Pursuit of Honor

In Shakespeare’s 1 Henry IV, both Hal and Falstaff reflect upon honor, which in this play is the appearance of nobility and it is a particular virtue that is valued: like bravery in men. Throughout the play Falstaff stays constant in his view that the pursuit of honor is a worthless and empty cause; while Hal’s view changes from one that expects honor to just come to him, to one that realizes that he must take an active role in obtaining honor. This contrast between the two views help to show the tremendous change Hal goes through during the play. Falstaff’s soliloquy is an ironic contrast with how Hal regards honor.

Falstaff’s soliloquy in Act 5 Scene 1 (lines 127 ff) questions the value of honor. Falstaff is a man who takes no risks, and the mere idea of throwing one’s life away for this abstract thing men call honor seems ridiculous to him. He begins by remarking to himself about how absolutely unnecessary it would be to go to one’s death before their time. He uses the metaphor of owing money to make a comparison between paying bills and death. He simply cannot understand why one would be willing to pay such a debt before it is owed—he himself is “loath to pay”(5.1.127) such a thing as his li

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He would rather surround himself with thieves and drunks than with members of the royal court. 132), but cannot heal them because “honor hath no skill in surgery”(5. He establishes that honor can lead to the “grief of a wound”(5. Hal has always wanted honor, but the way he goes about getting that honor has changed.

At the beginning of the play, Hal seems to not be concerned with the active pursuit of honor. This soliloquy is an ironic contrast with how Hal regards honor. “Percy is but my factor, good my lord, / To engross up glorious deed on my behalf”(3. Falstaff is no interested in anything that risks personal comfort, and as for honor, he only cares about what it can do for him. He personifies death in his metaphors, saying he will not surrender to ‘him’ until he must, and will wait until death is inevitable. He would rather spend his days and nights consuming cheap wine and lusting after prostitutes. He now begins a multitude of questions and answers, which clarify his views on the virtue of honor.

Approximate Word count = 840
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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