Background and Plot Summary

I. i. When Chaucer’s king, Richard II, first came to power, he was a child, and his many uncles, including John of Gaunt, Earl of Lancaster, actually ruled England. When he got old enough Richard seized control, but they remained powerful, and when John of Gaunt died, and Richard confiscated his estate, Gaunt’s son, Henry Bolingbroke (also called Lancaster), whom Richard had banished, returned to England with an army and deposed him (later having him killed). Bolingbroke then became King Henry IV, who opens this play by needing to deal with the constant turmoil which is his legacy as usurper. His plan is to send off all the troublemakers to fight in the crusades in Jerusalem. For a year he has been trying to do this, but civil turmoil keeps getting in the way. This time it’s Glendower, in Wales, who has slaughtered 1000 troops and taken captive their leader, Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March (proclaimed by Richard heir apparent), who is about to defect and marry Glendower’s daughter. Also, Hotspur (Harry Percy, Mortimer’s brother-in-law), son of Northumberland, a key noble who helped depose Richard and enthrone Henry, has just defeated the Scots, but he is refusing to turn over his prisoners. Henry IV is simultaneously impressed by Hotspur’s valor (so unlike his own son’s debauchery) and worried about the threat Hotspur poses. He calls for a council to reign in all his rivals, chief among them Worcester (pronounced Wooster), the spider at the center of the Percy family.

I. i. Meanwhile Henry IV’s son, Prince Hal (also called Harry Monmouth, later to become Henry V), is spending his time in a tavern with Sir John (Jack) Falstaff. He goes so far as to agree to participate in a robbery which will culminate in a practical joke on Falstaff.

I.iii. The King fails to get his potential rebels under control, and after he leaves the council chamber they begin to hatch a plot to depose him, with the help of the Welch, the Scots (under Douglas), the Church, and Hotspur’s army.

II. i. At the inn in Eastcheap, preparations for the robbery unfold, with Gadshill casing a Franklin who is about to take off with 300 marks in gold.

II.ii. Falstaff, etc, rob the travellers, then are robbed by Poins and the Prince.

II.iii. Hotspur reads a letter from a noble who is backing out from the rebellion, then takes leave of his wife, Kate.

II.iv. The robbers return to the tavern to embarrass Falstaff about his cowardice and pick his pocket while he sleeps.

III.i. The rebels meet to carve up the kingdom (in advance of their expected success). Hotspur complains that his share is less than Glendower’s, and they almost come to blows, but Glendower backs down, at which point Hotspur gives up his claim.

III.ii. The tavern scene between Falstaff and Hal (II.iv) was a dry run for this intense encounter between King Henry and his son. The king rebukes Hal, then accepts his vow to mend his ways and vanquish Hotspur at the coming battle at Shrewsbury.

III.iii. Back in the tavern Falstaff accuses the Hostess of picking his pocket, then finds out it was the prince who did it. Hal arranges for Falstaff to lead a charge of foot soldiers in Shrewsbury.

IV.i. As he prepares for battle at Shrewsbury, Hotspur learns that both his father (Northumberland) and Glendower have failed to bring the troops they promised. He realizes that he will be outnumbered against the King’s forces of 30,000.

IV.ii. Falstaff has conscripted the wealthy, taken bribes to excuse them, and replaced them mostly with impoverished prisoners, which comprise his charge of soldiers.

He runs into Hal and Westmoreland, on their way to Shrewsbury.

IV. iii. The King sends Blunt to offer the rebels terms of peace and avert war.

IV. iv. The archbishop fears the rebels will fail.

V. i. The king repeats his offer of peace to Worcester, who is to bring the rebels’ answer. Falstaff delivers a famous soliloquy debunking honor.

V.ii. Worcester keeps the king’s offer from Hotspur. Fighting will start soon.

V.iii. The battle begins with Douglas killing Blunt, who is disguised as king.

Hal asks Falstaff (whose 150 soldiers are almost all dead, now) for a sword and gets a bottle of sack.

V.iv. The King is attacked by Douglas, but Prince Hal saves him, then goes on to kill Hotspur, an achievement he allows Falstaff to take credit for.

V. v. The king’s forces prevail, but the rebellion is not over.

Study Questions, I Henry IV

1. At the opening of the play, why is Prince Hal hanging out with Falstaff instead of standing by his father in his time of need? (I.ii)

2. What do the revellers in I.ii. and the rebels in I. iii have in common?

3. What is the nature of the relationship between Hotspur and his wife? (II.iii) (III.i.225-256)

4. In what sense is Falstaff a perfect teacher for Hal? (II. iv) Many readers have considered Act II, scene iv the high point of the play. Do you agree?

5. What is the effect of presenting the rebels carving up the kingdom (III. i) just after the robbers have met to carve up the spoils from the robbery (II. iv)?

6. How does Hal manage to win his father over in III.ii, when the king calls him to account?

7. Why do you think Hal goes right back to his tavern chums after promising his father that he will mend his ways? (III.iii) Is he a hypocrite?

8. What do you think of Falstaff’s quip to Hal that his soldiers are "good enough to toss"? (IV.ii.62)

9. Why do you think Prince Hal says (when he thinks Falstaff is dead), "I could have better spared a better man"? (V, iv, 103)

10. Why do you think Hal lets Falstaff get away with claiming credit for killing Hotspur?

11. Why do you think Shakespeare ends the play without resolving the problem of the rebellion?

12. According to this play, what do you think Shakespeare considered the greatest threats to peace and security?

13. If Henry IV and Falstaff are both father figures for Prince Hal, what can he hope to learn from each?

14. Do you think that in all the comparisons between Hotspur, Hal, Henry IV, and Falstaff, the play contains an implicit vision of a great leader? What qualities would he have?

15. Do you consider this play sexist? If so, how? Where? If not, what woman in the play to you consider admirable? Why?