Henry Iv Part 1 Honor Essay

What is honor? By definition, the word honor means high respect and is something that can be achieved in many ways. The play Henry IV, part 1 by William Shakespeare dives into this idea of honor and the many ways to achieve it. The play shows this idea from the characters fighting for honor and the discussion of whether or not they deserve it. Honor is something an individual must earn, but the characters in Henry IV, part 1 believe they can fool others rather than work for it, to gain honor. Hal, the prince, thinks he is going to get honor handed to him through his father, the King, and his inheritance of the throne. Falstaff and Hotspur also think that they can get honor handed to them by fooling the others. They are all untrustworthy and

His father, King Henry, got the crown handed to him by Hotspur's family. He slowly gained honor but then quickly lost it by being unfaithful to his people. Hal has no worries at the beginning of the play and goes about his life as free as he wants until he believes he will get the crown handed to him and then rise to his duties. Hal supposes that if he sets no expectations for himself then once he does something noble he will be praised for his actions. Hal goes around with Poins pranking his friends and robbing them. However, this does not show much maturity as he acts irresponsibly doing whatever he chooses with no consequences in mind as previously stated. He believes that once he gains the crown he will mature; everyone would simply forget his past, honor him, and move on. Hal does not mature until act three scene two when his father talks to him and threatens to take the crown away from him, giving it to his little brother, Lancaster. The King tells Hal, “Thy place in council thou hast rudely lost, which by thy younger brother is supplied”(3.2.34-35). “The hope and expectation of thy time is ruined, and the soul of every man prophetically do forethink thy fall” (3.2.38-40). The audience can understand that the King says his brother is going to get the crown and how he is deeply disappointed in

He plays as the King's puppet trying to get on his good side when the audience first meets him in the play. Soon after in act one scene three the King does not do what he wants so Hotspur reacts and turns on him. The king wants to keep his prisoners from the previous war and is scared if Mortimer comes back he will take over as king. Mortimer is Hotspur's brother-in-law and Hotspur wants to save him so he is willing to give up the prisoners and betray the King. (1.3.199-202) Hotspur says “If he fall in, good night, or sink or swim! Send danger from the east unto the west, so honor cross it from the north to south, and let them grapple.” Hotspur is passionate about giving up their prisoners for Mortimer so he mischievously does what he can to get his way but it does not work out for him in the