Artifact 4: Writing Response to King Henry IV: Character Development and unmasking the pomp and circumstance of regality

Quotes:

[in regards to Falstaff] “But his wit exists for its own sake, or rather for his own sake. If he sees, with growing anxiety, that his access to the court depends upon his ability to ‘keep Prince Hary in continual laughter’ (2H4, 5.1.79), he never doubts that he can” (Kastan 47).

 

“royal bearing proves no guarantee of royalty. But the implications of the episode are not merely that Henry unheroically adopts a strategy in the interests of his safety, prudently manipulating appearances to deceive the enemy. They are far more disturbing: that kingship itself is always and only a counterfeit, a role, an action that a man might play… Even Henry can bear himself only ‘like a king’ (Kastan 64).

 

Reflection of my excerpt choices:

 

I chose these excerpts and main points of the introduction for different reasons. I believe the first quotation as well as the first few points symbolize the character qualities of Falstaff as well as the history surrounding him, which is important to understanding the background of the play. Falstaff is shown as a knight of untraditional values (that seem very contrary to his position). Moreover, we really see the intelligent pioneering methods of Shakespeare through this introduction.  Shakespeare works to humanize and individualize Falstaff instead of letting the plot of the tale determine Falstaff along the way. The second quote and the last main point show a different and much deeper side to the tale that adopts roots from the tales predecessor, Richard II. From the fall of Richard, which led to the rise of Henry, we see the theme of power being questioned. This quote shows the cold truth: that when faced with no pomp and circumstance, it is hard for an ordinary man to tell the king apart from a counterfeit. As Richard II shows the audience, even an anointed king can be replaced. I am very curious to see how this theme develops in this play.