Nearly every class that reads Henry V writes about leadership at some point, and the resulting essays can feel repetitive. Students praise Henry's charisma, his ability to motivate, and his willingness to share the risks of his soldiers. Grading becomes an exercise in noticing small differences among large stacks of similar arguments. Setting clear expectations for originality and evidence can help you identify the papers that truly stand out.

The first step is refining the prompt. Instead of asking whether Henry is a good leader, ask what kind of leadership the play presents and what it costs. This invites students to define leadership, consider different models such as inspiration, discipline, and image management, and evaluate which ones Henry uses. It also opens the door to discussion of the other rulers in the play, including the French king and the Dauphin, whose failures highlight Henry's strengths and limitations.

Look for essays that treat leadership as a set of choices made in specific situations. Henry disguises himself to listen to soldiers, executes Bardolph to maintain discipline, and delivers speeches that adapt to different audiences. A student who lists these examples without connecting them to a larger claim has produced an inventory. A student who argues that Henry's leadership depends on managing perceptions, and supports it across several scenes, has produced an argument.

Reward Attention to the Night Before Agincourt

The scene in which Henry moves among his soldiers in disguise is among the richest in the play for leadership analysis. He listens to Williams and Bates question whether the king can be held responsible for the deaths of men who fight for a cause they do not fully understand. Henry's response, and his soliloquy about ceremony afterward, reveal the burdens of rule. Essays that engage with this scene tend to show more depth than those relying on the public speeches alone.

• Defines leadership or kingship before evaluating Henry against that definition
• Draws on private moments as well as public speeches
• Compares Henry with other rulers such as the French king or with the conspirators
• Considers the costs and contradictions of Henry's approach
• Explains how the play's structure shapes what the audience sees of his leadership

Watch for Modern Business and Politics Analogies

Students sometimes compare Henry with modern executives or politicians, which can be an illuminating move or a distraction. Analogies help when they clarify a point about the play, such as comparing Henry's morale-building to a coach's pregame talk. They hurt when they replace textual evidence with general claims about leadership. In your feedback, encourage students to keep the analogy brief and return quickly to the text.

It can also help to ask students to consider what would be lost by reading Henry only as a modern leadership model. The play is embedded in a world of divine right, feudal loyalty, and dynastic claims that shape what leadership means. Essays that acknowledge these differences show historical awareness and often produce more nuanced interpretations than those that treat Henry as a timeless case study.

Grade Complexity Over Consensus

Because most students begin with a positive view of Henry, essays that complicate that view often stand out. That does not mean critical essays should earn higher grades, but they often have to work harder to justify their claims. Give credit to any essay that demonstrates awareness of tension, whether the student ultimately admires or criticizes the king. A defense of Henry that acknowledges Bardolph's death and the threat to Harfleur is stronger than one that ignores them.

Your feedback can push students toward complexity by asking questions such as "What would someone who dislikes Henry say about this scene?" This encourages them to anticipate objections and refine their claims. Even a modest revision that includes a counterargument can raise the sophistication of an essay considerably.

Keep Grading Fair Across Similar Essays

When many essays make similar points, it is tempting to grade by comparison, and small differences in style can decide the outcome. Return to the rubric and check each essay against the written descriptors instead of against its neighbors. Keep a list of the specific qualities that distinguish each score level and refer to it when you feel uncertain.

If a department shares the assignment, consider having two teachers score a sample of essays independently. Comparing results reveals inconsistencies and helps everyone adjust. Fairness in grading is not only a matter of ethics but also a practical foundation for meaningful feedback, because students take comments more seriously when they believe the grade was earned by clear standards.