Transition in volume and tempo

SCENE VII. Another part of the field.

GOWER

Here comes his majesty.

Alarum. Enter KING HENRY impact, haste in walk, slight pace, and forces; WARWICK, GLOUCESTER, EXETER, and others

KING HENRY V

I was not angry since I came to France I, emphasis on angry and France, volume is loud and powerful 

Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald; ‘Take a trumpet Herald’-direct, emphasis on instant  and take 

Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill: I, direct, tempo is fast 

If they will fight with us, bid them come down, I

Or void the field; they do offend our sight: I

If they'll do neither, we will come to them, I 

And make them skirr away, as swift as stones  I, emphasis on the three s

Enforced from the old Assyrian slings: I

Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have, I, pause after the besides for thought

And not a man of them that we shall take I, slightly savage, anger had taken over

Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so. I hang on mercy, direct and dismissive ‘tell them so’ 

Enter ONTJOY

EXETER

Here comes the herald of the French, my liege.

GLOUCESTER

His eyes are humbler than they used to be.

KING HENRY V

How now! what means this, herald? know'st thou not questions, lighter side of anger 

That I have fined these bones of mine for ransom? after ‘fined’ volume starts to rise emphasising anger 

Comest thou again for ransom? Volume loud, questions 

Tension between Henry and Montjoy 

MONTJOY

No, great king:

I come to thee for charitable licence,

That we may wander o'er this bloody field           Henry calms down, he listens to Monjoy and can take into 

To look our dead, and then to bury them;             account what he is saying. He sees the images Montjoy is painting

To sort our nobles from our common men.          and strips this angry, proud and snappy demeanour into more of  

For many of our princes--woe the while!—         a approachable slightly vulnerable one.

Lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood;

So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs

In blood of princes; and their wounded steeds

Fret fetlock deep in gore and with wild rage

Yerk out their armed heels at their dead masters,

Killing them twice. O, give us leave, great king,

To view the field in safety and dispose

Of their dead bodies!

KING HENRY V

I tell thee truly, herald, softer in voice, lower in volume, direct 

I know not if the day be ours or no; I,sincere, looking for answer 

For yet a many of your horsemen peer I, 

And gallop o'er the field. waits for answer 

MONTJOY

The day is yours.

PAUSE to take in victory 

KING HENRY V

Praised be God, and not our strength, for it! I, volume loud, happiness, Henry is victorious, he is in his element 

PAUSE, see the castle 

What is this castle call'd that stands hard by? I, questions, tempo is slow, volume is natural 

MONTJOY

They call it Agincourt.

KING HENRY V

Then call we this the field of Agincourt, I.proud, standing his ground, announcing to all, tempo slow, volume rising 

Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.- extremely emphasised, volume risen and loud, strong, bask in the Crispin Crispianus moment 

In this scene Henry goes up and down with his emotions, feeling angry towards the start and relief and fulfilment towards the end. Henry starts off of a fast spinning wheel of revenge and frustration, a fast paced motion that is hard to stop, when Herald/ Montjoy comes in he puts a slight spanner in this wheel slowing him down and calming him, with his reflection and thoughts on the current war. After listening to Montjoy, it is revealed that Henry just wants to know what is going on as he doesn't even know if he has won the war or not. When he finds out he has won all the tension in his body and all the anger in his voice and face leaves as he is overcome with pride. Volume and tempo are important in this scene as the fast paced tempo and high volume transition into the softer volume and slower tempo the audience can see just the impact of the war and revelation.