King Henry Iv Part 1 - Hal

1402 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Criticism and analysis of hamlet

Shakespeare gives the reader the opportunity to view the timeless duplicity of a politician in Prince Hal of Henry IV, Part 1. Instead of presenting a rather common hero, Shakespeare sharpens the both sides of the sword and makes Hal a deceitful prince. In order to portray accurately the treachery and fickleness of Hal, Shakespeare must provide Hal with models to follow, rivals to defeat, and a populace to convince. Although Hal would not have to grovel for votes from England's populace to become king, he does understand the problems of being an unpopular ruler from witnessing his father's problems. So Hal needs to persuade a general population that he is competent in order to remain a king once he has obtained the throne.

Shakespeare wants the play to seem sympathetic to Hal, and he wants Hal to convince the audience (populace) himself.Therefore, Hal's fraudulence is hidden in undertones and slips of the tongue which he makes throughout the play. The first indication of this comes at his soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 1. It would be impossible for a reasonable man to have boozed and bummed all of his teen years and suddenly renounce his life and become reborn. There is an amoral quality to Hal that allows him to change allegiances as political winds would call it wise. But it is not just amorality that makes Hal a politician - he desires power as well. His amorality culminates in his eulogies for Hotspur and Falstaff with the greatest grasp of power he makes in the play.

After he gives them and Falstaff is found alive, he realizes that he has made a slight blunder and backs off a bit, allowing Falstaff some room to remain. But while he delivers them, he is at his best, being the worst. His basic behavior appears king-like, but the subtleties show his utter disregard for those who love him and his calculating mind making political estimates so that he can secure the throne.Even though Hal is an amoral huckster, he must be able to convince others of his worthiness for the play to work. Therefore, Shakespeare must spend most of Hal's speeches using a convincing tone. He will use the overtones and most of the direct meanings of what Hal says to convey a thoughtful prince; he will use the undertones and occasional slips to give insight to the reality of Hal's persona.

Show More
Related

  • The Development of Prince Hal into a Leader in William Shakespeare's Henry IV

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    rebellion within the tavern setting as he becomes an adult with the political prowess to

    Read More

  • Racial Stereotypes Associated With Rap and Hip Hop Music

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    A race issue that occurs within the rap and hip-hop musical genre is the racial stereotypes associated with the musical form. According to Brandt, and Viki rap music and hip- hop music are known for fomenting crime violence, and the continuing formation of negative perceptions revolving around the African-American race (p.362). Many individuals believe that rap and hip-hop music and the culture that forms it is the particular reason for the degradation of the African-American community and the stereotypes that surround that specific ethnic group. An example is a two thousand and seven song produced by artist Nas entitled the N-word. The particular title of the song sparked major debates within not only the African-American community thus the Caucasian communities as well. Debates included topics such as the significance and worth of freedom of speech compared with the need to take a stand against messages that denigrate African-Americans. This specific label turned into an outrage and came to the point where conservative white individuals stood in front of the record label expressing their feelings. These individuals made a point that it is because artists like Nas that there is an increase in gang and street violence within communities. Rap and hip-hop music only depicts a simple-minded image of black men as sex crazed, criminals, or “gangsters”. As said above, community concerns have arisen over time over the use of the N-word, or the fact that many rappers vocalize about white superiority and privilege. Of course rap music did not develop these specific stereotypes, however these stereotypes are being used; and quite successfully in rap and hip-hop which spreads them and keeps the idea that people of color are lazy, all crimin...

    Read More

  • Indecision, Hesitation and Delay in Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1950 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fowler, Alastair. 1987. 'The Plays Within the Play of Hamlet.' In 'Fanned and Winnowed Opinions': Shakespearean Essays Presented to Harold Jenkins, edited by John W. Mahon and Thomas A. Pendleton. London and New York: Methuen.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Prince Hal And Falstaff's Henry IV: Part II

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    He is happy being a drunkard and someone who indulges what he wants. But he also realizes that it is not the type of life that a prince, or a king, should associate himself with, which leads him to his pleading—another reason the scene is prophetic. He pleads with Henry about his morality, much like he will do later in the play and in Henry IV: Part II. Though the play extempore is supposed to prepare Henry for his encounter with his father. Falstaff realizes it may be a good time to practice the inevitable encounter that he will have with Hal once he becomes king. This argument can be further developed when one realizes that it was Falstaff that called for the play extempore, not Hal. Falstaff knew he wanted a trial run before Hal’s kingship, so he gave himself one. However, Hal’s only reaction to Falstaff’s final speech is his line, “I do, I will” (2.4. 465). Some may take this as his answer to Falstaff that he will pardon him, and continue to be his friend. But the argument could be made that Hal is saying that line more to himself than to Falstaff. He is saying that he will do what’s necessary to be a good king. That he does have what it takes to leave a life he enjoys for a life of

    Read More

  • Gangster Rap - The Negative Impact on Identity

    1186 Words  | 3 Pages

    From Beethoven, to the rap artists of today, music has developed from classical masterpieces to garbage that glorifies negative behaviour. Rap, or gangster rap as it is commonly known, is a form of music that glamorizes thug life. This glamorization is destroying our communities and urban centers. Youth especially are influenced by this because they start to see the lifestyle described in rap as expensive cars, gorgeous women, and jewellery. The media tells them about these things but conveniently leaves out the fact a rap stars lifestyle is actually about drugs, violence, gangs, crime, and the objectification of women. If youth knew that most rap stars are actually prison inmates or living off welfare, they probably would not be so keen on adapting rap culture and would focus on getting an education instead. The media d...

    Read More

  • Othello in Shakespeare's Tragedy Othello

    652 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s dramatic and poetic techniques and his use of hyperbole are used to describe the characters emotions and weaknesses. The use of dramatic irony is used to create personal conflict. This is done throughout the play to describe the characters concerns and their situations.

    Read More

  • Identity Dilemmas in Hamlet and I Henry IV

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    In that soliloquy, Hal explains that this disguise will serve as “foil” that will make his “reformation” “show[s] more goodly and attract[s] more eyes” (1.2.150-52). However, judging from the fact that he easily concedes the glory of killing Hotspur to Falstaff, saying, “if a lie may do thee grace,/ I’ll gild it with the happiest terms I have” (5.3.147-48)—a glory that he promises to Henry IV as a token of his reformation (3.2), a glory that will surely redeem his past behaviours in the eyes of the multitude—it is clear that what is said is just an excuse for him to enjoy himself just a little longer, before he This also corroborates with the theory that there has been “less autonomy in self-fashioning” and that “family, state” imposed a “more rigid” control over self-fashioning (Greenblatt 1)—in Hal case, his father (family) and his future subjects (state) and the threatening of the welfare of state (Hotspur’s rebellion) forced his outward change of identity, but his inwardness remains the reluctant prince who knows that he has to shoulder the responsibility someday, but still wants to enjoy himself before that. In conclusion, both Hamlet and Henry IV explore the problematic relationship between the inward and outward dimensions of identity.

    Read More

  • Relationship of Hal and Falstaff in Henry V

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Act 1, Scene 2, Hal and Falstaff are dinking at the bar. We get the

    Read More

  • The Development of Chiasmus' Potential in I Henry IV by William Shakespeare

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning of the play, Prince Hal starts out on the lower half of the hierarchy. He spends the majority of his time in the tavern, drinking away the money that he "earns" by robbing travelers during the night. He is introduced to the readers as immature, irresponsible, and ignorant to his destiny and potential. But Shakespeare doesn’t let his readers see Hal this way for long: in I.ii, Hal’s intention of transcendence to princedom is evident in his revealing soliloquy:

    Read More

  • King Henry Iv Part 1

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s ‘King Henry IV Part I’ centres on a core theme of the conflict between order and disorder. Such conflict is brought to light by the use of many vehicles, including Hal’s inner conflict, the country’s political and social conflict, the conflict between the court world and the tavern world, and the conflicting moral values of characters from each of these worlds. This juxtaposition of certain values exists on many levels, and so is both a strikingly present and an underlying theme throughout the play. Through characterization Shakespeare explores moral conflict, and passage three is a prime example of Falstaff’s enduring moral disorder. By this stage in the play Hal has ‘reformed’, moved away from his former mentor Falstaff and become a good and honourable prince.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Soliloquies In Hamlet

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Speech is commonly used as a way of expressing opinions or thoughts on a particular subject; however, it can also be an outward manifestation of one’s nature or temperament. When portrayed in a story line, speech plays an important role for connecting a character with its audience. Otherwise, their intentions may become difficult to understand or identify. Since Prince Hamlet retains an elusive personality throughout the play, his profound soliloquies allow the audience of Hamlet to better recognize the nature of his character. Three of these speeches include his depression from the corruption of his family, his cowardly character when acting on his commitment to kill the King, and the ultimate decision he needs to make: whether or not to live and fulfill his father’s wish. These soliloquies not only allow the audience of Shakespeare to understand Hamlet’s temperament at the time of the speech, but it also helps to have further insight into the decisions he makes throughout the play.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Shakespeare's Henry V

    1617 Words  | 4 Pages

    Clearly, Shakespeare intends to portray Hal as a sort of antithesis to traditional monarchial stodgyness; the evidence of a misspent youth contrasts clearly against the politica...

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Madness In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare thus leaves his audience to fabricate their own perception with serving only minor stage directions. They are then left with Hamlet’s lingering words, actions, and the reactions to predisposed whether Hamlet’s madness is actually feigned or legitimate. Nevertheless, The evidence does not actually define Shakespeare’s character, Hamlet. To relate, modern audiences must do their research to become accustomed to the way of thinking done by people of the Renaissance. All in all, Hamlet’s true soundness is left up to the people of today’s

    Read More

  • Essay on Rewriting History in Henry IV

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    The play then shifts its focus to the younger Henry, nicknamed Hal. Shakespeare portrays the ...

    Read More

  • The Character of Falstaff in Henry IV

    1658 Words  | 4 Pages

    None of Shakespeare's plays are read more than the first and second parts of Henry IV. Particularly in Henry IV Part I, Shakespeare writes chronologically historical and interesting to follow events. The reader follows the chain of events with devotion and content eager to find out what happens next. Even though the hero of the play is Prince Henry, or Hal as we know him, the reader may find themselves more focused on Falstaff, one of the other major characters that Shakespeare created for comical relief. He was a witty, self-conscious, self-centered companion of the Prince. King Henry even criticized his eldest son for keeping company with such a low man. Even though Hal is the hero of the play both in both the tragic and the comic part, Falstaff is a main character to focus on in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part I.

    Read More

More about King Henry Iv Part 1 - Hal

Open Document