Henry IV

An Analysis of the Theme of Honor in Henry IV, Part One

In his play Henry IV, Part One, Shakespeare conveys the various themes by a stylistic method involving alternatively depicting the two extremes of society. The nobility is compared to the commoners, and the effect is one of two distinct classes operating at parallel levels but contrasting each other all the same. The disparity is specifically apparent in the theme of honor. Honor is a broad word that encompasses various definitions and varies from person to person. Thus, it is no surprise that the main characters also perceive honor in their own specific ways. However, the key aspect of the variability lies within the aforementioned distinction of class. The concept of honor for the nobility contrasts deeply with that of the common folk and it is this contrast that needs to be explored in order to understand more fully the broader themes of the play.

At the aristocratic level, honor has a particularly large influence on the views, behaviors, and actions of the noblemen. It is evident that the leaders of high society, the king and his peers, consider honor to be necessary to maintain the status they have or to achieve a status that they desi

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The subject of honor situates itself with respect to the central concerns of the play. At the same time, Hal does not consider honor to be insignificant like Falstaff does, otherwise he would not make it his goal to achieve honor so that he might win the admiration of everyone and one day become a loved leader, which he does indeed end up becoming in Henry IV. Where, then, in this arrangement does the complex Prince Hal lie? For Hal, honor seems to be associated with noble behavior, but for a good part of the play, his behaviors are far from noble as he idles away his time with Falstaff, drinking and participating in robbery. He is certainly aware of his fallen honor and this is why he is seen as a subdued and troubled character in Henry IV, Part One. In the very opening of the play, the king’s drive to appear more honorable in the eyes of his fellow men and subjects as well as to establish himself as a worthy ruler is apparent. What is in that word honor? what is that honor? Air. Or perhaps, he uses the conception of honor to illuminate the personalities and goals of the individual characters. He equates honor with reputation and thus he would go to any means to defend his reputation, even rebel against the king. 9-26)

At first glance, this speech seems to be the righteous words of an ambitious and determined king with an honorable purpose (honorable during the time period anyways). Furthermore, the honor that he is so intent on obtaining throughout the play ironically becomes Hal’s (the one who was always considered dishonorable between the two) in a single moment when he kills Hotspur and acquires all of his “proud titles. Hotspur is the “theme of honor’s tongue” and “Fortune’s minion and her pride” simply because he fights battles and wins.

Prince Hal’s theory, though, operates on the assumption that he will easily able to gain respect and honor from the people and from his father.

Approximate Word count = 2333
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

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