Kevin Walsh, E242-002

Reader Response on Henry IV, Part One

1 Oct 2013
What does it mean to have honor? To be honorable? This !estion is e"plored in #ha$espeare%s
Henry IV, Part One thro!&h the actions o' the characters (ithin it) Thro!&h their actions re&ardin&
honor, m!ch can be learned abo!t each character%s character)
*onor has a di''erent meanin& 'or each character) +or ,rince *arr-, honor is a c!lmination o'
the val!e o' his c!rrent actions) ,rince *arr- o'ten disre&ards honor completel-, li$e in the robber- o'
+alsta'' and his companions, 'or personal entertainment and personal &ain) .'ter bein& lambasted b-
his 'ather, ,rince *arr- sets o!t to &ain honor) *e believes to have accomplished his &oal 'ollo(in& his
de'eat o' *otsp!r in battle) While this ma- have &iven him tr!e honor amon&st his peers, it re'lects
,rince *arr-%s transient notion o' honor since he believes a sin&le act can redeem him)
+alsta'' has little re&ard 'or honor, (hich is 'ittin& 'or the most ro&!e-li$e o' all the characters)
+alsta'' is a notorio!s hi&h(a-man and robber- is !ite the dishonorable act, no matter (here -o! loo$
at it 'rom) +alsta'' is !ic$ to lie abo!t bein& robbed in order to save his 'ace and perhaps his honor as
(ell, b!t l-in& is also !ite the dishonorable act) /ein& ca!&ht in his r!se does little to help +alsta''%s
sit!ation, and it is !nclear i' +alsta'' is merel- a ver- dishonorable person or doesn%t (ant to (aste his
time tri'lin& (ith honor) ,erhaps the t(o are one in the same)
Kin& *enr- 01%s sense o' honor is a star$ contrast to +alsta''%s) While +alsta'' (as concerned
onl- (ith himsel', Kin& *enr- 01%s concerns lie (ith his co!ntr-) When he sees that his son is actin&
dishonorabl- and lac$s an- honor, Kin& *enr- 01 is !ic$ to char&e him (ith chan&in& his (a-s) One
da- ,rince *enr- (ill become $in&, and Kin& *enr- 01 is concerned 'or the (ell-bein& o' his co!ntr-
in the '!t!re !nder his son%s r!le, (ere his son to be a dishonorable man) Kin& *enr- 01 is also
concerned (ith his o(n honor 'rom events lon& past) To ascend the throne, Kin& *enr- 01 had to rebel
a&ainst Kin& Richard 00) One co!ld sa- that rebellion is dastardl- and vile, a de'inite dishonorable act)
Kin& *enr- 01 reco&ni2es this and calls into !estion his o(n le&itimac- as a r!ler, (hich is somethin&
that a $in& (hose o(n throne is !nder 'ire sho!ld de'initel- stra- a(a- 'rom doin&) Kin& *enr- 01 is a
do!bt'!l and contemplative character, as sho(n thro!&h his actions)