Henry IV, Part I (Folger Shakespeare Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ William Shakespeare (Author) "1.1 King Henry meets with his advisers to discuss his proposed crusade to the Holy Land, but the discussion turns instead to new battles on..." (more)
Key Phrases: basic sentence elements, afar remote, early printed texts, Sir John, King Henry, Prince of Wales (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

FOLGER Shakespeare Library

THE WORLD'S LEADING CENTER FOR SHAKESPEARE STUDIES

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

Essay by Alexander Leggatt

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

About the Author

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

Barbara A. Mowat is Director of Academic Programs at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, Chair of the Folger Institute, and author of The Dramaturgy of Shakespeare's Romances and of essays on Shakespeare's plays and on the editing of the plays.

Paul Werstine is Professor of English at King's College and the Graduate School of the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is the author of many papers and articles on the printing and editing of Shakespeare's plays and was Associate Editor of the annual Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England from 1980 to 1989.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (December 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743485041
• ISBN-13: 978-0743485043
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #196,516 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Falstaff and Short Lived Political Gratitude, July 14, 2006

By	Bradley Headstone "Sean ARES Hirsch" (New York) - See all my reviews

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare did cliff-hangers?, October 7, 2008

By	E. M. Van Court "Van, emvc (at) lycos.com" (Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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

5.0 out of 5 stars Exellent edition, June 1, 2009

By	L. J. McLeod-Warrick "Lesleberry" (Exurbia, Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.