The
King of England, Henry IV is in trouble with his
kingdom. He finds that England is in danger from all sides
of the country. The Welshman Owen Glendower has fought
victoriously against Henry’s army and defeated them, and
Henry “Hotspur” Percy, who formerly worked for the King
defeating an invasion from the Scottish rebels, has changed
sides and joined forces with Glendower to defeat Henry IV.
Hotspur has convinced his
father, the Earl of
Northumberland to join them, and they are rising against
the King, threatening to overtake his thrown.
Henry IV also has personal problems with his own son, Hal,
who has left home and is cavorting with wicked men. Despite
Henry’s best attempts to bring back his son, Hal remains
defiant and stays with the drunkards and thieves lead by
Falstaff, who he has taken up with. Hal has become
debauched and even taken to stealing and other criminal
activities in defiance of his father.
However, soon the prodigal son must return to the fold and
help Henry IV defeat his ever encroaching enemies. Hal
comes back to fight Hotspur in the Battle of Shrewsbury and
he kills Hotspur in combat. The rebel army is defeated with
the loss of their leader, Henry IVs kingdom is safe and he
also sees his son, the heir apparent, return to him and
become
noble once more after all of his base activity.
Henry IV Part One is one of the great history plays of
Shakespeare. The first part of a series of three, including
Henry IV Part Two and then the triumph of Hal, who now has
become King Henry in Henry V. Through these plays we see
the evolution of Hal from spoiled rich child to noble war-
like King. In Henry IV Part One, we see several father son
relationships, Hal and his father’s ill will towards one
another, Hal and Falstaff as a kind of anti-father, and
then the heroic Hotspur who, through Hal’s neglect for his
duties, seeks the thrown. This play shows the danger of
unbalance in the kingdom and of neglecting one’s duty to
both father and nation.
More reviews about the Henry IV Part One