lves the issue in one way different than did Olivier.
In Henry V, Shakespeare depicts a king he views as efficient and practical, though this is not his highest ideal of what a ruler should be. In effect, he sees Henry V as a serviceable leader who could not be said to have been a great ruler. The play is structured specifically to illuminate aspects of Henry V's character, and each scene in the play leads the viewer to take another look at that character. The ruler is in a very real sense the embodiment of the people and the state, and the nature of the ruler becomes a reflection of the nature of the state. The fact that Henry is a wise and just ruler is not only a good thing from the point of view of the people, but it also reflects well on their state and on the continuation of peace and prosperity.
King Henry's own words support the view Shakespeare has of him as an inspiring leader, a man able to get the job done by marshaling his forces and attracting loyal follo
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