Artifact 5: The Power of Perspective: Dysfunctional Relationships in Henry IV part I
The Globe Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, like all showings of the play, includes personal interpretations by both the director and actors. The director’s interpretation of Act III Scene II of the play diverges with my own on several aspects. We seem to have very different ideas on how the tone should be set. For instance, at times the director gives King Henry a chiding tone where I see him speaking more uncertainly. We disagree on how actors should use their body to convey meaning. An example of this is the way the Globe production has Harry look childish and adolescent with crossed arms and a turned back to his father throughout the scene. Additionally, we seem to have overall differing opinions on the character portrayals of the scene. For instance I see Harry as being much more apologetic throughout the scene while the Globe production makes the prince seem ignorant and discourteous to his father.
The tone that the Globe Theatre sets in this scene contradicts my vision of how the conversation between Harry and the king ensues. When the scene begins we see Harry, who has been summoned by the king, approaching his father. The King tells his counsel “be near at hand, for we shall presently have need of you,” and warns them that Harry may “breed revengement and scourge for me” (III.II.2-3)(III.II.7). Initially in the Globe Theatre production, the King speaks with disgust and contempt towards Harry, almost conveying a sense of verbal abuse or retribution through his loud and rough tone. Through my interpretation, I took a different perspective on King’s welcome of Harry. I took from the text that the King was almost worried of what may come from his visit with his son. He tells his counsel to stay near, which to me shows he fears possible harm from Harry. I see a sense of impending disaster on the King’s face due to his constant worry over the security of his kingdom. After all if Harry, the heir to the throne can barely keep himself safe, it will be hard to trust him with the well being of the entire kingdom.
As the scene continues in the Globe’s play, the king carries an angry, doom-laden disposition about him that leaves Henry in shock. Through my reading, I perceive the King as having a solemn and woeful temperament about him throughout the first half of the scene. In the Globe Production, the king speaks of Harry’s missing place in court when he tells his son “thy place in Council thou hast rudely lost…And art almost an alien to the hearts of all the court and princes of my blood” (III.II.32-35). I see him as softly dreading what his son has become instead of being angry and chiding towards Henry.
As the Globe’s play continues to take a reprimanding tone, the subject of Percy arises in the King’s lecture. The King speaks commandingly and almost applauds Percy’s boldness to raise up an army, recruit wise aged men to join forces, and oppose the king. He says that Percy is a “Mars in swaddling clothes” and that the boy attempts to “fill the mouth of deep defiance up and shake the peace and safety of our throne” (III.II.12)(III.II.16-17). Through my understanding, I see the King speaking with much more anger and recognition of betrayal towards the traitor Percy rather than putting him on a pedestal (perhaps this is because the king sees himself in Percy and this bolsters his ego). In the Globe Theatre’s production, Harry’s response to his father’s chiding also seems to take on a life of its own when it comes to Percy. In the play Harry speaks of Percy with resentment and slight envy, but also plays a victim as he accuses the King of ignoring him and not thinking highly of him during Harry’s period of youthful follies. From my reading I believe Harry speaks of honest atonement from his marked past when he says that he shall redeem himself and “in the closing of some glorious day be bold to tell you that I am your son” (III.II.133-134). Through my understanding of the text, I see Harry’s line of “the unnoticed Harry” as him looking upon his former life in disdain rather than accusing his father (and the court) of ignoring him.
The tone of the play continues to take a solemn mood full of revenge, spite, and ferocity as the scene from the Globe Theatre comes to a close. Towards the end of the scene, Harry seems to have an epiphany that proves to be the changing point of the play. However the Globe Theatre and I have different ideas on how the tone should be set for this critical juncture. Harry boldly claims in the spirit of reconciliation that he will “stain [his] favours in a bloody mask, which washed away shall scour [his] shame in it” (III.II.136-137). In the Globe Theatre version Harry seems to finally acknowledge the gravity of his past mistakes as he speaks in a low reflective voice of his dishonors. Through my textual interpretations, I see Harry boldly owning up to his past, wearing his scars to prove that he is not perfect, but also to testify before the world that he can build upon his imperfections. I see Harry speaking with slight fear but with honesty and truth in his words. Additionally, in the closing passages of the Globe production while speaking of the impending war the King says “a hundred thousand rebels die in this” in a matter of fact voice that almost prophets victory and honor already granted (III.II.160). I see a much more somber mood being set in these final few passages. I see this as the King adding gravity to the situation, challenging the bold words of Harry, and almost sobering the unbattle-tested Harry.
The use of body language in a play can drastically change how an audience comes to understand the performance. The body language that the actors of the Globe Theatre use is interesting, yet foreign to how the segment proceeds in my imagination. In the Globe Theatre production, both Harry and King Henry use body language to emphasize their attitudes and thoughts. Before we see the prince and his father come together, Henry’s body language, with crossed arms and averted gaze, suggests adolescent rebellion to what may be helpful advice from his father. When the King prompts Harry of his wild ways the prince answers “wherein my youth hath faulty wandered and irregular find pardon on my true submission” (III.II.26-28). When I envision Harry receiving his denouncing appraisal, I see the prince being honest and embracing the follies of his past rather than being passive with his father. Instead of turning away from his father in spite as the Globe production shows, I see Harry on his knees begging forgiveness. For instance, when reprimanding the prince of his lost place in counsel, the King adds the fact that Harry’s much younger brother had taken on his aristocratic duties (III.II.33). Through the text, I see this as a moment of clarity for the prince of all the harms he has brought the kingdom, and an opportunity for him to solicit pardon. Additionally, during the Kings speech in the Globe’s play, Harry half-heartedly attempts to interject with arguments, but never truly speaks his mind. I thought this was an interesting addition to the play that I did not think about and one that adds to the character development of Harry.
The Globe Theatre and I agree that the body language the prince uses should evolve into the conclusion of the scene when the prince steps into his new and honorable role. In the Globe production, at the end of the King’s rant, Henry sits sedately feeling guilty, slumped over in his chair. He seems to have lost all of his adolescent defensiveness, and looks as though he has accepted defeat. On the contrary, I see this moment as an opportunity for Harry to take a solemn oath, to clean his slate of begging, and to boldly accept his position in the royal line of responsibility. In my mind Harry should proudly pronounce “I do beseech your majesty may salve the long-grown wounds of my intemperance” and that if worst comes to worst “the end of life cancel all bonds” (III.II.155-156)(III.II.157). I believe that this is Harry’s moment to embrace the warrior lifestyle of his prince-hood and fight for the family tree he extends from. Perhaps Henry stands tall, reaches out, and grasps his father’s attention instead of sitting in a chair sulking like a discontented child as the Globe Theatre shows him.
Further along, the Globe Theatre shows Henry in a moment where he should be gaining some traction away from his directionless youth and towards a more noble cause. The prince states “the time will come that I shall make this northern youth exchange his glorious deeds for my indignities” (III.II.144-146). However he is shown in the Globe production as acting indignantly when he tells his father he shall better Percy. He even lashes out physically at his father in their play, albeit only to add emphasis to his argument. The father and son are even shown embracing after Harry’s promise of retaliation. This comes as Harry is portrayed as being angry of all that Percy has achieved (perhaps a realization of all that Harry himself lacks and subsequent jealousy) and is driven by this resentment to enact revenge. From my textual interpretation, I did not take such a brutal and vengeful view on the relationship between Harry and Henry. I see Harry as being respectful of his father and finally realizing that he should idolize his King and win his heart out of honorable deeds and not necessarily out of proclamations of hatred for Percy. The sharp jabs to the arm and brutish tone that Harry uses in the Globe version to proclaim thoughts of animosity hardly make one think of a noble and righteous King-to-be. Instead, I see Harry embracing his newfound virtuous life by reflecting on the good to come rather than the destruction of those who have bested him in the past.
I have personal issues with the Globe Theatre’s overall choice of character portrayals in this scene. There are certain themes and attitudes that the Globe Theatre attaches to the performers that I find contradicting to my own interpretations. One major element the Globe Personally, I believe the father-son aspect of the Globe production is overdrawn as Harry is shown in a very adolescent, whiny, and immature light. King Henry also adds fuel to the fire in the Globe production by babying the prince with the nature of his responses throughout their conversation. The Globe Theatre’s take on Harry’s adolescent nature shows early in the scene as Harry quickly defends any accusation the King puts forth. When Harry says of his offences “I am doubtless I can purge myself of many I am charged withal” (III.II.20-21). I believe the Globe pursues these initial rebuttals of Harry far too sarcastically and with too much attitude on the prince’s part. In the Globe production Henry bursts forth with pent up defensiveness, speaking quickly, passionately and perhaps without any true justifying evidence. Almost in the same manner a child would defend any demeaning accusation from their parent. He admits partially to some of the claims, but nonetheless points fingers to even out his faults. Through the text, I interpret Harry’s initial conversation with the King as honest begging and pleading for the King to look past his foolish ways, whereas the Globe production makes Harry look like a child apathetically whining to his father’s usual scolding.
This youthful and naive disposition comes into play again in the Globe’s play when Harry swears that “I shall hereafter, my thrice-gracious lord, be more myself” (III.II.92-93). In the Globe version he says it with attitude, almost solely in the spirit of making the punishment stop. Through the text, I see this scene as Harry on his hands and knees begging retribution from his father. The sheer character of Harry is again depicted questionably by the Globe Theatre when Harry speaks of Percy throughout the entire scene. When Percy is mentioned in their version, Harry laughs out of disbelief as if he does not deserve to be seen as inferior to Harry up to this point. Harry says of Hotspur “Percy is but my factor, good my lord, to engross up glorious deeds on my behalf” (III.II.147-148). Through my understanding, this spiteful anger is portrayed with too much youthful ignorance. Through my reading ,I believe by this point Harry should have some honest revelations as to the foe he faces in Percy Harry should be shown in a challenging demeanor, but in one that is more proud than indignant.
At the very end of the scene when Blount enters in the Globe production, Harry seems to realize that the role he has stepped into and looks as if he is daydreaming before he is awoken by his father to receive his final orders. The king orders the prince that “on Wednesday next, Harry, you shall set forward” (III.II.173). And with that Harry sets of into his bright future. This was another interesting character development that I did not think about. It allows Harry a brief moment for the young prince to take in the shock of his decision before his life changes forever.
Another large contradiction I have with the Globe Theatre in our differing views of the play is in the way King Henry carries himself in this scene. The Globe Theatre gives King Henry a chip on his shoulder, a swagger that he struts around at times that is off-putting. I believe thorough my textual analysis, that King Henry’s role in this scene should be one of a father, a leader, and a teacher to his impressionable son. In the Globe production, the King speaks with gusto and dramatic gestures as he reenacts his noble youth and path to the crown. At one point he speaks of his past and how he “dressed [him]self in such humility that [he] did pluck allegiance from men’s hearts” (III.II.51-52). I believe this scene should play out with the King acting very humbly. I think the text shows that the King is attempting to tailor the prince into the throne, he is not simply talking down to his son out of sheer arrogance. Although the King does show the valiant and grounded nature he took to the throne in the text, I think the scene could be played out with much more humility on the part of the King who should act as more as a mentor rather than a braggart.
Shakespeare’s plays are written, purposefully or not, to leave room for personal interpretation when they are read and recreated. The Globe Theatre represents one version of how the director and actors can depict such aspects as tone, body language, and overall character portrayal. A third party such as myself may disagree here and there, but within the personal touch the play allows, lies the beauty of Shakespeare.
Work Cited
“Shakespeare: HENRY IV Part 1 (Globe Theatre).” YouTube. YouTube, 27 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxD-x4lLGQ0>.