Henry V is a natural fit for rhetorical analysis because so much of the play consists of persuasion. Henry persuades the Archbishop, the soldiers, the governor of Harfleur, and finally Katherine, and each speech has a different audience and purpose. Students who learn the language of ethos, pathos, and logos can use it to write about these speeches, but essays often reduce the analysis to labeling. Grading should reward explanation of effect over identification of category.

The typical weak essay identifies an appeal and moves on. A student might write that the St. Crispin's Day speech uses pathos because it makes the soldiers feel proud. That is true but incomplete. A stronger essay explains how specific words create pride, why that emotion matters at this moment, and how it helps Henry achieve his goal. The distance between the two is the distance between naming and analyzing.

Encourage students to consider the rhetorical situation before they discuss any appeals. Who is the speaker, who is the audience, what is the occasion, and what does the speaker want? The answers shape everything about the speech. Henry's ultimatum at Harfleur is designed to frighten a specific governor into surrender, while his address to his soldiers aims to restore courage. Essays that begin with this context tend to be more focused and persuasive.

Push Beyond the Three Appeals

Ethos, pathos, and logos are useful starting points, but they do not capture everything about a speech. Students can also analyze structure, tone, audience adaptation, and the way a speech responds to what came before it. For example, Henry's reply to the Dauphin's insulting tennis balls uses irony and threat in a way that does not fit neatly into one category. Reward essays that use the framework flexibly and go beyond it when needed.

• Begins with the rhetorical situation: speaker, audience, occasion, and purpose
• Explains how specific words or structures create each appeal
• Connects the appeals to the speaker's goal and the audience's likely response
• Considers other features such as tone, structure, and irony
• Evaluates how effective the speech is and whether the play invites doubt about it

Assess Evaluation as Well as Description

A high-level rhetorical essay asks not only how a speech works but how well it works and whether the play wants us to be persuaded. Students might argue that the St. Crispin's Day speech is highly effective in the moment but that the surrounding scenes invite skepticism about Henry's motives. This kind of evaluative claim shows independent thinking and deserves recognition. Look for essays that make a judgment and support it with textual evidence.

Be sure your rubric distinguishes among description, analysis, and evaluation, and explain the differences to students in advance. Many students believe that describing what a speech does is sufficient. Showing them examples of each level, using a passage from the play, helps them understand what is expected and gives them a path to more advanced writing.

Use Comparison to Deepen Analysis

Comparing two speeches is one of the most effective ways to push students toward stronger rhetorical analysis. Comparing the Harfleur ultimatum with the address to the soldiers reveals how Henry changes tactics for different audiences. Comparing the St. Crispin's Day speech with the wooing scene shows how the same speaker adapts style for different goals. Comparison naturally requires explanation of difference, which drives students toward more precise observations.

You can structure the assignment to require comparison and provide a graphic organizer to help students collect evidence. A two-column chart with rows for audience, purpose, appeals, and key phrases gives them a foundation for drafting. Grading is easier when students have organized their observations, because the essays tend to be more coherent and the evidence easier to check.

Give Feedback That Builds Rhetorical Awareness

Feedback on rhetorical essays should model the questions a rhetorician would ask. Comments like "What does the audience need to feel to act as Henry wants?" and "Which words in this line do the most work?" direct attention to the mechanisms of persuasion. Over time, students begin asking these questions themselves, and their essays become more analytical.

Finally, connect the skills to other contexts. Students who can analyze Henry's speeches can also analyze modern political speeches, advertisements, and opinion pieces. Mentioning these connections shows students the broader value of what they are learning and encourages them to apply the same critical habits to the persuasion they encounter in daily life.