Author: Barbara Constance, Shomari Hector

Abstract: This article seeks to highlight and elucidate various facets of leadership as manifested by the character of Prince Hal in Henry IV and V, including his ability to speak eloquently and convincingly, and to go to war against his father’s enemy. It seeks to analyze his progress as a king, and how he uses that power to meet the needs of his nation and reveals the complex relationship between power, language, and social authority. The analytical discussion will be conducted within the framework of critical discourse analysis (CDA) to explain how Shakespeare represents this king. Thus, Hal’s evolving persona, political choices, and rhetorical abilities will be focused on using CDA approaches from Fairclough and Van Dijk.

Keywords: discourse, narrative discourse, critical discourse analysis, leadership

Article Info: Received: 12 Mar 2026; Received in revised form: 07 Apr 2026; Accepted: 10 Apr 2026; Available online: 15 Apr 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.69