The Shakespeare play that George Orwell called extraordinarily up to date

Art · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Despite its medieval setting, Shakespeare's King John remains a masterclass in realpolitik. From doublecrossings to non-aggression pacts, the play captures the brutal mechanics of power. Even George Orwell noted that its depiction of shifting loyalties and political intrigue felt remarkably modern for its time.

Written in the mid-1590s and first published in 1623, King John is one of only two Shakespearean plays written entirely in verse. It depicts the reign of King John (r. 1199–1216), a period defined by the struggle for the English throne and the Investiture Controversy. The narrative centers on the conflict between John and the French King Philip, who seeks to install Prince Arthur as the rightful heir under primogeniture. The play is notable for its complex web of familial ties and shifting alliances, including a marriage of convenience between Philip's son, Louis the Lion, and John's niece, Blanche of Castile.

The play explores the high-stakes manipulation of legitimacy and religious authority. King John faces excommunication from Pope Innocent III for blocking the appointment of Archbishop Stephen Langton and imposing Caesaropapism on the English Church. The plot is thick with 'realpolitik' maneuvers: the Bastard (Philip the Bastard) orchestrates a series of betrayals, including the secret murder of Prince Arthur and the extortion of English monasteries. These actions lead to the First Barons' War, where the English nobility eventually defects to the French side before being swayed back by a dying nobleman's warning of a planned political purge.

While the play was a staple of Victorian theater due to its spectacle, it has since become one of Shakespeare's least-known works. Its history is also entangled with a contemporary work, The Troublesome Reign of King John (c. 1589). While some scholars once argued Shakespeare influenced the latter, the majority view holds that the Troublesome Reign predates King John and served as a primary source for its plot points. Modern productions continue to reinvent the play, utilizing gender-swapping, multi-ethnic casts, and 'in-the-round' staging to highlight the enduring relevance of its political mechanics.

The play concludes with the death of King John, poisoned offstage by a monk. His son, Prince Henry, takes the throne and orders the King's burial in Worcester. The final lines are spoken by the Bastard, reflecting on the cycle of grief and the looming threat of future conflict, cementing the play's status as a study of the relentless, often cyclical nature of power.

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