Diction And Allegory In Henry IV

In the poem: Soliloquy from Henry IV part II, by William Shakespare, the poem consists of a varity of diction, contains imagery, and syntax. He tries to convince sleep to help him get some rest just as it helps others rather than him. However, at the end of the passage, he changes is tone of searching for help to accepting the fact that he can't find or help find rest. The change in King Henry's mentality is displayed by the authors choice of diction and allegory. The king feels sorry for himself the lower clasess are be able to sleep and that he, the king, can't find rest. He questions why he is targeted to become restless. The Henry includes an extended metaphor," Wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast Seal up the ship-boy's eyes, and rock his brains In craddle of the rude imperious surge, And in the visitation of the winds, Who take the ruffian billows by the top, Curling their monstrous heads ad hanging them With …show more content…
Henry IV's extended metaphor states on how sleep is with the ship-boy but it could be extreme dangerous for him to be asleep. It portrays it as an unneeded sleep because it could cost the ship-boy his life. King Henry's conscience is never at peace through out the poem because he isn't able to come to himself to be at rest. He believes that he might have done something to scare sleep away, and asks "...how have I frightened thee..." King Henry cares much for the ablity to sleep because he refers it as "Nature's soft nurse" and "dull god". The difference between the restless and searching king in the beginning shifts to a more impatient king conveyed later to help illustrate the transition in Henry IV's mentality as he becomes angry with sleep. Ending the soliloquy with the statement "Uneasy is the head that wears a crown," proposes many inferences that after much impatience, Henry comes to the fact that he can't force or help himself to find