Henry VI Part 2 Steaminess Rating

Exactly how steamy is this story?

PG

There's not much steam coming from the pages of Henry VI, Part 2. As far as Shakespeare goes, the play is pretty tame—sure, there are the standard euphemisms that Shakespeare is known for, like when the Butcher asks Cade, "My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside and take / up commodities upon our bills?" (4.7.126-127). This line refers to paying for sex with stolen goods, with a pun on "bills" referring to both money and genitals.

But as you can see from this example, even the dirty jokes are pretty disguised. If you're looking for some crude jokes and innuendo, then they're definitely there, but it never goes beyond a couple of snickers and puns. Even Margaret and Suffolk's romance is contained while on stage; no one's got enough time to roll around in the sheets with all the political maneuvering going on.