Henry V threatens the people of Harfleur with graphically violent abuse if they do not surrender. He destroys images of beauty and innocence to demonstrate his power in war and force the governor's defeat. However, his actions raise questions about whether a Christian king should behave this way. The poem also discusses how the suffering of war was so immense that some soldiers resorted to killing themselves to find peace, as death was easier than enduring endless suffering alone without support from society.