"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more..."See in text(Act III - Act III, Scene 1)
This rousing speech exemplifies King Henry V's oratory style, as he makes full use of his popularity and his soldier's notions of masculinity. As Henry's army batters the walls fortifying the port town of Harfleur, he urges his soldiers to strike again and again at the break in the wall ("the breach"). The inspired soldiers rally behind their leader and renew their attack.
"Familiar in his mouth as household words..."See in text(Act IV - Act IV, Scene 3)
The English are vastly outnumbered against the French, and King Henry V attempts to rouse his troops to keep them from losing faith. In this speech, he appeals to the pride and glory found in tales about war, rather than the war itself. Victory brings immortality, because the soldiers and heroes will live on as "household words," familiar to all English men and women. As we do today, King Henry V uses "household" to connote extreme familiarity.
