Princess Potential

This week as I have read the play Henry V, I really struggled with the wording and just trying to generally understand it. Perhaps it is because it is a History, and history is one of my least favorite subjects. Either way, I had trouble remaining focused on the story. The one part in the play that truly got me was in V.ii., where King Henry is betrothed to Katherine, and the marriage is being finalized.

Yet leave our cousin Katherine here with us.

She is our capital demand, comprised

Within the forerank of our articles.

This quote was just particularly awful to me. I hate the fact that she is considered an object, and nothing more than something to be conquered and owned. It got me thinking about how when I was younger, all I really wanted to be was a princess. I thought the life of a princess would be so grand and magical, and yet in all reality, royalty led a hard life. I can't bear to imagine how it would have been to have to marry someone I didn't know or love, and all because it kept the peace between two nations. In that respect, I guess I'd just never have been cut out to be a princess!