ENGL362 Lecture 6: Nov. 22 - 1 Henry IV
Document Summary
One is dopier and a risk-taker (falstaff) Characters consistently remark upon the events of rii. Even those who supported henry tend to express disillusionment with him and regret over richard"s murder. King henry himself seems subdued and regretful. Ideas about kingship are re-examined perhaps it is the role that is corrupt: e. g. John of gaunt in rii saying richard lost the hearts of his people . Henry now seems to also have done so: maybe a person needs more than the body politic/divine right in order to be a good king. Main plot: king henry"s struggles with rebels: welsh led by glendower, scottish led by douglas. Subplot: prince hal and his friends who take part in drinking and fun: gives necessary backstory to hal"s inner world and his vow to become more responsible by the end of the play. In this case, the subplot is not just for comedic relief; it is essential.
