The first of Shakespeare's four works about the Wars of the Roses, dramatizing the rivalry between noble families, divided by grievances inherited from the past. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Norman Sanders with an introduction by Jane Kingsley-Smith.

After the death of Henry V, the French revolt and threaten to reclaim their country from English rule. Guided by his Governor, the young King Henry VI travels to Paris to assert his authority over France. While the British fight Joan of Arc abroad, resentment grows at home between the ancient families of York and Lancaster.

This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and the Elizabethan theater, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay by Rebecca Brown discussing the performance choices both on stage and on screen, and a commentary.

Shakespeare's first tetralogy about the Wars of the Roses continues with Henry VI, Parts II and III, and Richard III, all available in Penguin Classics.