“My crown, mine own ambition and my queen” (Hamlet, 3.3.55). In Hamlet’s tragedy, these three acquisitions of murder prevent King Claudius from obtaining spiritual forgiveness in his refusal to sacrifice them. In this soliloquy, Claudius recognizes that in order to receive true absolution, one must sacrifice; retaining the benefits of one’s sins begets only hollow, self-serving guilt as penance. Similar boundaries to redemption exist in Henry IV, Part 1, as its characters exist in the wake of the deposition and murder of Richard II. In the work, King Henry IV seeks expiation in a planned crusade, but neglects to abdicate the throne granted to him by his denial of divine right. Similarly, Hotspur seeks to atone for his rebellion against Richard
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At the beginning of the first act, Henry tries to divert attention from the illegitimate nature of his rule with an attempted crusade, ironically decreeing, “As far as to the sepulchre of Christ, / Whose soldier now, under whose blessed cross / We are impressed and engaged to fight,” despite his explicit denial of God’s authority in subverting the laws of royal inheritance (1.1.19-21). Moreover, Henry primarily orders the crusade not because of his personal belief in its importance, but rather to distract England from debating his tenuous claim to the throne; not only does Henry refuse to relinquish the throne to which he possesses no godly right, but he belittles the very concept of atonement as he launches a crusade to benefit himself. Further complicating his sovereignty, Henry finds himself unable to satisfactorily repay the debts he owes to those who helped him depose Richard, and a rebellion led by Hotspur challenges his reign almost as soon as it starts. In effect, Henry’s inability to manage the repercussions of his actions in Richard II halts …show more content…
In the play’s opening scene, Shakespeare introduces Hotspur to the reader through word of mouth, as both the Earl of Westmoreland and King Henry himself laud Hotspur for his victory in securing prisoners of war. Simultaneously, however, the audience learns of an act of mutiny that foreshadows the work’s power struggle: Hotspur refuses to turn over those prisoners to Henry. In this scene, Shakespeare creates the foundation for two important aspects of Hotspur’s character. Firstly, the treasonous nature of Hotspur’s behavior introduces the idea that, for all of Hotspur’s bravery, he acts as the antagonist and primary conflict, placing him in the role of a villain and preventing him from achieving true atonement. Secondly, Shakespeare immediately poises Hotspur as a foil to Hal; the first time that Hotspur speaks, he describes himself as “dry with rage and extreme toil, / Breathless and faint, leaning upon [his] sword,” painting himself in the terms of a self-immolating leader that differ sharply from the epicurean ones used to describe Hal (1.3.31-32). As the play progresses, each of these traits become more prominent, especially as Hotspur’s seemingly righteous basis of rebellion begins to collapse and Hal shapes
At the beginning of the first act, Henry tries to divert attention from the illegitimate nature of his rule with an attempted crusade, ironically decreeing, “As far as to the sepulchre of Christ, / Whose soldier now, under whose blessed cross / We are impressed and engaged to fight,” despite his explicit denial of God’s authority in subverting the laws of royal inheritance (1.1.19-21). Moreover, Henry primarily orders the crusade not because of his personal belief in its importance, but rather to distract England from debating his tenuous claim to the throne; not only does Henry refuse to relinquish the throne to which he possesses no godly right, but he belittles the very concept of atonement as he launches a crusade to benefit himself. Further complicating his sovereignty, Henry finds himself unable to satisfactorily repay the debts he owes to those who helped him depose Richard, and a rebellion led by Hotspur challenges his reign almost as soon as it starts. In effect, Henry’s inability to manage the repercussions of his actions in Richard II halts …show more content…
In the play’s opening scene, Shakespeare introduces Hotspur to the reader through word of mouth, as both the Earl of Westmoreland and King Henry himself laud Hotspur for his victory in securing prisoners of war. Simultaneously, however, the audience learns of an act of mutiny that foreshadows the work’s power struggle: Hotspur refuses to turn over those prisoners to Henry. In this scene, Shakespeare creates the foundation for two important aspects of Hotspur’s character. Firstly, the treasonous nature of Hotspur’s behavior introduces the idea that, for all of Hotspur’s bravery, he acts as the antagonist and primary conflict, placing him in the role of a villain and preventing him from achieving true atonement. Secondly, Shakespeare immediately poises Hotspur as a foil to Hal; the first time that Hotspur speaks, he describes himself as “dry with rage and extreme toil, / Breathless and faint, leaning upon [his] sword,” painting himself in the terms of a self-immolating leader that differ sharply from the epicurean ones used to describe Hal (1.3.31-32). As the play progresses, each of these traits become more prominent, especially as Hotspur’s seemingly righteous basis of rebellion begins to collapse and Hal shapes