Essay on Honor in Henry IV

The Character of Falstaff in Henry IV None of Shakespeare's plays are read more than the first and second parts of Henry IV. Particularly in Henry IV Part I, Shakespeare writes chronologically historical and interesting to follow events. The reader follows the chain of events with devotion and content eager to find out what happens next. Even though the hero of the play is Prince Henry, or Hal as we know him, the reader may find themselves more focused on Falstaff, one…

"Honor" In Henry IV, Part I – Falstaff vs. Hotspur According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." Indeed, very few people have this quality, the playwright William Shakespeare being one of them. In many of his plays, "Henry IV, Part One" among them, Shakespeare juxtaposes different worldviews, ideologies, and even environments. His characters usually provide a…

Rewriting History in Henry IV The master of historiography is, perhaps, Shakespeare as evidenced by his History Plays. Whereas most writers merely borrow from history to fuel their creative fires, Shakespeare goes so far as to rewrite history. The First Part of Henry the Fourth follows history fairly closely, and Shakespeare draws this history primarily from Raphael Holinshed's Chronicle of England, Scotland, and Ireland and from Samuel Daniel's verse epic The Civil Wars (Abrams 823)…

Shakespeare’s talent as both a writer and a poet lead to his gift for character development, down to the last detail. Henry IV, Part One contains a variety of deep characters, two of which play key roles in the evolution of the concept of honor in the play. Falstaff and Hotspur symbolize opposing viewpoints concerning the main theme of the play – honor. At the time the play was written, honor was defined as “the special virtues which distinguish those of the nobility in the exercise of their vocation–gallantry…

Comedy in I Henry IV and II Henry IV In I Henry IV and II Henry IV, William Shakespeare brings together drama and comedy to create two of the most compelling history plays ever written. Many of Shakespeare's other works are nearly absolute in their adherence to either the comic or tragic traditions, but in the two Henry IV plays Shakespeare combines comedy and drama in ways that seem to bring a certain realism to his characters, and thus the plays. The present essay is an examination of…

The Transformation of Hal in Henry IV In Shakespeare's Henry IV, the character Hal, the Prince of Wales, undergoes a transformation that can be characterized as a redemption. Shakespeare introduces Hal, in the opening act as a renegade of the Court. His avoidance of all public responsibility and his affinity for the company of the Boar's Head Tavern, have caused serious concern for the King, because Hal is heir to the throne. The King realizes that to keep…

Honor in Henry IV, Part One In Henry IV, Part One Shakespeare revels in the opportunity to suggest the idiosyncracy of character through his command of a wide range of both verse and prose. As a result the play is full of rich and different character parts (Wells 141). Two in particular, Falstaff and Hotspur, hold diverse beliefs concerning the main theme of the drama, honor. In Shakespeare’s time, honor was defined as the special virtues which distinguish those of the nobility in the…

Tragic Hero of Henry IV In Shakespeare's Henry IV Part One, the characters' many different conceptions of honor govern how they respond to situations. Each character's conception of honor has a great impact on the character's standing after the play. For instance, Falstaff survived because he dishonorably faked his own death, and his untrue claim that he was the one who killed Hotspur may get him a title and land. On the other hand, Hotspur lies dead after losing a duel for honor. Hotspur…

Political Drama in Henry IV and Henry V The contention that Shakespeare’s histories are in fact political drama appears to fall uneasily on the ears of modern readers. One reason for this could be the fact that we, as a society, have blurred the connotation of politics to the vaguest of notions – narrow at times, yet far too inclusive. A young reader is likely to view politics as election and debate, a sort of ongoing candidacy. Indeed, this may be a valid modern definition, if somewhat…

In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I, young Prince Hal (or Harry) is regarded as a clown and a playboy by his father King Henry IV, who despairs that he will ever take his duties seriously, but in this the king turned out to be absolutely incorrect. Sir John Falstaff is portrayed a charming and humorous villain who treats Hal like a son, and from him the prince learns about the lives, feeling and humanity of the common people and the soldiers in his army, but he never accepts his corrupt and amoral…