The linguistic ascension to Majesty of Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V.
This paper traces the ascension in the level of diction and general use of language by Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V as they become kings. It considers the differences between the language of royalty and that of the common man as illustrated by William Shakespeare in his plays about these kings.
For a king to command the respect of his subjects he must comport himself in a manner above that of the ordinary man. One of the ways in which royalty does this is by conforming to a distinct set of social graces, foremost among which is a superior level of language. The language of the monarch is more polished and poetic, with higher diction and a better command of both syntax and figurative language, than that of common people.