РефератыИностранный языкHeHenry IV Essay Research Paper The father

Henry IV Essay Research Paper The father

Henry IV Essay, Research Paper


The father and son relationship is one of the


most important aspects through the youth of a


young man. In Shakespeare?s play Henry IV, he


portrays the concept of having "two fathers".


King Henry is Hal?s natural father, and Falstaff is


Hal?s moral father. Hal must weigh the pros and


cons of each father to decide which model he will


emulate. Falstaff, who is actually Hal?s close


friend, attempts to pull Hal into the life of crime,


but he refuses. Hal seems to lack honor at the


commencement of the play, but near the end we


see him display a different kind true honor which


will be explained more in depth. Hal also shows


his honor when he rejects the requests put forth


by his good friend Falstaff and sides with his


natural father to fight loyally. Even though Henry


views Hal as an unworthy candidate for the


thrown, Hal proves him wrong by displaying


attributes that are very honorable.


In King Henry?s point of view, Hal doesn?t seem


much like an heir to his thorwn. Instead of living


at the court to aid his father govern England, he


frolics in the Taverns of Eastcheap with a group


of petty thieves. There are two different views


that the audience can perceive as to why Hal


constantly goes to the Tavern. Firstly, it might be


so that he can escape his responsibilities. Second,


it could be so that Hal can learn the lives of the


people that he will eventually be governing.


Depending on which one you believe, it will


show your own decision as to whether you


conceive Hal as being responsible and honorable


or vice versa. Falstaff who seems to be Hal?s role


model while in the Tavern, is putting forth a g

reat


deal of effort to have Hal conform into the


lowlife that he himself has made himself out to


be. Falstaff teaches Hal how to lie, cheat, and


steal, but Hal seems to have a mind of his own.


He tells his father that at any given moment he


can change his character and be what his father


wants him to be. Henry declines to believe these


statements.


Before the final battle Falstaff asks for Hal?s


protection. Hal?s response is, "Say thy prayers,


and farewell. Why, thou owest God a


death"(5.1.124-126). This statement gives the


impression that Hal has had a change of heart. In


Act 5.2, Hal shows a different kind of honor


when he attempts to take away all of Hotspur?s


honor. Hal isn?t as interested in gaining honor for


its own sake as he is in forcing Hotspur to render


up all of his. This scene displays how Hal is


honorable for himself and for himself only. Hal


and his true father go into battle versus Hotspur


and his father Douglas. Just when King Henry is


cornered, Hal comes to the rescue and then kills


Hotspur. This immediately gives Henry a change


of heart, and for the first time, he is proud of his


son.


As shown in this paper Hal is only honorable to a


certain extent. He is dishonorable at the beginning


of the play by stealing for fun, but he changes his


ways and finds his true self by the end of the


play. He shows true honor in the final act of the


play by finally realizing that the right thing to do


is to stick with his "real" family, and not put your


friends before your blood.


Shakespeare, William. Henry the Fourh: Part


One. Ed. M.A. Shaaber. New York: Kingsport


Press Inc., 1957.

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