Henriad

Coined in the Shakespearean sense by Alvin Kernan in 1969 in his book The Henriad: Shakespeare’s Major History Plays.

Henriad (uncountable)

1. A term used by Shakespearean scholars to refer to a group of four of Shakespeare’s plays: Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V with the implication that these four plays are Shakespeare’s epic poem.
2. A term used by Shakespearean scholars to refer to two groups of four each of Shakespeare’s plays: The "first Henriad" (Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V), and the "second Henriad" (Henry VI, part 1, Henry VI, part 2, Henry VI, part 3, and Richard III).
3. The title translated into English of an epic poem, Le Henriade, by Voltaire.

• adherin, handier