it was the coast
Of Picardie or Normandie much more
I cannot tell for he, poor soul, did slip
And by the foaming waves was swift dragged down

Enter A KNIGHT, armed

KNIGHT
Hollo, what sort of men are you, nay, nay!
Do not draw arms, you trespass on this strand
Sheathe now or face justice!

HAROLD
What is thy name?
Earl Harold Godwinsson now bids thee speak
What is thy name, good knight, and who thy lord?

KNIGHT
Jean-Luc, my lord, I am, of Picardie
My lord, Duke William, but this is the land
Of Guy of Ponthieu

CEDRIC
Lest I miss my mark
There come Ponthieu's men, riding down the strand

HAROLD
Then sheath thy swords, good sirs
Let us go forth, and meet with the count, Guy
Of him I have heard tell, a noble man.

JEAN-LUC
Indeed Earl Harold, swiftly make it so
And to Count Guy's high seat we'll swiftly go.

EXEUNT
 
Scene 1: Picardie, a beach

Enter HAROLD and his COURTIERS. A tempestuous noise heard.

HAROLD:
Good Cedric, tell me now- what land is this
That we, unfortunates, have been cast on?

CEDRIC:
Earl Harold, ere our bark did lose its way
I heard the captain say it was the coast
Of Picardie or Normandie much more
I cannot tell for he, poor soul, did slip
And by the foaming waves was swift dragged down

Enter A KNIGHT, armed

KNIGHT
Hollo, what sort of men are you, nay, nay!
Do not draw arms, you trespass on this strand
Sheathe now or face justice!

HAROLD
What is thy name?
Earl Harold Godwinsson now bids thee speak
What is thy name, good knight, and who thy lord?

KNIGHT
Jean-Luc, my lord, I am, of Picardie
My lord, Duke William, but this is the land
Of Guy of Ponthieu

CEDRIC
Lest I miss my mark
There come Ponthieu's men, riding down the strand

HAROLD
Then sheath thy swords, good sirs
Let us go forth, and meet with the count, Guy
Of him I have heard tell, a noble man.

JEAN-LUC
Indeed Earl Harold, swiftly make it so
And to Count Guy's high seat we'll swiftly go.

EXEUNT

Should that not be "boldly go"? :p
 
CEDRIC:
Earl Harold, ere our bark did lose its way
I heard the captain say it was the coast
Of Picardie or Normandie much more
I cannot tell for he, poor soul, did slip
And by the foaming waves was swift dragged down
I don't wish to seem too picky about the Bard's choice of names, but should it not be Cerdic as in the first King of Wessex?
 
I don't wish to seem too picky about the Bard's choice of names, but should it not be Cerdic as in the first King of Wessex?

Well this is clearly from the Bad Folio

oOC: You're right! I had no idea the name "Cedric" was a misspelling of "Cerdic" by Scott in Ivanhoe- I had been under the impression that both were authentic Anglo-Saxon names.
 
Well this is clearly from the Bad Folio

oOC: You're right! I had no idea the name "Cedric" was a misspelling of "Cerdic" by Scott in Ivanhoe- I had been under the impression that both were authentic Anglo-Saxon names.

I believe that was the reason the misnomer took hold. It does appear AS after all :cool:
 
Well this is clearly from the Bad Folio

oOC: You're right! I had no idea the name "Cedric" was a misspelling of "Cerdic" by Scott in Ivanhoe- I had been under the impression that both were authentic Anglo-Saxon names.
I am sure that names won't be the only thing that the Bard would take liberties with. A few Henry V style speeches are also on the cards.
 
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