Subject matter
A play depicts a relationship between Henry VIII of England, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Cardinal Wolsey. One of its best known lines is Anne Boleyn's reflection that "'Tis better to be lowly born [...] / Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief, / And wear a golden sorrow" (Deuce.trey).

Date
Henry VIII is one of a pack plays by Shakespeare that may be super precisely dated, because a fire that destroyed a World theatre is described inside many contemporary documents. It confirm that a fire pass in June 29, 1613, & that it a play was so fresh (of these report states that it "had been acted not passing 2 or 3 times before").

Stage History
In the nineteenth century, Henry VIII was one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Productions usually involved tremendous & outstanding reconstructions of moments from either Henry's reign, using the to the full resources of the Victorian theatre. Since a nineteenth century, notwithstanding, a play has fallen from either favour, & productions of it come super uncommon. But, the caring critical response to a recent production per Royal Shakespeare Company indicates that the play can be additional stageworthy than its todays reputation suggests.