Henry IV Act 4-5

I am well aware of Falstaff’s character so needless to say I was not surprised when he did not choose to fight but instead hide. However after Act 5, scene 4 in particular, I feel that Falstaff in some sense truly feels that it is more dignified to hide from any chance of defeat rather than face it. There is one line in particular, lines 117-118 in which he says, “The better part of valour is discretion, in the which better part.” For him to then stab Hotspur, a man who he would never combat, while is he already dead is a true sign of not only cowardice but deception. Falstaff has proved several times in this play that he is capable of deception but I felt that this was the ultimate sign of deceit. Its almost as if he has convinced himself that he has played some part in killing Hotspur. Falstaff is an obvious contrast to Harry and Hotspur, both who are men willing to die for their family’s honor. The relationship between Harry and his father has also come full circle in Act 5, when Harry saves his father from death. I thought it was symbolic and ironic that it took this sort of action for Harry to gain Henry’s respect, when Henry himself is accused of murder to gain his position. It took this sort of action to show his father his true character when his father himself once possessed the exact opposite nature.