Customer Reviews

Henry IV, Part I (Folger Shakespeare Library)

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The events of this play follow "Richard II." Bolingbroke/Henry with the help of Northumberland and others, defeated Richard II and got crowned King Henry IV. But in this play, King Henry IV learns that political gratitude is short lived. As early as 1.3, King Henry IV has a falling out with his former allies Northumberland, Worcester, and Hotspur. In fact, Henry IV's behavior almost borders on psychotic here. In a great scene of reversal, Northumberland and Worcester regret having helped Henry to the crown and they even express sympathy to Richard II. (Such is politics) Well, Richard II's consolation prize begins to kick in, and revolts against King Henry IV are underway.

Meanwhile, Henry IV's son Prince Henry (the eventual Henry V) is still a youth, and he spends much time with friends who engage in criminal activity. We now meet the famous Falstaff. Falstaff is a rogue who engages in not so desirable behavior such as robbing travelers and drinking too much. At one point, he even takes bribes from people who want to avoid service to King Henry IV. But despite this, it is virtually impossible not to like Falstaff. He is comical, and at times, his concern for Prince Henry seems genuine.

Henry IV rebukes Prince Henry for engaging in meaningless activities while rebellions are rising. It is interesting how he brings up how he defeated Richard II. (This may not have been the smartest move. Henry V never quite approved of how his father stole Richard II's crown, and there is a passage in Shakespeare's "Henry V" that reminds us of this.) Nevertheless, Prince Henry agrees to shape up so to speak.

Later, Falstaff has the comical scene where he enters with subpar forces. (Cheap labor.) The battle comes and Shakespeare cleverly inserts a scene where King Henry Iv is wounded, but Prince Henry rescues him and 'redeems his lost opinion.' Things start to look good for King Henry IV, but Northumberland is still at large, and the grounds for 2 "Henry IV" are in motion.

The title is a misnomer: when one thinks about the play, Henry IV is not the first, second or third character that comes to mind. "The Prodigal Son", "Two Noblemen from Eastcheap" or "The Knight of Unabashed Countenance" may have been more fitting.

Falstaff looms large over the character set. Witty and silly by turns, he steals your attention by making you laugh with him or laugh at him. Even in the staged encounter between Hal and the king all the talk is about Falstaff. In his ability to be larger than life and to be uplifted by the sheer force of spirit, he is closely matched by Richard III. A lying thief and a remorseless murderer, when called a coward and a murderer to their face, they shrug it off, act as if they were a lion and a forlorn lover, and win over other characters and, somewhat disturbingly, the reader.

Straight arrow characters are always at a disadvantage in a Shakespearean play. Hotspur and Henry IV, in their straightforward delivery, are fading out to the sound of Hal's and Falstaff's verbal jousting.

Henry IV Part I may be Hal's story, but it is Falstaff's play.

The Foger Library publishes excellent editions of Shakespeare's works. The facing page lists definitions of unfamiliar words and explainations of unusual sentence constructions. It is an excellent edition for students.

No one told me Shakespeare did cliff-hangers! Why do high-school teachers and undergraduate professors hide the good stuff from us and force us to read the most painful and incomprehensible stuff?

Prince Henry Percy and his buddy Falstaff are hooligans getting up to the most deplorable delinquency, but that's OK because Henry is, well, a prince and all this is only youthful hijinks. Henry Hotspur, a cousin of the Prince, a soldier's soldier, a man's man (and Will leaves that question mark hanging in the air) is off to the wars at every chance he gets. King Henry is getting ready to get back to the Crusades and this is making his senior nobility antsy.

This play was a study in insults. Not the boring, repetative use of three or four profanities that passes for insults in mainstream America, but poetic, extended metaphors that denigrate in detail. Hotspur's descrition of a foppish senior officer's interference on the battlefield was a delight (act I, scene iii). My own military experience made this vignette especially enjoyable.

And the play ends as a battle ends, but with many issues unresolved and war looming in the near future.

I really enjoyed this one. It was dour and cynical, but with many lighter moments provided largely by Falstaff. Next up, "Henry the IV Stikes Again; King Henry the IV, Part II"

E. M. Van Court

Not only was the book in perfect condition I received it in 2 days -- no I didn't upgrade the delivery method! Fabulous!

Great item. Came just as described, and received within a reasonable amount of time. I would recommend this book and seller to anyone looking for a combo of the two!

Note the "Each edition includes:

· Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play

· Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

· Scene-by-scene plot summaries

· A key to famous lines and phrases

· An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

· An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

· Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books"
Only the first is true for the kindle edition