Henry IV 1 & 2 by William Shakespeare

PRIMARY SOURCE: Henry IV, Part 1 (pub. 1598) Part II (pub. 1600)

Context

• Publication: 
• Part 1 produced by the Chamberlain's Men 1596-7. Survives only as single sheet from quarto. EEBO link. 
• Part 2 produced by the same 1597-8. Published once in quarto, twice in folio collections. EEBO link.
• Feb 25, 1598: Entered to Andrew Wise: "a booke intituled The historye of Henry the iiijth with his battaile of Shrewsburye against Henry Hottspurre of the Northe wth the conceipted mirthe of Sr Iohn ffalstoff".
• Jun 25, 1603: Transferred from Andrew Wise to Matthew Law: "iij enterludes or playes. ... The Third of Henry the .4 the first parte. all kinges." (DEEP)
• Scholarship: Scholars are partly interested in Shakespeare's use of multiple spaces to establish nationhood. Accordingly, scholars are interested in the mixture of class representations between Westminster and Eastcheap. Scholars analyze representations of Glendower as analogous to the interpretation of Ireland. Politically, scholars read Hal for Machiavellian strategy and masculine characterization--useful for feminist readings of this play. Lastly, there is interest in the Oxford edition, which features names edited according to the Master of the Revels: Falstaff, importantly, was called Oldcastle--possibly referring to Foxe's idol of Protestant soldiering.
• Why I'm reading it: The Canon.

Content

• Form: Two parts. Each part has five acts.
• Genre: History play.
• Plot: 
• Part 1: Henry IV's previous supporters begin to turn on him. Henry Percy Jr. fights for the king against Douglas of Scotland, but uses his prisoners to bargain for the freedom of Mortimer, the chosen successor of Richard II. Mortimer allies himself with Glendower, and thereby brings them together with Henry Percy (Sr. and Jr.) and Douglas--all united against the King. Meanwhile, Prince Hal carouses with Falstaff in Eastcheap. He pranks Falstaff with friends until being summoned by his father. Prince Hal vows to atone for his waywardness by killing Henry Percy. Falstaff begins to organize a troop of soldiers. Henry Percy Sr. falls ill and refuses to send troops to battle. Glendower does the same due to premonitions of failure, and accordingly, Mortimer does, too. Only Henry Percy Jr. appears at Shrewsbury to personally kill Prince Hal. Henry IV offers amnesty for rebels who lay down arms and take an allegiance oath, but Thomas Percy does not carry the message to Henry Percy Jr. The battle begins, Douglas goes on a killing spree, and Falstaff forswears honor in battle--to the extent that he carries a bottle of wine rather than a sword. Hal drives Douglas away from Henry IV, and then meets Henry Percy Jr. As they struggle, Douglas fights Falstaff and Falstaff feigns death. Hal defeats Henry Percy Jr., though Falstaff tries to take credit. Hal appeals to his father to free the valorous Douglas. The Lancasters are redeemed.
• Part 2: Since the Battle of Shrewsbury, the elder Henries are both failing. Henry Percy Sr. grieves his son and flees to Scotland, hoping to carry on the rebellion with the faithful troops of the archbishop of York. Henry IV has to divide his troops to hold off the Irish and the French. He is weary, ill, and troubled by his own ascent to the throne. He is heartened by the death of Glendower. Prince Hal continues his carousing until summoned back to service. Falstaff organizes a rag-tag army from in Gloucestershire, made up of men who couldn't bribe him. Prince John and York meet to discuss peace. John offers peace and reconciliation, on the condition of inspection of the surrendering rebels. They disband too quickly, while John's do not wish to disband under Westmoreland, so John uses his army to arrest rebels and the archbishop. A dying Henry IV is heartened by news of John. He advises his younger sons, Gloucester and Clarence, to maintain unity. Hal visits his fainted father, admits his regrets, promises graceful rule, and leaves with the crown. Henry IV accuses Hal of harmful wishes, but when consoled, the king admits that he gained the crown without principle and begs God for forgiveness. He wishes for a journey to the Holy Land, and advises Hal to occupy the bloodlust of his nobles with foreign conquest. Henry IV dies, and Hal becomes Henry V. A chief justice banishes Falstaff from the new king's presence, and after some dispute, Henry V agrees. He tells Falstaff that he is a changed man, and that the banishment can be gradually lifted on good behavior. Falstaff maintains that Hal is simply putting on a show.
• Other notes: Where to begin?

(NB: Written with anthology notes.)

Archer, Stanley. "Henry IV, Part II." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.

DEEP: Database of Early English Playbooks. Ed. Alan B. Farmer and Zachary Lesser. Created 2007. Accessed18 January 2013. <http://deep.sas.upenn.edu>.

Grigsby, John L. "Henry IV, Part I." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.

Shakespeare, William, Stephen J. Greenblatt, and Andrew Gurr. The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W. W. Norton, 1997. Print.