shakespeares's henery IV

Rules of being a ruler include the sacrifices and burdens you must withstand when head of a nation. Shakespeare’s Henry IV is such a example that “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” Thus this would be a fitted title and motto for the play because of the many hardships which face the king. I plan to express these troubles which face the king and discuss if they are troubles that are self inflicted or if perhaps inevitable hardships which face any ruler of a country. For Henry his problems are not only ones that most rulers would face but also personal problems with his family and health. These problems only add heavily to all the existing problems that continually drive the king to be uneasy. Now this may sound sympathetic to Henry and I am not saying that he does not deserve such sympathy, but as stated before some of Henry’s problems I believe are brought on by himself. So where does my sympathy lie, well when discussing the factors that I feel are responsible for the troubled king I will express whether or not I feel compassion for the king.

The first problems faced by the king are those in which all in power seem to endure at one time or another. These are the quandaries of rebellion within the country. A pr

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This thought of a wish for Henry to die by s own family to take over the kingdom would lie a grievance on any ones head.

The sympathy that I feel for Henry on these predicaments is that the rebellion seems like it was the same rebellion that the country would have had against Richard.

A continual concern which I also found to be a issue which might set the king at unease is Henry’s failed goals he planned to accomplish in the time as king. The Archbishop speaks on behalf of the citizens and states,

The commonwealth is sick of their own choice;

Their over-greedy love hath surfeited. First if the king is God appointed to be ruler of the country then it would seem great importance in accordance with God’s plan to have the proper man take over the position.

Past and to come seem best; things present, worst.

Not only is Hal’s behaviour what troubles the king but also Henry’s feelings of the prince’s eagerness for his father death and collection of all prized extra’s which fall to the king.

These problems that face the king due to his son I do feel sympathetic and do not feel were self induced. Problems which Henry has with Hal include his recreational use and influential company. Henry again states,

Then you perceive the body of our kingdom,

How foul it is, what rank diseases grow,

And with what danger, near the heart of it. The country is in a revolutionary time and thus in a wild and anarchy state. Henry’s was raised to kingship by his popularity and the same rebellion against Richard. Also with the Archbishop against the king it becomes a justified act to rebel and under God there is allowed rebellion just as under God a king feels all subjects are to respect his authority.

Approximate Word count = 1592
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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