King Henry IV Act 1 Scene 2
- Created by: daniellalima
- Created on: 18-12-16 15:33
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- King Henry IV Act 1 Scene 2
- The tavern world and world of commonality, set against the court world and world of nobility
- The first speech expresses a hope for national unity, but this hope is denied by the Percy's rising and Hal's insubordination
- Scene 2 is in prose not verse, reflecting the commonality of the world
- Atmosphere is one of wit and high spirits
- Intimacy between Falstaff and Hal 'now Hal, what time of day is it lad?'
- Hal's rebuke 'what a devil hast thou to do with the time of day' - moralising streak in his replies
- Falstaff (robber) provides a challenge to the idea of majestic power itself, he parodies and mocks the language of praise surrounding Elizabeth, mocks 'good government'
- Shakespeare gives us a glimpse into the heir to the throne 'hang a thief....thou shalt' - thieves will be hung when Hal is King, anticipates eventual end of their relationship
- Poins enters and tells them the plan to rob the pilgrims in Kent early in the morning
- Hal 'Who? I rob a thief? Not I' - virtuous indignation
- Poins proposes a practical joke: he and Hal will disguise themselves and rob Falstaff
- Hal 'Who? I rob a thief? Not I' - virtuous indignation
- Hal's soliloquy
- Suggests that Hal, like his father, recognises that in this new world of uncertainties, kingship, power and authority now have to be earned and the mastery of appearances is a principle means of earning it
- Hal looks to the future, Henry is stuck in the past
- His princely debasement is merely a ploy to make his emergence into public life seem more remarkable 'my reformation glittering over my fault'
- Hal's pragmatism is seen in the movement of images, from nature (sun and clouds) to society (holidays and sport) from society to craftsmanship (bright metal on a sullen ground)
- Promises to 'imitate the sun' to produce a good performance in the role of the King
- His 'upholding' of the unrestrained behaviour of his tavern companions ('idleness') is temporary and a political calculation using his tavern life as an instrument of policy
- The imagery of debt and repayment merge with plays insistence on time - to fufill his obligation with the future, he must betray his relationship with the pay 'redeeming time when men least think I will', a betrayal that may erode the trustworthiness he seeks by establishing it
- Suggests that Hal, like his father, recognises that in this new world of uncertainties, kingship, power and authority now have to be earned and the mastery of appearances is a principle means of earning it
- The tavern world and world of commonality, set against the court world and world of nobility
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