King Henry IV: Act I

In Act 1, Scene 1 of Henry IV, my first impression of King Henry is that he is active and outspoken. The play begins with a drawn out speech about how his army will no longer endure tragedies faced recently and how he is looking towards a different sort of goal. “No more the thirsty entrance of this soil shall daub her lips with her own children’s blood. No more shall trenching war channel her fields nor bruise her flow’rets with the armed hoofs of hostile paces.”(1.1.6-9). He seems fed up with the current state of his army. He also appears very disappointed and stern with his son and even goes as far wishing he had a son more like Hotspur. “Whilst I by looking on the praise of him see riot and dishonor stain the brow of my young Harry.”(1.1.83-85).

“So when this loose behavior I throw off and pay the debt I never promised, by how much better than my word I am, by so much shall I falsify men’s hopes; and like bright metal on a sullen ground, my reformation, glitte’ring o’er my fault, shall show more goodly and attract more eyes than that which hath no foil to set it off.”(1.2.186-193).

It appears that Prince Harry chooses to behave so lowly and carelessly so that he will look much better in comparison when he reforms and becomes a real hero and honorable son. Though I understand his plan, I feel that it is unnecessary and even foolish. It would probably work but why would a grown man sacrifice his integrity to play tricks on his father and people around him? It makes me feel that Prince Harry is insecure and unsure of his capabilities as an heir from the beginning. Its clever but it is also deceitful and cowardly in my honest opinion.

“Shall it for shame be spoken in these days, or fill up chronicles in time to come, that men of your nobility and power did gage them both in an unjust behalf, as both of you, God pardon it, have done: To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose, and plant this thorn, this canker, Bolingbroke?”(1.3.68-74)

Hotspur seems to be particularly angry at not only King Henry’s decisions but also his means of obtaining his position in the first place. His rant somewhat implies that he would have much preferred Richard II as King, comparing him to rose while denouncing King Henry and comparing him to a canker. This sort of disapproval of usurping the throne through murder shows Hotspur to be noble and honest in my opinion.