How we cite our quotes: (Act.Paragraph)
Quote #1
COMMON MAN: (Rises) It is perverse! To start a play made up of Kings and Cardinals in speaking costumes and intellectuals with embroidered mouths, with me. (1.2)
Quite a way to kick things off, huh? Common Man's amusing adjective switcheroo aside (put "speaking" and "embroidered" in each other's places to understand this one), this opening line tells us exactly what to expect from the play. As you'll see, all those politicians and bigwigs aren't exactly good dudes, or anything like that. Have they ever been?
Quote #2
MORE: But, Richard, in office they offer you all sort of things. I was once offered a whole village, with a mill, and a manor house, and heaven knows what else. (1.66)
In 16th-century England, bribery is so common among politicians that it's pretty much an official business practice. That's a big stinkin' problem, Shmoopers. If we were to explain it by means of a math equation, we'd say that politicians + corruption = bad times for everyone who's not a politician.
Quote #3
WOLSEY: Let him die without an heir and we'll have them back again. Let him die without an heir and this "peace" you think so much of will go out like that! (1.228)
Henry's desire to divorce his wife is more than a personal issue. It's more than a moral issue. It's more than a religious issue, even—it's a political one. Henry's the stinkin' King, after all, which means that his family drama has the potential to throw an entire country (maybe even a whole continent) into chaos.