Dauphin query

[cesco]

I have a friend who is about to play the Dauphin in Shakespeare's HENRY V, and is looking for information. I can't think of any HF novels that tell things from the French POV, and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for him. Thanks!

DB

[MLE]

Costain's the Moneyman covers that French King, a little further on, but has a lot of nice accurate historical detail.
Can't recommend the novel, tho -- I usually like Costain, but this one purely stunk.

[Chatterbox]

Try Hella Haase's In a Dark Wood Wandering. It's very good; focuses on Charles d'Orleans up to Agincourt and beyong.

There's a very so-so romance-style novel, The King's Women, with the Dauphin as the central character, if I recall correctly. One of the women is Jeanne d'Arc, one is his mother in law? It's been years since I read or saw it, although I probably have a copy lurking somewhere. Author is Dinah Lampitt.

The new Vanora Bennett novel is about Catherine de Valois, who married Henry V, and Charles the Dauphin figures in it. (Bennett paints him as a disturbed boy who becomes a disturbing young man.) It's called Blood Royal, available in the UK but not yet in the US.

Bonne chance!

[annis]

Charles features in Thomas Keneally's book about Jehanne d'Arc, called "Blood Red, Sister Rose".

Note: Dinah Lampitt now writes under the name Deryn Lake, and has re-issued "The King's Women" under that name.

[Margaret]

Since his story is enmeshed with Joan of Arc's, he could also read some of the excellent nonfiction about Joan of Arc. Some of the ones I found especially interesting when I was researching an article about Joan were:

Kelly DeVries, Joan of Arc: A Military Leader (1999)
Donald Spoto, Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint (2007)
Siobhan Nash-Marshall, Joan of Arc: A Spiritual Biography (1999)

Charles evidently had extremely mixed feelings about Joan and behaved in a passive-aggressive manner to her. My guess is that she made him feel emasculated, as he was not a good military leader and the French were losing the war badly before she came along, when everything turned around quite suddenly and the French began winning battle after battle under her leadership. Joan was not particularly deferential to Charles even though she wanted passionately for him to be crowned king. She seems to have been quite impatient with his fears, uncertainty and waffling. After he was crowned, Charles let her down badly, giving her inadequate resources and troops, and once ordering her not to attack when she was on the verge of victory. And, of course, he made no effort to ransom her after she was captured by the English. It's likely he was an insecure, fearful and resentful man.

[annis]

Michael Maloney does an entertaining interpretation of the Dauphin in Branagh's version of "Henry V", arrogant, touchy (insecurity showing?) and resentful - rather like a hound given to snapping and snarling at the neighbour's children and being kept on a tight leash!

It must be difficult for actors to reprise roles which have been played by many different people, and especially where there is a benchmark performance, e.g. Branagh's Henry V. I guess that the best approach is the one your friend is taking, to find out as much about the character you're playing as possible and interpret it from your own understanding.

I'm looking forward to your serialised version of "Her Majesty's Will" (http://themasterofverona.typepad.com/the_master_of_verona/2009/04/her-majestys-will-a-novel-in-serial-format-starting-next-month.html), Cesco- any timeline for it?

[princess garnet]

Jean Plaidy's novel The Queen's Secret is told from Katherine de Valois's view and features her brothers who succeeded to the title of Dauphin.

[cesco]

Thank you, everyone! This is a fantastic list, and Aubrey (my friend) is delighted.

Annis, I asked my friend Steve, in who's power the serial novel lies. He told me it'll be up tonight - but as we're both in tech (he just ran onstage in the rain to the sound of the Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"), I'll believe it when I see it. This show is a bone-crunching, brutal marathon - especially for Mr. Keach.

Again, thanks everyone! This has been a great help.

DB