Part 1

Education is a concept that is timeless. However, the various forms of educating someone have changed in some cases dramatically over time. The way we educate is entirely contingent upon the cultural values and norms of the time. Renaissance England was a time of shifting culture. In the example of Prince Hal, it is without question that he has avoided the concept of education at the start of Henry IV. Many consider Hal’s drinking and jolly times to be something of preparation for knowing all levels of society when he does become King, “Hal’s tavern education can appear to be simply an element of local color” (Henry IV, 277). However, it is important to notice that Hal’s counterpart, Hotspur, is of substantially higher military and social prowess than Hal—and catches the immediate attention of King Henry. Yet, Prince Hal eventually seizes victory in killing Hotspur. It is important to consider the fact that Shakespeare may have indeed been responding to the current English social theme of education. “Just as Henry IV considers Hal’s behavior a political problem, one that damages his own reputation as well as the future of the realm, Tudor moral and social reformers expressed the hope that schooling could be used to promote godliness and loyalty, combat such vices as idleness and unruliness, and advance the economy” (Henry IV, 278)—this asserts that the English society was more concerned with a reform in education and an end to schooling as Hal would have it. This teaching would also ensure that the monarchy was comfortably in place and that it would stand for generations, “Learning, it was thought, could in itself confer nobility—a nobility of mind that ranked higher than any nobility of blood and that was demonstrated by service to the public good” (Education of a Prince). All of these suggest that Shakespeare inclination was to depict a character that could overcome the stigma of hereditary influence, and become a worthy and noble public servant as King. Hal’s character represents the ability for one to do this.

 

Part 2

Prince Hal and his peculiarity are both immediate and prominent in Henry IV. The prince has long been a troublesome son to his father, King Henry, and does not seem to fully appreciate the responsibilities of kingship or general leadership. The most evident example of this is in his chief acquaintance of John Falstaff—a character always seeming to provide Hal with humorous, light hearted support. In contrast to Hal is Hotspur, the Percy son of Hal’s age that represents exactly what Hal isn’t as a young leader—of strong militaristic merit, honorable, and focused on his purpose of redeeming authority. And while Hal will always be the son of King Henry, and de facto heir to the throne, King Henry inclines to Hotspur’s sense of honor and duty that Hal lacks. The Renaissance was a time when the monarchy of England was the most important part of a citizen’s being. Heavy and cruel punishment was given to those that failed to respect the monarchy for what it stood for—including valuing the family heritage or custom over the monarchy itself. Because of King Henry’s preference of Hotspur as a figure—even though he is a member of the Percy family—Shakespeare effectively displays the Renaissance movement of loyalty to monarchy over the family. Falstaff, even for all his flaws and obscure behavior, further represents the concept of loyalty in a different way. Hal seems to take Falstaff’s loyalty for granted—and certainly does not choose to value it. This is best exemplified when Falstaff is set up for robbery by Hal and his other acquaintance, Poins. However, Falstaff—when reporting the robbery scene to Hal—has already planned a fabricated story to show his ability to defend himself against intruding thieves. This fabrication is clear evidence of Falstaff’s reverence for Hal and his unwillingness to disappoint his royal acquaintance. The Renaissance movements of loyalty to the Monarchy is the forefront of Hal’s character in Henry IV.

Throughout the play, Hal develops his character to reflect the movements of the Renaissance and Shakespeare’s view of social life in England at the time. A popular Medieval to Renaissance transitional piece was human capability. The English were debating whether humans could attain such qualities that would make them angelic, mystic like contributors to society, or if their being was simplified to the realm of animalistic, common pursuit. The argument for angelic humanism versus animalism was one that was prominent in English social criticism. Hal commences, in terms of the plot of Henry IV, as a character that is unaware of his hereditary challenge of one day taking over the King. He chooses to be one that prefers the local tavern or bar rather than hone his leadership skills. Then, Hal slowly progresses to understand his role in society—and what he must to do in order to truly earn it. In a soliloquy still in Act 1, Hal grants the reader with his full intentions by telling of his plan to have a miraculous change in behavior. He will finally straighten out his personal tendencies and will be “redeeming time when men think least I will” (I, ii, 210-211). It is important to note the reliability of this soliloquy as well. The scholar Jennifer Drouin writes in her essay “Prince Hal: Reformation or Calculated Education?” that, “from Shakespeare’s other plays, it is apparent that a character’s soliloquy, or an aside, is the most reliable indicator of true intentions” (Drouin). He must work to overcome his animalistic trends in order to achieve great angelic heights. In the battle, the moment of recognition that fully brings Hal into a state of angelic pursuit is when he realizes that Hotspur must be slain in order to prevent further casualties on both sides. He uses a level of military intelligence to analyze the true cost of him not serving his duty in the battle and chooses to intervene. Shakespeare builds this up throughout the play by employing Hal as a character of progression—someone that does not understand their role, but through dramatic occurance finds it. Hal represented the angelic argument well. Even though he is a character in a play, Hal inspired the English at the time to find their own role in society and take the path to achieve it.

 

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The First Part of King Henry the Fourth: Texts and Contexts. Ed. Barbara   Hodgon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1997.

 

Drouin, Jennifer. “Prince Hal: Reformation or Calculated Education?” The  Oswald Review: An International Journal of Undergraduate    Research and Criticism in the Discipline of English,       Scholarcommons.sc.edu,    scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1015&context=    or. Accessed 7 Sept. 2017.

 

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV Part One. New York, NY, Bantam Dell,    2004.