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Henry VIII

By: William Shakespeare
Narrated by: Paul Jesson, Jane Lapotaire, Timothy West
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Summary

King Henry is married to Katherine of Aragon, but he has been smitten by the charms of the queen's maid of honor, Anne Bullen, and is tempted to divorce his dignified and noble wife.

Meanwhile, the lords of England resent the influence of Henry's trusted advisor, Cardinal Wolsey, who is gradually drawing power into his own hands. As Katherine and Wolsey suffer their tragic falls, new figures rise to fill their places, but they, too, will be brought low by the inexorable sweep of time and fortune.

This colorful history play, possibly written in collaboration with John Fletcher, comes from the very end of Shakespeare's dramatic career.

Paul Jesson plays Henry VIII, and Jane Lapotaire plays Queen Katherine. Timothy West is Cardinal Wolsey.

Public Domain (P)2014 Blackstone Audio
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Featured article: 50+ timeless Shakespeare quotes


Immerse yourself in these Shakespeare quotes to dive into the comedies and tragedies penned by the Bard of Avon. From knock-knock jokes to the wild goose chase, we owe many of our most-used and best-loved phrases to the talent of the Bard. His words are timeless in their direct wisdom, their witty humour, and their surprising applicability to modern life. We’ve collected some of our favourite William Shakespeare quotes for when you want to think about life’s big questions, wax poetic on the nature of love, or just need a good laugh.

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Shakespeare the diplomatic historian

Covering the fall of Wolsey and the divorce from Katherine of Aragon to the christening of Elizabeth, this shows Shakespeare carefully portraying the Tudors as thoughtful caring monarchs.

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