Falstaffs Role in Henry IV, Part One Essay -- Henry IV Henry V Essays

Falstaffs Role in Henry IV, Part One Henry IV, Part One, has always been one of the most popular of Shakespeares plays, maybe because of Falstaff. Much of the archaean criticism I found concentrated on Falstaff and so will I. This may begin in the eighteenth century with Samuel Johnson. For Johnson, the Prince is a young slice of great abilities and violent passions, and Hotspur is a rugged soldier, but Falstaff, unimitated, unimitable Falstaff, how shall I describe thee? Thou compound of sense and vice . . . a character loaded with faults, and with faults which conjure contempt . . . a thief, a glutton, a coward, and a boaster, always ready to cheat the weak and prey upon the poor to terrify the timorous and insult the defenceless . . . his wit is not of the splendid or ambitious kind, but consists in easy escapes and sallies of levity yet he is stained with no enormous or sanguinary crimes, so that his licentiousness is not so offensive but that it may be borne for his m irth. Johnson makes three assumptions in his reading of the play 1. That Falstaff is the kind of character who invites a honourable judgment mainly that he can answer to the charge of being a coward. 2. That you (the reader) can detach Falstaffs frivolity from the play and it can exist for its own sake apart from the major theme of the drama. 3. That the play is really about the fate of the kingdom, and that you (the reader) do not connect Falstaffs scenes with the main action. This means that the play has no real unity. Starting with Johnsons first assumption, I do agree with this. Any discussion of Fa... ...ributes to Hals maturing process, and it does. In conclusion, every age of man has and will continue to count on Falstaffs role based on the morals and the thinking of the day. His frivolity is necessary to make the play amusing and interesting enough to hold the readers/viewers attention. However, that Falstaffs scenes are call for should go without quest ion leaving the critics and us only to debate his motivation and his tactics. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Henry IV, Part One Blooms Notes. New York Chelsea House, 1996. Cruttwell,Patrick. Hernry IV. Shakespeare For Students, Vol. II. Detroit Gale Publishing, 1999. Kantor, Andrea. Henry IV, Part One. capital of the United Kingdom Barons Education Series, Inc, 1984. Princiss, G.M. Henry IV Criticism. Shakespeare For Students, Vol.II. Detroit Gale Publishing, 1999.