Essay On Wolsey's Speech In Henry Viii

In this soliloquy from Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey reflects on his sudden court dismissal. Although he initially does not seem to care about his new lack of job, the speech evolves from one of defiance to one of despair as Wolsey realized the severity of the situation. Wolsey exhibits such an intense emotional reaction to his dismissal due to the internal conflicts he feels at this time.
Wolsey is torn between being righteously angry and simply grieving his loss of position. The many shifts in tone in Wolsey’s speech demonstrate his conflicting feelings about his court dismissal. Wolsey first claims to not care about his dismissal, saying that the court bears him “little good,” and appears to be proudly defiant rather than upset. The consequences of losing his position quickly lead him to despair as he claims to hate the “pomp and glory” of the court. This shift in tone is significant because it demonstrates how Wolsey struggles to find a compromise between anger and sadness. Though he once swam in the “sea of glory” like a carefree child would, Wolsey suddenly finds himself banished to a “rude
By claiming “This is the state of man,” Wolsey establishes a sense of absolutism and certainty that continues throughout his soliloquy. Although Wolsey is obviously upset about his sudden dismissal, his conviction in his ideas suggests that he is able to constructively reflect on his experience to reach a semblance of composure. The contrast between the “tender leaves of hopes” and the “killing frost” is important because it conveys the duality of nature. Nature is a sustaining force that also has the power to destroy, and in comparing humans to plants, Wolsey implies that there is a force impacting human fate just as nature impacts that of plants. Wolsey’s strong belief in this metaphor demonstrates that he has resigned himself to his destiny and accepts his court dismissal as