The Use of Dialects and Foreign Languages in Shakespeare’s King Henry V—Characteristics of the Fool Explored

Abstract

The use of dialects and foreign languages in “King Henry V” is not necessarily the result of Shakespeare’s intention of bringing the nation together as is often assumed. Apart from the dramatic function as part of the comic effect which such use engenders, artistic considerations may also have been at play. At the time dialect theatre was very much the fashion in Renaissance Italy. Dialects and foreign languages were also a specific characteristic of the “Commedia dell’Arte” and Shakespeare may, among other things, have been inspired by Italian actors visiting London. Dialect theatre, which also implies power relationships, enabled Shakespeare, through the projection of some aspects of the Fool on the character of Captain Fluellen, to expose some relevant political, social and cultural matters.