Shakespeare's Henry V: Modern Reflections on a Medieval Hero
Channel: Ismail Serageldin
Date: 2014-05-29

Dr. Ismail Serageldin has always liked Shakespeare, finding in him a multi-layered complexity that speaks to us beyond the beauty of words and the power of  the poetry. 
Being a great admirer of the genius of Shakespeare,  he decided, as a trend, that the Bibliotheca Alexandrina would  hold an Annual Shakespeare to discuss and analyze one or more of his plays and the different facets of  this characters.

The greatness of Shakespeare is attested to  by his ability to speak to us through space and time.  He is the most universal writer in history.

Henry V is considered, by many, the most nationalistic of Shakespeare's plays, where  the young King is shown in the most splendid form, and war itself is glorified; but Shakespeare, sees a much bigger and richer reality. He acknowledges the seductive power of the charismatic monarch and the power of military conqueror, but  he also recognizes the scheming and the greed that supports war and the horrors of the murder of captives and unarmed civilians whose humanity he underscores.

Dr Serageldin was requested by many to record these lectures and make them  available. Accordingly, he has re-read Henry V at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Studio, in Alexandria, Egypt, on 28 July 2013.