Henry VIII (play)

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Henry VIII is a play by William Shakespeare. It tells the story of King Henry VIII of England, focusing on his divorce from Katherine of Aragon, his marriage to Anne Boleyn, and the subsequent birth of the future Queen Elizabeth.

Tropes used in Henry VIII (play) include:
  • Character Title
  • Corrupt Church: The Catholic Church, especially as personified by Cardinal Wolsey.
  • Kangaroo Court: Katherine's divorce proceedings.
  • Politically-Correct History: Elizabeth's birth is the happy ending of this play, with everyone talking about how wonderful it will be when she's queen. Never mind that, at the time of her birth, there was no reason to believe that Elizabeth would ever become queen...
  • Written by the Winners: Shakespeare often included propaganda on his "historical plays" to please the royal family.