Delusions of Valor and the Repercussions on Conduct

King Henry IV shows no compunction for voicing his distaste of his son, Hal’s, actions while praising the valor displayed by Sir Henry Percy, commonly known as Hotspur. Given his debaucherous behavior and residence in the tavern, Hal has disappointed his father to the point where he has lost his Council seat to his younger brother and the devotion of a father to his firstborn, an admiration instead directed to Hotspur for his military might. Expectations proved to be a force of delusion, as Hotspur believed that the King’s notions about his character gave him the cover to act dishonorably and Hal, as a hyper self-aware prince with a plan, distanced himself from the judgments of others in order to independently secure his own fate; thus, he remained committed to his mission and did not succumb to misconception. However, the early determinations of the King ultimately prove to be false, as Hal proves himself to be a man of honor by the end of the play while Hotspur dies in a state of dishonor.
King Henry IV is disappointed that his oldest son has become so consumed by tavern life, and his sense of dissatisfaction leaves him in search of substitutes. The actions of Hotspur and Hal are juxtaposed such that before Bolingbroke lays what his son has become and what he could have been. Following the military success of Hotspur against Douglas, The King laments his son’s lackings in his exchange with Westmoreland: “Yea, there thou makest me sad and makest me sin / In envy that my Lord Northumberland / Should be the father to so blest a son, / A son who is the theme of honour's tongue; / Amongst a grove, the very straightest plant; / Who is sweet Fortune's minion and her pride: / Whilst I, by looking on the praise of him, / See riot...

... middle of paper ...

...be determined based on a paradigm of one’s service to an entity greater than him or herself, like family or country. In order to maximize how much one can give to what he loves most, he must think outside the context of a singular event and consider the various factors that will shape the road ahead. Oftentimes, that requires the honorable man or woman to participate in an event or pattern of action that may otherwise appear to not serve the interests of what he represents. This maneuvering is imperative, as honor alone cannot serve the fate of all that exists below the light of the Sun. Integrity must be practiced with pragmatism, and contemporary notions of what is just or unjust must be set aside if the road ahead necessitates such dismissal. After all, the dishonor of tavern dwelling is easily offset by the honor of saving one’s kingly father and country.