Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Henry VI… with back-up from Joan of Arc

This play is about Henry VI and his role as king of England. And while he doesn't actually do a whole lot of kingly stuff, his position still heavily influences the plot. He's the reason Gloucester is in the position he's in, and as Henry gets older and is crowned, his subpar leadership skills begin to plant the seeds for chaos.

This said, Henry doesn't do that much, and in a way, Joan of Arc fills the traditional protagonist's role. She gets a lot of the screen time and great scenes, and though she dies in the end, the audience is deeply interested in her. She is compelling and we care about her, so whether we think she's good or evil, it still matters to us when she dies.

In short: Henry may be at the heart of the story, but he offers it a pretty weak pulse. Luckily for us, Joan arrives on the scene to get our blood pumping for a while.