Discuss shortly the theme and background of Shakespeare's history plays.

VERY briefly, Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part
2, Henry V, Henry VI Part 1, Henry VI Part 2, Henry VI Part3 and Richard III were plays
that focused on what is called The War of the Roses. This was a series of English civil
wars featuring two branches of the House of Plantagenet, a British Royal dynasty from
which many kings came. The red rose was a symbol of the House of Lancaster and the white
rose was a symbol for the House of York, hence the name, War of the Roses. The other
history plays, King John, focused on the historical events associated with John,
primarily his signing of the Magna Charta. Edward III focuses on King Edward, the Black
Prince, and his intrigues with the wife of the Earl of Salisbury. There has been some
debate about the true authorship of this particular play, but most scholars attribute it
to Shakespeare because its style is similar. Finally, Henry VIII focuses on the early
reign of Henry VIII, his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his divorce, his leaving
the church, his marriage to Anne Boleyn. It ends with the birth of Queen Elizabeth. This
play is the most contemporary to Shakespeare’s own lifetime.