Essay on Hotspur vs. Harry in Henry IV

The popular view of Hal as a dishonorable scoundrel is what brings King Henry IV, his father, to compare him to the high-strung and vibrant young rebel, Hotspur. King Henry's constant tirades stating that he wished Hotspur was his son

Raising a child is always a challenging and time-consuming task, and raising a prince is even more difficult. Henry puts his leadership aside to focus his efforts upon preventing Prince Hal from absolute corruption or even betrayal. Hal enjoys the company of an unruly thief, the drunkard John Falstaff, as well as several other less respectable persons. Henry is more realistic and rational than Richard, and he is able to see that his position is not a good one. He may fear that he is a bad example for his son, for he too was a robber when he stole the throne. He fears that his son will ruin his image as king or even assist in overthrowing him;

Hotspur on the other hand, begins the play in his father's good graces, and seems to represent the chivalry that eludes Hal. Indeed, Hotspur, being in charge of repelling the Scots to the North, has shown his fierceness in battle and has proven to be an accomplished military man, which are the qualities that the King wishes Hal possessed. Hotspur, however, has a temper which worries his father, Northumberland. In Act 1, Scene 3, he urges his son to be calmer: ìWhat, drunk with choler? stay and pause a while (I.iii.13),î and calls his son ìa wasp-stung and impatient foolî (I.iii.16). Northumberland is much more cautious than Hotspur, or Worcester, and

Although King Henry and Falstaff are extremely different characters, both do act as father figures in Hal’s life with Falstaff as a surrogate father and King Henry as Hal’s birth father. With King Henry, this fatherly relationship emerges as one of blindly scolding and ordering around his son, an example being when the King criticizes Hal’s friends, “rude society” (3.2.14). The relationship with Hal and his surrogate father, Falstaff, though is much more relaxed with Falstaff teasing Hal, by touching on Hal’s slight insecurity of taking care of his princely duties, calling Hal “true prince” (2.4.106). Although both these relationships are very different in how relaxed they are, there is a similarity of King Henry and Falstaff acting as fatherly figures in Hal’s life.

From the beginning of his life as a warrior to the end as a king, he gains and develops glory, responsibility and courage, all vital to his reign as a successful king.

Hal is one of the main characters in the novel as he plays as the antagonist of the novel. Hal had a major role in Project Jupiter, which later became a project travelling to Saturn along with David Bowman, Frank Poole and three other

            In the beginning of the play we are introduced to two characters, Sampson and Gregory. Itching for a fight, they believe they have as much responsibility to defend the name Capulet as their masters do. "The quarrel is between

Prince Hal shows a great deal of insight in this revelation; his words show that he realizes he has a twofold boundary to overcome: first, he is seen as overly juvenile and flighty by most of his father’s men; second, and more importantly, Hal knows that he has no claim to the divine right to rule, as he is not of Richard II’s bloodline. It seems, then, that Hal knows full well “the way that men respond to the image of royalty, and [is] no less instinctive a politician than his father,” and is in fact “the creator as well as the creature of political mythology, the author as well as the hero of his legend” (Ornstein, 137). By rising phoenix-like out of the ashes, Hal knows that he will make a more compelling impression on England than if he had been conventionally “princely” all his life, and plays this dramatic advantage to

Falstaff’s soliloquy questioning the value of honour is an ironic contrast with how Hotspur and Hal regard honour. By now the contrast between their highly ordered morality and Falstaff’s own moral disorder is obvious. Falstaff’s inclusion at this point, when Hal has left his side and moved on, is necessary to point out the differing morality between the two, which was once so similar. Falstaff is of paramount importance to the sub-plot dealing with Hal’s decision between continuing his carefree lifestyle or maturing into the role he is destined to play as a respected prince and later king. This soliloquy continues the theme of another of Falstaff’s in Act 4 Scene 2, in which he is equally undisturbed by his amorality, and shows that his highest concern is for his own well being.

However, deeper into the play, we see difference. A difference in perceptions of Hotspur in the eyes of King Henry and ours. Hotspur, through his anger tells us that he is impatient and short-tempered.

him with a basis for redemption, which is marked by Hal's soliloquy at the end

He sees himself as noble and honorable no matter what others see him. For the most part, most people see him in the same light. However, when it comes to his actual father, the king, he wants to make a good impression. He wants to be the son that his father envisions him to

However, Hal is a complicated person. Under the impudent personality, the young prince has the secret way to make his father proud of him. Prince Hal’s father, King Henry IV is regret that his son, Prince Hal lacks the qualities required of a future king. He always compares Hal to Hotspur, who earn the people's admiration more than his son. The King worries that Hal is wasting his life and would not be successful

Another sacrifice for Hal relates to his sense of security. When Hal first battles Dr. Hammond, a human vessel of fear, Parallax communicates through Hammond this threatening message: “You wear the ring of the Lantern that

As the play opens, Harry has been wasting away his time with Falstaff and earning the disapproval of both his father and England. In the beginning, the play opens up with Hal and his fellow friends planning a robbery ambush. The men put on their masks, and Poins and Harry disappear into hiding so they can pursue their plan. The travelers appear, and Falstaff, Peto, Bardolph, and Gadshill rob them and tie them up (part 1, Act II, scene ii). This act of