The Oxford edition of Henry V features an excellent introduction by its editor, Gary Taylor. Among its many interesting points is a discussion of the significance of the play's minor characters, and particularly the Eastcheap crew left behind by Falstaff (who dies offstage during the play): Mistress Quickly, Bardolph, Pistol, the Boy (a.k.a Falstaff's page) and Corporal Nym. One of Taylor's really interesting contentions is that each of them have specific verbal and behavioural characteristics that have inspired many twentieth century playwrights, more specifically Pistol's mixture of high language and low deeds influencing Steven Berkoff's play, East (1975) and the fact that "Nym's whole style anticipates to a remarkable degree the repetitiveness, understatement, incoherence, and menace now regarded as the unique preserve of the plays of Harold Pinter." Since I'm one of those who has always advised young people interested in writing to try to learn everything they can from Shakespeare, reading of this was an affirming moment.