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Summary and Analysis of Act 1
Induction:Rumor, personified, enters and addresses the audience. He speaks of his own nature, and his power to infect men in all parts of the world. He recounts the climax of 1 Henry IV, in which young Prince Hal defeated Harry Hotspur and the forces of King Henry IV (formerly Henry Bolingbroke) defeated the rebels in the fields near Shrewsbury. But Rumor will spread the false news that the rebels were victorious and King Henry and Prince Hal were killed. Scene One:Lord Bardolph arrives at the door of Northumberland, who pleaded sick as an excuse to avoid attending the battle. Lord Bardolph brings great news, heard from the mouth of someone who was at the battle. King Henry is wounded. His forces and must trusted allies and advisors have fled the field. Harry Percy (Hotspur) has killed Prince Hal. The audience knows that none of this news is true. Travers, servant to the Earl of Northumberland, enters with very different news. The rebels have been routed, and Hotspur is dead. The Earl is not certain whom to believe, but Morton, another man loyal to Northumberland, enters. From Morton's face, the Earl knows he should fear the worst. Douglas lives, as does the Earl's brother. It takes longer for Morton to give the worst news to the Earl: Harry Hotspur, the Earl's son, is dead. Morton was an eyewitness to the battle. The Earl, saying that at times bad news and sorrow are a great cure, throws down his crutch. Grieving, he prepares for battle. His men try to persuade him to temper his grief with reason; too many are counting on him for him to give way to rage and grief, however justified. Morton gives wise advice: the Archbishop of York is powerful, and he has great grievances against King Henry, most notably the death of King Richard II, which was brought about by King Henry. The rebels at Shrewsbury fought with their bodies, but their souls feared the label, "rebel." With a powerful clergyman at their side, the rebels will fight with body and soul united. Scene Two:Here is Sir John Falstaff, being mocked by his page and responding with the usual mix of self-mockery and hurt pride. The Lord Chief Justice enters, accompanied by a servant. The Justice confronts John about the Gad's Hill robbery; Falstaff deals with the lord through a combination of lies, insolence, and ignoring him. Falstaff has been separated from Prince Hal by the King, but he has earned some distinction in the fighting at Shrewsbury. He also has orders from the Prince to go to York, where he will join with Prince John. So the Lord Chief Justice will not arrest him, but it is clear that the two men dislike each other. The Chief Justice mocks Falstaff's age and appearance, while Falstaff aggravates the Chief Justice by refusing to take him seriously. The Chief Justice finally exits, and Falstaff bemoans the emptiness of his purse. He tries to figure out a way to scam some more funds. Scene Three:We are in York. The Archbishop, Lord Bardolph, Mowbray, and Hastings plan strategies against the king. Between them, the men assembled command twenty-five thousand men. They wonder if they are strong enough to defeat King Henry if Northumberland does not show. The men cannot afford to count on aid that may not come; such hope led to Hotspur's defeat at Shrewsbury. Hastings points out that though King Henry commands far more than twenty-five thousand men, his forces are divided in three: he faces war on three fronts against rebels, the Welsh, and the French. He cannot afford to abandon any of these campaigns, and so the rebels will be safe from the possibility of facing his full army. The Archbishop says that at last King Henry will pay for the death of Richard II. Act I Analysis:Rumor helps to remind the audience of the events and characters of 1 Henry IV. 2 Henry IV begins in the middle of a great struggle that will decide the fate of Britain. Henry IV and Prince Hal have won a decisive victory, but the war is not yet over. Although the last play opened on a high note for the king's forces, Rumor opens this play by speaking against the king and the prince. Although the audience would be aware of the triumph of the last play, Rumor functions as a reminder that the positions of the king and young Prince Hall are not yet secure. After the induction, the play begins with Northumberland receiving news of the defeat of his forces and the death of his son. In many ways this early scene sets the tone for 2 Henry IV, which is a darker play than its predecessor. Loss is one of the central themes. While 1 Henry IV ends with the triumph of Shrewsbury and the death of Hotspur (a death which has tragic dignity), this play ends with Hal's betrayal of Falstaff. The betrayal is tragic, but it does not allow the old knight to keep his dignity. Loss in this play is more sentimental, more painful. The deaths we remember come with the undignified sufferings of old age, rather than the heat of battle. Old age and time are an important theme. The play is full of sick old men: Northumberland (pretending sickness), King Henry (ill and dying), Falstaff (sick from hard-living and betrayal). We open with the defeated half of a symmetry Shakespeare has set up: Northumberland and Hotspur are a mirror version of King Henry and Prince Hal. Some of these parallels were historical, but Shakespeare altered history to make the parallels more striking. Although the historical Hotspur was significantly older than Prince Hal, Shakespeare makes them the same age. The move makes them young rivals; it also means that Hotspur, as Hal eventually will (after the exploits recorded in this play and Henry V), dies a young death. Northumberland feigning sickness is a mirror to old King Henry, sick and dying. All four men have the same Christian name. The death of Hotspur, as set up here, becomes the death of Hal's double. The illness of Northumberland foreshadows the fatal illness that will strike down King Henry. The defeats of half of the pair therefore resonate for the other half; for the winners, victory seems incomplete, qualified by loss and death. Both King Henry and Northumberland seem far less vital and strong than in the last play; they are a far cry from the strong leaders and stern patriarchs they seemed in 1 Henry IV. With this darker tone, Falstaff and his antics seem more out of place. Falstaff has many funny and clever speeches in this play, but at times his humor seems desperate, more pathetic than amusing. Although we open lightly enough, the Chief Justices detailed description of Falstaff's age and increasing obesity becomes more cruel than humorous. Falstaff speaks more about the indignities of aging; although 1.2 is comic in tone, it sets up a certain momentum. Falstaff is going to change from a funny and out-of-shape rogue to something more pathetic, more vulnerable. The first time we see Falstaff, he is asking his page about the urine sample he gave to his doctor (urinalysis was one of the chief diagnostic tools of medieval and Renaissance doctors). So our first impression is a reminder of medical problems, doctors, the marks of failing health. The strategy session of the rebels builds suspense by giving us an exciting war room scene and giving us a sense of expectation: the Archbishop reminds the men of the death of Richard II. Atonement is a theme of the play, as connected to Henry IV's usurpation of the throne. Remember that Prince Hal's father, Henry IV, usurped the throne of Richard II: the murdered Richard II is depicted by Shakespeare as a good but unkingly man, unprepared for the responsibilities and difficulties of rule. He is a victim of his own passivity and the treachery of others. The death of Richard II is the original crime for which atonement is long, bloody, and complicated. It must be worked through in generation after generation of kings, ultimately resulting in the establishment of a secure and stable royal family. The division between the Houses of Lancaster and York begins with Henry IV's insurrection and usurpation of the throne (1399), and unity comes with the start of the reign of King Henry VIII (1509). Although Henry V (Prince Hal) is not destined to be the king who brings long-lasting stability and security to Britain, his reign is depicted as a great one by Shakespeare. But first, he will have to deal with the effects of his father's usurping of the throne.
Summary and Analysis of Act 2
Scene One:Hostess Quickly and Fang, a London officer, prepare to confront Falstaff. Falstaff owes Hostess Quickly a considerable sum of money. He has also promised to marry the Hostess, and has never made good on his word. Falstaff enters with Bardolph (not to be confused with Lord Bardolph, the nobleman in rebellion against King Henry) and a page. Fang tries to arrest Falstaff, and a verbal bout ensues. Amidst the commotion, the Lord Chief Justice enters. He demands to hear both sides of the story, and Hostess Quickly tells him that Falstaff owes her money and himself (in marriage); she lent him the money after he promised to marry her. Falstaff accuses the woman of madness, but the Lord Chief Justice knows Falstaff well enough to know that the woman is telling the truth. He tells Falstaff that he should pay the money and offer apologies. Falstaff refuses, and takes the woman aside for a private word. Master Gower, a messenger, enters. The King and Prince Hal are near; Gower gives the chief justice a document with the rest of the news. Meanwhile, Falstaff is convincing poor Hostess Quickly to drop the charges and lend him another ten pounds. After the matter with Quickly is resolved, Falstaff asks the Chief Justice to tell him what is apace. The King is going against Northumberland and the Archbishop of York with fifteen hundred foot and five hundred horse. Falstaff invites Gower and then the Chief Justice to dinner. Both men decline, the Chief Justice reminding Falstaff that he should not be loitering. Falstaff is supposed to be recruiting men in all the counties on the way to his destination. Falstaff makes no apologies for his way of life. Scene Two:Enter Poins and Prince Hal. Hal admits that he is tired and wants beer; they have a playful conversation about the distance between nobility and the needs of the body. We learn that King Henry is very sick; on that subject, Hal says at first that he is not sad. A moment later, he says that he is very sad. But he does not weep; he asks Poins to confess what he would think if Hal did weep. Poins says he would think the prince a hypocrite; he has been roguish and attached to Falstaff. He has been a disobedient son all his father's life, and tears now would be hypocritical. For fear of looking a hypocrite, the prince hides his sorrow. The prince makes this confession lightly, half-joking and half-serious. Bardolph enters with Falstaff's page. They bring a letter to Hal from Falstaff; the letter is written in a casual, familiar, and irreverent style. Hal and Poins laugh disapprovingly at Falstaff's presumptions. On learning that Falstaff is dining at Eastcheap, they decide to steal upon him and observe him covertly. Poins suggests that they disguise themselves as waiters. Scene Three:Northumberland, his wife, and Harry Percy's widow discuss the upcoming war. Hotspur's widow begs the earl to remain at home and not commit his forces; before, he failed to commit forces to help his own son. She reasons that if there was no reason before for committing troops, then there is no reason now. She praises her dead husband's virtues, speaking of how he was model and inspiration to all his troops. If he failed to help his son, Northumberland should not help now. Northumberland insists he must get involved, but his wife also thinks that they should take refuge in Scotland until a more advantageous time. Hotspur's widow suggests waiting to see which way the tide turns. Northumberland is persuaded. Scene Four:As Sir John Falstaff complains about the food, one waiter tells the other that Prince Hal and Poins are going to take their clothes so they can observe Falstaff covertly. Hostess Quickly and Doll Tearsheet enter, and Falstaff and Doll Tearsheet almost immediately begin to insult each other. But after Quickly's intercession, Doll Tearsheet suggests a truce since Falstaff will soon be going off to war. A drawer enters and announces that Pistol has come calling on Sir John, and over Quickly's objections Falstaff has the drawer let Pistol in. After his arrival, Pistol almost immediately insults Doll Tearsheet. Doll Tearsheet's replies infuriate Pistol, who draws his sword. The situation escalates, different people trying to intercede, until Pistol and Falstaff fight. Bardolph takes Pistol to throw him outside; when he returns he reports that Pistol has been wounded. Doll Tearsheet is impressed by Falstaff's actions, and she praises and pampers him. She asks Falstaff when he will be allowed to stop fighting, so he can take care of his old, tired body. Hal and Poins enter behind them, disguised as waiters. Doll Tearsheet asks about Prince Hal and Poins, and Falstaff says horrible things about both of them. Hal and Poins, watching, quietly mock Falstaff and become increasingly angry. As Sir John prepares to go to bed with Doll Tearsheet, Hal and Poins confont him. He immediately becomes ingratiating. Falstaff says that he defamed the Prince and Poins in the presence of the wicked so that the wicked would not seek to be near the Prince; in this way, he has protected Hal from bad company. Hal and Poins trap Falstaff, asking if everyone in the room (Quickly, Bardolph, Doll Tearsheet, the Page) is wicked. Falstaff says that they are. Messengers arrive suddenly: Prince Hal and Falstaff are summoned to war. The men exit, as the women bid tearful farewells. At the last minute, Bardolph calls back for Doll Tearsheet to come to Falstaff for a quick, last-minute meeting. Act II Analysis:Act Two opens with another confrontation between the Lord Chief Justice and Falstaff. The two men are rivals in a number of ways: the contrast between their ethics and lifestyles is very clear. Falstaff embodies irresponsibility, irreverence, gluttony, thievery, mischief. The Chief Justice embodies responsibility, respect for chain-of-command, restraint, law, order. Falstaff represents everything the Lord Chief Justice despises and seeks to control; the Lord Chief Justice represents everything Falstaff tries to evade. The two men are paired off against each other as a symbolic echo of the choice Prince Hal will make in this play. These men see themselves as being in competition for the prince, although their motives are different. The Lord Chief Justice wants to see Hal grow up and take on the responsibilities of a king, and he sees Falstaff as an obstacle to that goal. Falstaff wants Hal to honor their friendship, but overall his motives are more selfish. Falstaff hopes that Hal's favors will make Falstaff a rich and well-cared-for man. But Hal is moving from the world of Falstaff to the world of the Lord Chief Justice, and, from the point of view of the audience, it is never really in doubt that Hal will betray Falstaff in the end. The theme of fathers and sons runs through this rivalry: Hal will choose a new father after Henry IV is dead. This theme is made explicit when Hal, following Henry IV's death, asks the Chief Justice to act as father to Hal's youth. There are many parallel episodes in 1 Henry IV and 2 Henry IV. At the beginning of this play, one cannot help but feel that we are somehow back where we started. Rebels are preparing for another attempt to overthrow the king; Hal seems to be continuing his balancing act between Falstaff's carefree world and duty. In both plays Hal comes up with a plan to humiliate Falstaff in 2.2. In both plays, the plan is carried out in 2.4. A.R. Braunmuller points out that expectation and fulfillment are a necessary part of history plays: as with Greek tragedies, which were based on well-known myths, the audience of a history play all ready knows how the play will end (303-4). In this case, expectation and fulfillment are reinforced by the parallel structure of 1 Henry IV and 2 Henry IV. But Braunmuller also points out the challenges for a writer of such a play: since suspense is dampened by the known ending, the writer must find other ways to surprise and delight his audience. Although this play is in some ways modeled on its predecessors, the differences are as striking as the parallels. As stated before, 2 Henry IV is a much darker play than 1 Henry IV. There are parallels, but by the end of the play the parallels end. And even the parallel episodes show differences: on the whole, the episodes in this play are more unsettling than their counterparts in 1 Henry IV. In Act Two of both plays, Hal plays a trick of disguise and humiliation on Falstaff. But while Falstaff's lies are funny in 1 Henry IV, there is little that is amusing about Falstaff's humiliation here. He reveals himself as a hypocrite, insulting his friends behind their backs and immediately becoming a fawning dog when Prince Hal appears. Nor is Hal's reaction kind: rather than laugh and let the matter drop, he traps Falstaff and forces him to insult all the people present. Hal is more difficult to know in this play, and certainly more difficult to like. In his conversation with Poins in 2.2, his true feelings are difficult to know. In 1 Henry IV, Hal revealed himself directly to us in soliloquy. Although his outward actions did not match his intent, the audience had easy access to what that intent was. Hal's soliloquies are absent from 2 Henry IV. In this play, Hal's conversation with Poins about hypocrisy and sadness for his father's death leaves much hidden. Does Hal feel sorrow for his father's impending death? He jokes and drinks with the Eastcheap crowd as before. He speaks of his fear of being thought a hypocrite if he weeps now, but in the context of a playful conversation that leaves us uncertain of whether Hal is playing or revealing some sincere emotion, or both. But while his soliloquies in the last play made us see him as a young man for whom Falstaff's world and responsibility and kingship could be part of the same project, Hal's balancing act in this play becomes much uglier. Relationships between fathers and sons constitute a central theme for both of the Henry IV plays: Northumberlund and Hotspur, Hal and Henry IV, Hal and Falstaff. Hal's behavior is so much more difficult to take in this play because in a sense he betrays both of his fathers. His behavior towards Falstaff becomes increasingly cruel, climaxing in the terrible betrayal at play's end, and his reconciliation with Henry IV is far too late to prevent a touch of bitterness in the old king's last moments. Still, Hal is destined to be a great king; the play never argues that a man needs to be likable to be a great ruler.
Summary and Analysis of Act 3
Scene One:King Henry sends a page to summon the Earls of Warwick and Surrey; before they come, they are to read documents carefully and consider the information found there. The king addresses Sleep, personified, bemoaning that it comes to the poor but not to the great. Surrey Warwick, and Sir John Blunt enter. The monarch speaks to them of all the troubles currently facing the kingdom. He recalls the words of the deposed Richard II; Northumberland aided Henry in overthrowing the king, and the unfortunate monarch promised Henry that Northumberland would be just as faithless to him as he had been to Richard. Warwick says that by examining the past a man may predict the present; this must have been Richard II's method for prophesying Northumberland's future betrayal of King Henry IV. The king fears for the future. Rumor has it that Northumberland and the Bishop are fifty thousand strong. Warwick tells the king that Rumor exaggerates; he advises the king to go to bed. And there is good news: Glendower, one of the rebel leaders from 1 Henry IV, is dead. King Henry says he will follow Warwick's advice, and he bemoans the civil wars that have plagued his reign. They have cut off the possibility of his great dream to lead a Crusade into the Holy Land. Scene Two:We are in Gloucestershire. Enter Justice Silence and Justice Shallow. Shallow asks questions about Silence's family; these lead to Shallow reminiscing about the days of his youth, when he was an unruly law student. He was friends with John Falstaff, then just a young boy and page in the service of Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. They continue to reminisce, and Shallow thinks about how many of his old friends are now dead. Throughout this conversation about the deaths of old friends, Shallow asks questions about livestock prices. Bardolph enters, to extend greetings to Justice Shallow on Falstaff's behalf. Falstaff then enters, and the two old friends greet each other warmly. The Justice was charged with picking about a half-dozen men for Falstaff to recruit into the army. Shallow calls the names of the men, and they come out one-by-one for Falstaff's inspection. They are Mouldy, Shadow, Feeble, Wart, and Bullcalf. After the inspection, Falstaff and Shallow begin to talk about old times again. They exit, leaving behind Bardolph with the men. Mouldy and Bullcalf bribe Bardolph so that they will not be enlisted. Witnessing these bribes, Feeble reacts with these memorable lines: "A man can die but once. We owe God a death. I'll ne'er bear a base mind. An t be my destiny, so; an t be not, so. No man's too good to serve s prince, and let it go which way it will, he that dies this year is quit for the next." When Falstaff and the Justices return, Bardolph tells Sir John about the bribe. Falstaff lets Mouldy and Bullcalf go. Shallow questions Falstaff's choice; clearly, Mouldy and Bullcalf are the too fittest and strongest men there. Falstaff comes up with ridiculous, comic reasons why the other three men would make the best soldiers. The Justices exit, Shallow wishing Falstaff good luck. Bardolph and the men exit. Falstaff breaks out into an uncharacteristically bitter soliloquy. He speaks of how Justice Shallow was no true ruffian in his youth, but in fact a skinny weakling. He speaks with intense jealousy about Shallow's current wealth and connections. Sir John resolves that the next time he is in Gloucestershire, he will find some way to steal from Shallow. Act III Analysis:The burden of leadership is one of the themes of this play. We saw something of it in the first scene, in which Northumberland's advisors remind him that too many depend on the Earl for him to behave hastily. We saw it again in the scene with Northumberland and his wife and daughter-in-law, in which he faces the difficult decision of risking all and siding with the rebels or escaping to Scotland. Here, we see an ill, aged Henry IV unable to sleep and in need of counsel. The last time we saw this king in 1 Henry IV, he was assured and commanding. Now, he is uncertain, anxious, and frail. The theme of prophecy or expectation is also here: the king reminds Warwick of Richard II's promise that Northumberland would be as disloyal to the new king as he was to the old. Here, prophecy and fulfillment stretch out over the course of many history plays, tying the events of this play to a larger portrait of British history. The themes of aging and time run through this scene. The king is old and fragile. And in his memories of Richard II, he is asking us to remember some of the last words of the dead. Richard II's ghost haunts the scene, as do other phantoms. News of Glendower's death is meant to comfort the king, but it only reminds the audience of mortality; Glendower's death is just another character passing away, and we do not even hear about how he died. There are other ghosts: most notably, there is the unfulfilled dream of a Crusade to Jerusalem. This Crusade that will never be haunts Henry IV's last days: it is the great dream that was made impossible by insurrection after insurrection. His time has run out. Dreams prove as fragile as mortal bodies; time, with indifference, destroys them all. Scene Two, though considerably lighter in tone, also dwells on the theme of aging and time. Justice Shallow, even while talking about prices of livestock, keeps thinking about the fact that so many of his friends are now dead. Shakespeare juxtaposes the living world of commercial transactions with the passage of time; we see Shallow's lively interest in wealth and worldly concerns, but in spite of one's performance in this world the same end meets all. The second time commercial transaction and death are juxtaposed in the scene, this idea is worked through more fully and explicitly: Bullcalf and Mouldy bribe their way out of the army, but Feeble sees their action as futile. In his memorable line, he reminds the men that death waits for all of them. He likens death to a debt that must be paid; he who pays it sooner gets it over with. In Falstaff's bitter soliloquy, we see a very different side of him. He has been a loudmouth, a liar, a braggart, and a coward, but he has never been full of bitter hatred for anyone. He accuses Shallow of being a terrible liar, enlarging on the exploits of his youth, but Falstaff himself is an accomplished liar and exaggerator. Clearly, he is terribly jealous of his old friend's success and wealth. This soliloquy finishes the scene, and darkens the scene's tone considerably. We have never seen Falstaff angry about his station in life. He has whined and complained, but he has never seemed unhappy with his decisions about how to live. His deep jealousy of Shallow suggests unhappiness with his own choices. With a very limited number of years left for the two old men, Falstaff seems to be feeling something like regret and self-loathing. In indicting Shallow for lying/exaggerating about his past exploits, he indicts himself for the same faults. In his intense jealousy for the Justice, he shows dissatisfaction with his own life. For Falstaff's foolery to be funny, he must be at peace with his own faults and position. Now, he is appearing vulnerable, more pathetic than comic.
Summary and Analysis of Act 4
Scene One:In Gaultree Forest, the Archbishop of York, Hastings, and Mowbray wait with their officers. The Archbishop shares the bad news: Northumberland has sent word that he will not join them. The men remain committed to their cause, and their forces are about to clash with the army of the king. An envoy approaches: it is Westmoreland, who addresses the men respectfully and asks to listen to the rebels' grievances. He promises that if the rebels give up their war, the king will hear their complaints and seek to address them. The Archbishop and Mowbray begin to speak of some of their grievances. At first, the rebels, particularly Mowbray, are skeptical. The Archbishop gives Westmoreland a piece of paper detailing the rebels' grievances, and Westmoreland brings the message back to Prince John. The rebels discuss this development. The Archbishop in particular trusts the king to keep to his word. Prince John enters; he speaks to the men in a much more disrespectful and much less conciliatory tone than Westmoreland did. But he promises that the men's concerns will be addressed. The rebels take his word for it, and they send orders to disband their army. The Prince is supposed to do the same. The men all begin to drink together, making pleasant conversation. But once the rebel army is disbanded, the rebel leaders are arrested. They are to be executed promptly: when the Archbishop accuses the prince of going back on his word, Prince John says that he only promised that the men's concerns would be addressed. Their grievances will indeed be addressed, but the rebels will die traitors' deaths. Scene Two:After the battle of Shrewsbury, rumor gave Falstaff a (false) reputation as a great warrior. Familiar with this reputation, a rebel knight named Colevile meets Falstaff and promptly surrenders to him. Prince John enters, reproaching Falstaff for arriving so late. Falstaff offers his prisoner. John asks questions of the prisoner, who admits he was a rebel knight. He speaks defiantly to John. The prince orders for Colevile to be sent with other rebels to York for execution. Falstaff asks permission to return home, going through Gloucestershire. Permission is granted, and all but Falstaff exit. Falstaff speaks of how much Prince John dislikes him, and he blames the boy's sourness on not enough drink. He praises alcohol and its many positive affects on character. Bardolph enters, and Falstaff tells him that they shall now head back to Gloucesterschire to swindle Justice Shallow. Scene Three:The king waits for the news about the battle, hoping that a clean victory will mean that he finally will go on his Crusade. He asks where Prince Hal is, but receives a false answer. The king speaks to Thomas of Clarence, one of Hal's brothers. He observes that Thomas is the brother Hal loves best; therefore, the king advises, Thomas must remain close to Hal and act as a mediator between Hal and the other brothers. Thomas promises that he will. King Henry asks where Hal is now, and Thomas reports that Hal is dining in London with Poins and company. The king speaks bitterly of the prince's excesses. Hal's bad choice of company causes the king great pain. Warwick tells the king that he need not fear: the prince studies the Eastcheap crowd to gain knowledge, but once the knowledge is gained he will associate with them no longer. Westmoreland enters with news of victory at Gaultree Forest. Harcourt enters with more good news: the forces of Northumberland and Lord Bardolph have been defeated by the Sheriff of Yorkshire. The king swoons. His sons fret over his unconscious body: Thomas of Clarence points out that the river has flowed three times, with no ebb, and the elderly say that the last time it behaved this way was before the death of their great-grandfather, Edgar. King Henry revives, and asks to be brought to a bed in another chamber. Prince Hal enters, asking about the king's health. They tell him it is not good, but Hal says the good news should revive him. All exit except Hal, who stays to keep watch over his father. Hal, not seeing any sign of breathing, thinks the king is dead. He takes the crown and puts it on his own head, exiting with it. The king wakes, and calls for Warwick, Gloucester, and Clarence. On hearing that Prince Hal has returned, he sends Warwick to summon him; on seeing that the crown is missing, King Henry quickly figures out why. He angrily speaks of how greed puts an end to love and filial piety. Warwick returns, saying that the prince was weeping in a nearby room. The king demands to speak to Hal alone. In a beautiful and moving passage (4.3.245-292), the king speaks of how Hal has shown all his life that he does not love his father, and now he makes sure that the king dies knowing it. He also speaks with worry about the prince's choice of friends; King Henry has misgivings about Hal's ability to rule effectively. Hal pleads for his father's forgiveness, saying that he looked at the crown as a burden that crushes its wearer. He sought to try it on, as one confronts an enemy. His excuse is for the most part true. His father accepts Hal's reasons, and he gives Hal a final bit of advice. With the rebels put down, now England is unified, strong enough to make war on foreign soil. The king's Crusade will never come in his lifetime, but Hal must take advantage of the new stability to enlarge the domain of England. Hal promises he will. Prince John, accompanied by the others, enters to see his father. The king tells them to carry him to the Jerusalem chamber to die. He says it was prophesied that he should die in Jerusalem, and he thought it meant he would die in the Holy Land. Act IV Analysis:The incident at Gaultree Forest is another parallel-contrast between 1 Henry IV and <>2 Henry IV. Like the first play, this play heads toward a showdown between the forces of the king and the rebels. But unlike the first play, which climaxed in a great battle and Hotspur's honorable death in battle, this play gives us deception and the distasteful treachery of Prince John. The rebels are honorable men with legitimate grievances against the king; Prince John obeys the letter of his vow, but not the spirit. Restoring order to the land seems not only bloody, but morally dubious. Even the semblance of honor is gone. Again, Falstaff's antics seem out of place. Although Colevile's surrender to Falstaff initially seems comic, the laughs stop when Prince John orders Colevile's execution. We are going to have more of Falstaff's antics in Gloucestershire, but in the context of the treachery of Gaultree and the impending death of Henry IV, Falstaff's humor is becoming increasingly distasteful. The king knows very well that his death is approaching. His advice to Thomas of Clarence, given even before he swoons, has the taste of a man's parting words to his son. The theme of expectation is important here, and prophecy plays a role. The princes speak of the river's strange behavior, which anticipates the king's death. And the prophecy of the king dying in Jerusalem will also be fulfilled, although not in the manner expected: the king is to die in the Jerusalem chamber. Hal's excuses to his father are true enough, but there is an element of eagerness in his taking of the crown. Although joy is not one of his emotions, he takes the crown with the eagerness of one fulfilling his destiny. The last scene between Hal and King Henry is powerful; as expected, there is some element of bitterness in King Henry's words to his son. The theme of time and death and the theme of fathers and sons are central in this scene: there is a handing of the crown from one generation to the next, forgiveness, and expectation. King Henry speaks of how Hal's behavior has continually disappointed him throughout the years. But Hal promises that his reign will not disgrace his father's memory. The theme of atonement is important in understanding both Hal and his father. For all of his past outrages, Hal still wants to win his father's approval: it can only come now in the form of a promise, but in Henry V, Hal will make good on his word. He will be the kind of king of whom his father would have approved.
Summary and Analysis of Act 5
Scene One:Justice Shallow, with Falstaff and Bardolph in tow, tries to run the affairs of his household. Throughout, he insists that Falstaff stay as his guest. When the others exit, Falstaff speaks of how amusing Shallow and his servants are. He shall collect material for amusing stories that he will tell Prince Hal. Scene Two:The Lord Chief Justice asks after the king's health, and learns that he is dead. The men worry about the future of England under Prince Hal's reign; they believe him to be the worst choice for king of all his brothers. The Lord Chief Justice is particularly fearful, since Prince Hal has little love for him. Hal enters, now King Henry V. He comforts his brothers and promises to be a good king. King Henry V then reminds the Chief Justice of the time when the lord had Hal thrown into prison. The Chief Justice stands by his decision, arguing eloquently that no son of the king can be above the law. Hal says the Justice has spoken well, and he promises that the Justice will be a valued advisor. He then addresses everyone, promising that his reign will root out the bad opinion that all have of him. Scene Three:Justice Shallow, Justice Silence, Bardolph, Falstaff, the Page, and Davy (Shallow's servant) make merry. They eat, drink and sing; Pistol arrives with great news. Henry IV is dead, and their friend Hal now sits on the throne. Falstaff, Pistol, Bardolph, and Justice Shallow set off to congratulate the new king. Falstaff is sure that he will now be a great counselor, and his enemy the Lord Chief Justice will receive a comeuppance. Scene Four:Doll Tearsheet is arrested in connection to a murder. Scene Five:Falstaff, Pistol, Bardolph, the Page, and Shallow kneel and wait for the king to pass by. Falstaff fusses over his clothes; he has ridden all night, but he thinks his poor appearance will show how quickly and eagerly he has come to congratulate the new king. Pistol tells Falstaff that Doll Tearsheet has been arrested. Falstaff promises that he will use his new power to help her. Hal enters, and Falstaff greets him warmly. Hal's response is cold and brutal: "I know thee not, old man" (5.5.47). He tells Falstaff that he has cast away his former self, and all those with whom he once kept company. He banishes Falstaff, telling him he is not allowed, on pain of death, to come within ten miles of the king. He has pity of the old knight, and so he promises that some kind of position will be provided for him; he orders the Lord Chief Justice to see to it. Hal, now King Henry V, exits. Falstaff says that Hal's behavior must be an act. Justice Shallow, who has lent Falstaff 1000 pounds, asks to be repaid now. Falstaff tells Shallow not to fear; the king only behaved so because they were out in public. He promises that the king will send for him in private. Shallow does not believe it, but he lets the matter drop. Falstaff is ready to get dinner, but the Chief Justice re-enters with Prince John and various officers. He orders Falstaff and his company to be taken to the Fleet. He tells Falstaff imperiously that he will see him later. All except Prince John and the Lord Chief Justice exit. Prince John approves of Hal's choice; though he will give posts and advancement to his old friends, he will associate with them no longer. The Chief Justice agrees. The king has called parliament. Prince John predicts that before the year is over, King Henry V will lead the English army against France. Epilogue:The speaker apologizes for the play's inadequacies, and promises that the story will continue in the next play. Act V Analysis:Falstaff collecting amusing stories for Hal is a painful glimpse of how ingratiating and out of touch he has become. Hal and Falstaff have barely spent any time together at all in this play, and yet he still clings to the idea that the two men are friends. The only time they've been together, Hal humiliated him cruelly. But Falstaff still dreams that Hal's reign will mean power and greatness for him. But Scene Two makes the truth all too clear. Henry V intends to be a king of whom his father would have approved. His reconciliation with the Lord Chief Justice foreshadows disaster for Falstaff and his crowd. The theme of expectation is important. Note that expectation is different for the audience and for the characters of the play. 2 Henry IV makes use of dramatic irony, centered on this idea of expectation. The audience knows that Hal's reign will mean the end of his old friendships. He will betray Falstaff and embrace the Lord Chief Justice, and he will reign as a great king. But all of the characters, with the exception of Warwick, expect Hal to rule as he has lived. The last scene between Henry V and Falstaff is the true climax of the play. It is the final break between Hal and his old ways. Like Hal's scene with his father, this scene is tied to theme of age and time and the theme of fathers and sons. Falstaff, in denial, cannot bring himself to believe that the prince's rejection of him is sincere. He clings to the hope that Hal is only putting on a public face. Falstaff greets the king with all the warmth of a proud father, but Hal's tutelage with Falstaff is over. Hal, having lost one father and gotten what he needed out of the other, has moved on. In 5.2, Shakespeare continues to play on the idea of fathers when Hal asks the Lord Chief Justice to act as father to Hal. Hal is now Henry V; time has separated him from his old mentor. Time, having consumed Henry IV's life, now destroys Falstaff's friendship with Hal.
ClassicNote on Henry IV Part 2
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