# Arthur, Duke of Bretagne — King John character guide

> Arthur, Duke of Bretagne in King John by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Young Arthur, Arthur Hubert, Arthur O, Arthur Alas, Arthur God, Arthur Good morrow, Arthur Plantagenet, Arthur of Bretagne

**First appearance:** 0002-act-i-scene-i

## Snapshot

A child whose royal blood makes him a throne's rival, wept over by queens and bargained over by kings.

## Who they are

France champions Arthur's claim to England against his uncle John, and his mother Constance wages his cause with a ferocity that sometimes overwhelms the boy himself. Caught between Elinor's cool offers of plums and Constance's furious grief, he wishes aloud he were 'low laid in my grave' rather than the object of such strife. His youth and legal right are the moral fault line of the early play, and the question of what John will do with him hangs over every scene.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Present with the French forces as the claimant to the English throne, welcomed by Austria and Lewis.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i)

Present with his mother, Constance, and urged by her to be content despite the political turmoil.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-ii)

Present with King John and Hubert, placed under Hubert's custody.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Is comforted by King John but expresses grief that his mother will die of sorrow.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i)

Arthur pleads for his eyes with innocence and affection, successfully moving Hubert to mercy.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

Leaps from the wall in disguise and dies, his body discovered by the lords.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/characters/arthur
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_john_se/characters