King Henry IV, Part I
Main Characters
King Henry IV — the ruling king of England; he feels guilty about the murder of Richard II and is also irritated by the irresponsible antics of his eldest son, Prince Hal
Prince Hal, the Prince of Wales — he will become King Henry V; he is sometimes called “Harry” or “Harry Monmouth” he is the heir to the throne of England but spends all his time hanging around the bad side of London, wasting his time with highwaymen, robbers, and barflies
Hotspur — the son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland; his real name is Henry Percy
Sir John Falstaff — a fat old knight, a rogue, and Prince Hal's closest friend
Earl of Westmoreland — allied with King Henry
Prince John of Lancaster — son of King Henry
Sir Walter Blunt — serves as a messenger of King Henry
Thomas Percy — the Earl of Worcester; the mastermind behind the Percy rebellion
Henry Percy — the Earl of Northumberland; Hotspur's father
Edmund Mortimer — the Earl of March
Owen Glendower — the leader of the Welsh rebels
Archibald — the Earl of Douglas; usually called “the Douglas” (a traditional way of referring to a Scottish clan chief); the leader of the large army of Scots allied with the Percys
Sir Richard Vernon — allied with the Percys
Richard Scroop — the archbishop of York
Ned Poins, Peto, Bardolph, and Gadshill — criminals and highwaymen who drink with Falstaff and Prince Hal in the Boar's Head Tavern
Mistress Quickly — hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern, a seedy dive in Eastcheap, London
Introduction
King Henry IV, Part I, written between 1596 and 1597, is one of Shakespeare's four-part series of the Kings of England. It deals with the rise of the house of Lancaster. The play takes place during the war years of 1400–3
Like writers of historical movies and plays of today, Shakespeare significantly altered or invented history to better the dramatic story line. He also altered or melded historical characters like Hotspur, who was not the same age as Prince Hal. Mortimer is a fictional character metamorphosed from two different historical people.
The Play
King Henry IV is tormented by guilt over the murder of Richard II, but he is also disillusioned with the escapades of his older son Prince Hal, the heir to the throne. Hal has little use for his princely trappings and spends most of his time in taverns in the squalid part of London, hobnobbing with prostitutes and vagrants. His closest friend is a fat old knight named Falstaff
Falstaff is one of the most famous of Shakespeare's creations. Falstaff can also be considered the best comic figure in all of Shakespeare, one with a vile tongue, as we can see from his capacity for swearing: “‘Sblood, you starveling. You eel-skin, you dried neat's tongue, you bull's pizzel, you stock-fish!” It must have given Shakespeare great joy to write lines for Falstaff.
King Henry IV has far more political problems than worrying about the conduct of his son, Hal. There is discontent fermenting with the Percys, families of noblemen, who feel they have not been properly rewarded for helping the king come to power. This anger becomes so strong that they plot a rebellion. Harry Percy, known as Hotspur, leads the Percy forces. Although the same age as Prince Hal, Hotspur is the complete opposite of the young prince, shunning the tavern life in which Hal has enmeshed himself. Hotspur as also respected for his bravery in battle, where Hal has yet to engage in battle.
The Percys gather a formidable army from Scotland and Wales, including English nobles and clergymen who have grievances against King Henry. The king, realizing his kingdom is in danger, prepares for war, enlisting one unlikely choice: his son. With the threat upon him, Prince Hal reforms and rides to the battlefield in front of an army to defeat Hotspur.
At the Battle of Shrewsbury, Prince Hal saves his father's life, winning his father's approval. Hal also defeats Hotspur in single combat and most of the leaders of the Percy family are put to death. Falstaff, a glutton and a coward, manages to survive the battle by steering clear of the clashing of swords. Powerful rebel forces remain in Britain, however, so by play's end the ultimate outcome of the war has not yet been resolved.
Commentary
King Henry IV, Part I is more than a battlefield epic; it parallels two worlds — the courtly world of King Henry IV and that of the low-class reprobates who spend their days guzzling beer in taverns. Bridging the worlds is Prince Hal, who has now eschewed his life of frivolity and develops an unorthodox plan to prepare for the throne by becoming close to the people he will eventually rule.
King Henry IV, Part I refers to its “prequel,” King Richard II. Its source was once again Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
The play mixes history (the king) and comedy (Falstaff), moving from the realm of political intrigue to the debased world of rogues who spend their days in taverns or thievery. Thematically, the play is concerned with the nature of kingship, honor, and loyalty. King Henry is politically shrewd, unlike his predecessor, Richard II. But because he came to the throne as a usurper responsible for the death of God's anointed king, Richard, Henry's ability to rule is diminished, and the country is inevitably plunged into chaos.
Shakespeare explores this concept of honor through the characters of Hotspur, Falstaff, and Prince Hal. It is upon the shoulders of Prince Hal to balance the two extremes — Hotspur's obsession with honor and Falstaff's lack of it — so that he may become an honorable king.
Famous Lines
“He will give the devil his due” (Act I, Scene II).
“I know a trick worth two of that” (Act II, Scene I).
“Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety” (Act II, Scene III).
“O, monstrous! but one half-pennyworth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack!” (Act II, Scene IV).
“Exceedingly well read” (Act III, Scene I).
“Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere” (Act V, Scene IV).
“The better part of valour is discretion” (Act V, Scene IV).
