Introduction
Henry IV, Part 1 is one of Shakespeare’s greatest reflections of history (McLoughlin). In this particular part of the series of plays he wrote on the history surrounding Henry IV, Shakespeare introduces the audience to the Henry IV as a King who has acquired the throne through unjust and foul means; and is therefore pulled between the calling of his conscious and his desire to retain the throne (Shakespeare). This paper will attempt to present a brief discussion on Henry IV in light of the development of his character during the course of the plot.
Main body
It is imperative to realize at this point that King Henry IV plays a very important role in the development of the plot as his character continues to develop with the progression of the plot. In this regard, while the character of King Henry IV continues to develop, he supports the procession of the plot as well (Shakespeare). What merits highlighting is that the character of Henry IV, even though sometimes cold and very calculating, continues to develop with the turn of each new event.
The character of Henry IV is a fascinating character because while his actions do not give him enough room to be labeled as the protagonist of the play, they are still enough to put wheels in motion (Shakespeare). The character of Henry IV plays a pivotal role in the plot of the play. While Henry IV’s position may not be one that can be claimed as that of the protagonist’s without taking a second consideration, there is little doubt that it is the actions of Henry IV that push events into play.
In the beginning, it is apparent that Henry IV is concerned about little more than the legitimacy of his presence on the throne. The throne is the center of his life and his thoughts tend to revolve around the very same (Shakespeare and Hodgdon). He spends most of his time worrying about justifying his acquisition of the throne to himself and it is in the same regard that he makes the decision of leading the crusade; the event that puts the chain of events into motion.
He suffers from guilt but makes very little to no effort to redeem himself on account of his love for the power that his throne brings to him. As a result, almost all his actions are violent or irrational in nature such that they cause pain to others. Causing pain to others comes as a reason for him to divert his attention from his own past (Shakespeare). He is a man who believes in honor, but has chosen to compromise it through his own chosen will; leading him into a paradoxical state of mind in which he continuously keeps attempting to make peace with himself.
Through the developments of the play, Henry IV continues to think about little more than the retention of his throne. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that his priorities are shifting from doing little more than retaining the throne, to doing justice to his position on the throne. He begins to take an aggressive approach towards all those who oppose his attempts to justify his throne and his presence on his throne.
When Harry Percy refuses to send the captured soldiers to the King, he becomes highly agitated and this agitation gives him the opportunity that he needs; the opportunity to vent out his long held desire of justifying to himself his position on the throne.
When the rebel alliance begins to gain momentum and the king sends for his son to be called back from his tavern nights, it becomes evident that the change in King Henry IV has taken on a complete form and the King who now stands before the audience does not hold the same beliefs that were held by those who conned his way on to the throne (Shakespeare). By calling his son to come join him the court in order to defend his father, the throne and the kingdom, the king shows a the development of a great degree of confidence in his son and even though he berates his son for having abandoned the royal court in his wild misgivings, he still has faith in his son. This faith and love for his son is apparent when after Prince Henry saves his life, he states:
“Stay, and breathe awhile:
Thou hast redeem’d thy lost opinion,
And show’d thou makest some tender of my life,
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me” (The Literature Network).
Conclusion
Near the end of the plot, Henry IV undergoes a major change of heart upon witnessing the bravery of his son. In the conquest of his son, he finds a just reason to have his blood continue ruling the throne. It can therefore be justly surmised that King Henry IVâs character undergoes a significant degree of change during the course of the play (Shakespeare). In the beginning he maintains a cold outward appearance and does not show his insecurity about his presence on the throne. His actions reflect desperation but none of them leave the people around him with a hint of the cause of his desperation. By the end of the play, his outward persona is far more original than it was before. He is now truly the many he appears to be in contrast to the man he was before.
Works Cited
McLoughlin, Cathleen T. Shakespeare, Rabelais, and the comical-historical. Michigan: Peter Lang, 2000.
Shakespeare, William and Barbara Hodgdon. Henry IV. Part 1: Texts and Contexts. New York: St Martins Press, 1997.
Shakespeare, William. Henry The Fourth. London: Modern Language Association of America, 1936.