Henry+IV,+part+1

Key Plot Events

Key Characters (include a list of their key traits) - King Henry IV: guilty (robbed Richard II of the throne), regal, proud, angry with the actions of his son - Prince Harry: the King's son; spends his time with the local drunks and crooks in the hopes that someday he will straighten out and surprise everyone with his talents - Hostpur: the favorite of King Henry; he is deceitful and very hot-headed, often making rash decisions - Sir John Falstaff: Prince Harry's closest friend; he serves as comic relief - Lord John of Lancaster: King Henry's younger son, Prince Harry's younger brother; even for his young age, he proves himself worthy in the battle - Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester: Hotspur's manipulative uncle; he is the mastermind behind the rebellion - Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland: Hotspur's manipulative father; he helps Thomas Percy with the rebellion but does not show up with his troops for the fight - Owain Glyndwr (Owen Glendower): leader of the Welsh rebels; joins with the Percys in the rebellion and battle; mysterious and superstitious - Archibald Earl of Douglas ("The Douglas"): leader of the Scottish rebels; very good fighter - Archbishop of York: holds a grudge against the King, which results in his helping the rebels - Poins, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill: thieves and friends of Prince Harry

Setting (time and place) -London, in either the King's royal castle or the Boar's Head Tavern; this contrast in settings symbolizes the contrasting ideals and beliefs of Prince Harry and Hostpur; most likely in 1402-1403.

Key Symbol(s) The key characters themselves serve as symbols for certain traits: -Hostpur--represents honor, but also, like his nickname, hot-headedness -Harry--change and transformation -Glyndwr--folk magic of Wales

Key Image(s) Bar vs. Castle - Harry visits both places and seems to have an identity crisis. When mingling with Falstaff, he appears to lower his rank and seem falsely critical of Falstaff. When Falstaff asserts that honor is useless if it ends in death, his rationality trumps the poor prioritization of the nobility. Such different atmospheres really house the same people, and the roles that they play morally speaking, are even reversed.

Key Theme(s) -honor--Honor is one of the main themes of the play. While Hostpur places honor above all else, Harry sees honor as a fictional idea, and therefore lives his life how he pleases, knowing he will eventually get the job done. -legitimacy of rulership--Much of the plot is driven by the fact that Henry IV became King by unjust ways. Because of this, Hotspur justifies his plans to usurp the power from the King. Also, the play often discusses what makes a ruler legitimate and what qualities good rulers possess. For much of the play, Harry is conflicted with living his lifestyle and changing ot become better suited to be King. Key Structural Elements -Like all of Shakespeare's plays, Henry IV, Part 1 is split into five different Acts, with the rising action occuring in the first two Acts, the climax in Act 3, and the resolution in Acts 4 and 5. The play ends, however, with a perfect set up for a sequal. -Shakespeare sets up a foil between Harry and Hostpur, and the two different plot lines in the play highlight their differences in characters, personalities, and actions. While one scene will take place in a royal setting, the next will foil it by taking place in a local tavern filled with drunks, emphasizing the different lifestyles of the two main characters. This also enforces the major change in Harry when he finally steps up to the challenge at the end of the play.