Shakespeare’s histories do not always effectively convey the truth of the historical matter. Rather, Shakespeare’s histories are more of a political tale of the events. With this said, it is no surprise that Shakespeare delves into the personal lives of the characters he wrote of. Throughout Henry IV (part one) honor and the power that occurs based on whether a person is considered ‘honorable’ is continually displayed through the main characters of Prince Hal, King Henry, Falstaff, and Hotspur and their constant interest their own honor (“Henry IV”).
To begin, Prince Hal, who later becomes King Henry V, has a very interesting transformation throughout the two plays. At the beginning of the play, the King says about his son, “Yea, there thou mak’st me sad, and mak’st me sin / In envy that my Lord Northumberland / Should be the father to so blest a son, / A son who is the theme of Honor’s tongue..” (Shakespeare 890). He is jealous of the Lord Northumberland’s son because his son is so honorable, while his, Prince Hal, is not honorable at all.
When we first meet Hal in part one of Henry IV, we realize that our prince does not act at all like what a prince should act like. He spends much of his time in bars and pubs and steals from others while his friends are liars and crooks. After Prince Hal’s first line, Falstaff …show more content…
He says that he will earn honor by taking the glories that Percy (Hotspur) have worked so hard for, and that those glories will rid him of his shames. “For every honor sitting on his helm, / would they were multitudes, and on my head / My shames redoubled! For the time will come / That I shall make this northern youth exchange / His glorious deeds for my indignities” (Shakespeare 910). By the end of the first play he has done exactly that. He is successful in his endeavors and is praised by the King for saving his life and for killing
To begin, Prince Hal, who later becomes King Henry V, has a very interesting transformation throughout the two plays. At the beginning of the play, the King says about his son, “Yea, there thou mak’st me sad, and mak’st me sin / In envy that my Lord Northumberland / Should be the father to so blest a son, / A son who is the theme of Honor’s tongue..” (Shakespeare 890). He is jealous of the Lord Northumberland’s son because his son is so honorable, while his, Prince Hal, is not honorable at all.
When we first meet Hal in part one of Henry IV, we realize that our prince does not act at all like what a prince should act like. He spends much of his time in bars and pubs and steals from others while his friends are liars and crooks. After Prince Hal’s first line, Falstaff …show more content…
He says that he will earn honor by taking the glories that Percy (Hotspur) have worked so hard for, and that those glories will rid him of his shames. “For every honor sitting on his helm, / would they were multitudes, and on my head / My shames redoubled! For the time will come / That I shall make this northern youth exchange / His glorious deeds for my indignities” (Shakespeare 910). By the end of the first play he has done exactly that. He is successful in his endeavors and is praised by the King for saving his life and for killing