Porter, remember what I gave in charge;
And when you have done so, bring the keys to me.
Remember the instructions I gave you. Once you've secured the gates, bring me the keys.
Remember what I told you. Lock everything down, then give me the keys.
remember charge secure keys
Madam, I will.
Yes, madam, I will do as you say.
Yes, madam. I'll take care of it.
yes madam
The plot is laid. If all things fall out right,
I shall as famous be by this exploit
As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus’ death.
Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight,
And his achievements of no less account.
Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears,
To give their censure of these rare reports.
The trap is set. If everything goes right, I will be as famous for this deed as Tomyris was for killing Cyrus. This knight's reputation is enormous, and his achievements are equally impressive. I wish my eyes could see him as well as my ears have heard about him, so I could judge these stories for myself.
Alright, the trap is ready. If this works, I'll be famous forever—like Tomyris killing Cyrus. This Talbot guy's got an insane reputation, and the stories match it. I want to see him with my own eyes, not just hear about him.
plot laid famous like Tomyris Cyrus death rumor dreadful knight achievements witness ears and eyes
Madam, according as your ladyship desired,
By message craved, so is Lord Talbot come.
Madam, as you requested, Lord Talbot has come.
Madam, he's here. Talbot just arrived.
Talbot come arrived
And he is welcome. What, is this the man?
He is welcome. Is this the man?
Good. So this is him?
welcome this the man
Madam, it is.
Yes, madam, this is he.
Yes, madam. That's him.
yes it is
Is this the scourge of France?
Is this the Talbot, so much fear’d abroad
That with his name the mothers still their babes?
I see report is fabulous and false.
I thought I should have seen some Hercules,
A second Hector, for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs.
Alas, this is a child, a silly dwarf!
It cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp
Should strike such terror to his enemies.
Is this France's terror? Is this the Talbot that mothers use to frighten their children? I see the rumors are false and exaggerated. I thought I would see a Hercules, another Hector with a fierce face and powerful muscles. But this is just a child, a pathetic dwarf! How could such a weak, wrinkled old man possibly strike fear into anyone?
This is the great terror of France? The one mothers scare kids with? The stories are all lies. I expected to see some giant Hercules, with this scary face and huge muscles. But he's just a shrimpy old man! There's no way this weakling could scare anybody.
scourge of France Fear mothers childrens babes report fabulous false Hercules Hector weird and wrinkled shrimp no terror
When Talbot says 'I am but shadow of myself,' he's invoking a Renaissance philosophical distinction that Shakespeare's audience would have recognized immediately. The shadow/substance dichotomy runs through Neo-Platonic thought: physical appearances are shadows or imperfect copies of ideal realities. Plato's cave allegory is the most famous version — what we see are shadows on a wall, not the true forms behind them. Shakespeare uses this framework throughout his works: in Richard II, the deposed king 'shadows' his former self; in the Sonnets, beauty is a 'shadow' of the soul. Here, Talbot inverts the usual direction. Instead of saying his body is the reality and the portrait is the shadow, he says both his body AND the portrait are shadows — and his army is the substance. The army is the true 'form' of which he is merely the visible image. This is philosophically eccentric but dramatically compelling: it redefines what a military leader actually is.
Madam, I have been bold to trouble you;
But since your ladyship is not at leisure,
I’ll sort some other time to visit you.
Madam, I've taken the liberty to visit you, but since you're clearly not interested in seeing me, I'll find another time when you're more willing.
Look, I came here because you asked. But if you're not happy, I'll just go. No hard feelings.
bold trouble not at leisure visit another time
What means he now? Go ask him whither he goes.
What's he doing? Find out where he's going!
Where's he going? Stop him!
leaving whither stop
Stay, my Lord Talbot, for my lady craves
To know the cause of your abrupt departure.
Wait, Lord Talbot! My lady wants to know why you're leaving so suddenly.
Wait! The lady wants to know why you're taking off.
stay why abrupt departure
Marry, for that she’s in a wrong belief,
I go to certify her Talbot’s here.
It's because she clearly doesn't believe I'm really Talbot. I'm going to prove to her that Talbot is indeed here.
She doesn't believe I'm really Talbot. I'm going to show her she's wrong.
wrong belief certify Talbot here
If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
If you are truly Talbot, then you are my prisoner.
If you really are Talbot, you're under arrest. My prisoner.
prisoner if you be he
Prisoner! To whom?
Prisoner? To whom?
Prisoner? Says who?
prisoner whom
To me, blood-thirsty lord;
And for that cause I train’d thee to my house.
Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs.
But now the substance shall endure the like,
And I will chain these legs and arms of thine,
That hast by tyranny these many years
Wasted our country, slain our citizens,
And sent our sons and husbands captivate.
To me, you bloodthirsty lord. I lured you here to my castle for this purpose. Your portrait has hung in my gallery for years, holding your image captive. Now I will chain your actual body as I have chained your image. You have spent years destroying our country, killing our citizens, and sending our sons and husbands into captivity. Now it is your turn.
Me. I trapped you. Brought you here on purpose. Your picture's been hanging in my gallery all this time like a prisoner. Now I'm going to chain you for real. You've spent years killing us, destroying our cities, sending our people away. Now you're the prisoner.
blood-thirsty train'd shadow picture gallery chain legs arms tyrrany wasted country slain captivate
Ha, ha, ha!
Ha, ha, ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
laugh
Laughest thou, wretch? Thy mirth shall turn to moan.
Why do you laugh, you wretch? Your laughter will turn to tears.
Stop laughing! You'll cry soon enough.
laughest wretch mirth moan
The Countess of Auvergne appears nowhere in the historical sources Shakespeare drew on — Hall's Chronicle and Holinshed's Chronicles, which are his primary sources for the Henry VI plays. She is entirely invented. Why? The episode does three things the battle scenes can't. First, it gives Talbot a chance to be witty and self-aware — qualities we wouldn't see if he were only in combat. Second, it provides a philosophical argument about the nature of military power that the play needs to make explicit. Third, it creates a female adversary who mirrors Joan without being Joan: both are French women who try to outsmart England's greatest general, but the Countess concedes graciously while Joan never does. The scene also tells us something about Shakespeare's method: he invented an entire character and episode to explore a question that his historical sources couldn't ask.
I laugh to see your ladyship so fond
To think that you have aught but Talbot’s shadow
Whereon to practice your severity.
I laugh because you are so foolish to think you have anything but a shadow—just Talbot's image—on which to practice your cruelty.
I'm laughing because you've only got my picture. You trapped a painting, not me.
laugh fond Talbot's shadow not substance practice severity
Why, art not thou the man?
What? Aren't you Talbot?
Wait, aren't you Talbot?
art not man
I am indeed.
I am indeed.
I am.
I am
Then have I substance too.
Then I have the real thing.
Then I've got you.
substance
No, no, I am but shadow of myself.
You are deceived, my substance is not here;
For what you see is but the smallest part
And least proportion of humanity.
I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of such a spacious lofty pitch
Your roof were not sufficient to contain ’t.
No, no—I am only the shadow of myself. You are deceived. My real substance is not here. What you see is the smallest fraction of what I truly am. If my whole self were present, I would be so large that your roof could not contain me.
No, I'm just a shadow. What you're looking at is only the tiniest part of me. If my whole self showed up, I'd be too big for your castle.
shadow substance not here smallest part humanity whole frame spacious lofty pitch roof not sufficient
This is a riddling merchant for the nonce;
He will be here, and yet he is not here.
How can these contrarieties agree?
This is a tricky merchant! He is here and yet he is not here. How can these contradictions make sense?
What's this riddle? You're here but you're not? How does that work?
riddling merchant here and not here contrarieties agree
That will I show you presently.
Winds his horn. Drums strike up; a peal of ordnance. Enter Soldiers.
How say you, madam? Are you now persuaded
That Talbot is but shadow of himself?
These are his substance, sinews, arms and strength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks,
Razeth your cities and subverts your towns,
And in a moment makes them desolate.
I will show you now. (He sounds a horn. Drums beat and cannons fire. Soldiers enter.) Now tell me, madam—are you convinced that Talbot is only a shadow? These are my true substance—my soldiers, my strength, my power. With them I bend your necks, destroy your cities, and in a single moment make them desolate.
I'll show you right now. (Horn sounds, drums and cannons fire, soldiers march in.) See? Talbot isn't just a shadow. This is the real Talbot—my army, my strength. With them I destroy cities and make you surrender.
wind horn drums ordnance soldiers substance sinews arms strength yoke rebellious necks razeth cities makes desolate
Victorious Talbot, pardon my abuse.
I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited,
And more than may be gather’d by thy shape.
Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath,
For I am sorry that with reverence
I did not entertain thee as thou art.
Victorious Talbot, forgive my insult. I see now that you are even greater than your reputation suggests. You are far more powerful than your appearance would suggest. Please forgive my presumption—I did not show you the respect you deserve.
Okay, I was wrong. Your reputation doesn't even cover it. You're way more powerful than you look. I'm sorry for disrespecting you. You deserve better than that.
victorious pardon abuse fame more than shape presumption wrath reverence entertain
Be not dismay’d, fair lady, nor misconster
The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake
The outward composition of his body.
What you have done hath not offended me;
Nor other satisfaction do I crave
But only, with your patience, that we may
Taste of your wine and see what cates you have,
For soldiers’ stomachs always serve them well.
Don't be upset, lady, and don't misjudge Talbot's character as you misjudged his appearance. You've done nothing to offend me. All I ask is that you let us rest and eat. Soldiers always appreciate good food and wine.
Don't worry about it. You judged me by how I look, which is fair—most people do. It doesn't bother me. All we want is some food and wine. Soldiers get hungry.
don't be dismayed don't misconster mind outward composition offended satisfaction wine cates soldiers stomachs
With all my heart, and think me honoured
To feast so great a warrior in my house.
Gladly, and I am honored to have such a great warrior feast in my house.
Of course! I'm honored to have you here.
all my heart honored feast great warrior house
The Reckoning
This is a beautifully constructed comic scene with a genuine philosophical argument at its center. The Countess's trap fails not because she lacked intelligence, but because she misunderstood what Talbot is: she thought she was capturing a man, but Talbot's true 'substance' is his army. He's not merely the body she has in front of her; he's the collective force that follows him. The argument — that a military commander is his soldiers, not just himself — would resonate especially with soldiers in Shakespeare's audience. The scene also gives us a rare glimpse of Talbot with a sense of humor: that 'Ha, ha, ha!' when the trap springs is completely unexpected.
If this happened today…
A general goes alone (apparently) to a meeting with a hostile foreign official who plans to take him hostage. The moment he's inside, the doors lock. The official pulls out his dossier — photo, intelligence file, the whole thing. 'I've been studying you.' The general just laughs. He pulls out his radio. Outside, his entire unit rolls in. He's not just the person in the room — he's the commander of an army, and the army came with him.