≡Essays on Henry Iv. Free Examples of Research Paper Topics, Titles GradesFixer

Hal Becoming a King: Honor, Democracy and Appearance

The most intriguing character of Henry IV Part I is Prince Harry. This troubled young man struggles with his father’s expectations, his destiny to assume the throne, and his wild friends. Initially he seems little more than a rebellious youth, but he ends the play...

Henry Iv 5 Pages

Interpretation of the Significance of Prince Hal’s “Act of Becoming”

One of the main themes in Shakespeare’s King Henry IV, Part 1, is Prince Hal’s “act of becoming” as he moves from Falstaff’s “sweet wag” (I.ii.23) to King Henry’s “fair rescuer” (V.iii.48). The significance of the scenes at Boar’s-Head Tavern, Hal’s role-playing with Falstaff, his...

Henry Iv 2 Pages

The Question of Visibility and Invisibility

“I want to be invisible…I paint my face and travel at night.” Ralph Reed, as quoted in The Virginian Pilot and Ledger Star, 11/9/91 Attaining “invisibility,” or privacy from the glaring eye of the public, remains a distinct desire of modern society. This goal has...

Henry Iv 5 Pages

The Portrayal and Complexity of Falstaff's Character

Though Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part One is ostensibly about the titular character and his son, the future King Henry V, both Henry’s are constantly upstaged by Sir John Falstaff. Falstaff is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved and enduring characters for a reason; his character contains...

Henry Iv 3 Pages

The Outstanding Performance of Prince Hal

As William Shakespeare wrote As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage,/ And all the men and women merely players./ They have their exits and their entrances;/ And one man in his time plays many parts.” Shakespeare further adds to this philosophy upon introducing...

Henry Iv 2 Pages

Reading Henry V as Part of Tetralogy

Though Henry V can be read and appreciated as a stand alone piece, it is most valuable when considered as part of a tetralogy. The two parts of Henry IV depict the characters and present the initial stages of the conflict in a way that...

Henry Iv 5 Pages

Richard II and Henry IV: Comparing the Image of the Sun

Shakespeare’s history plays tend to focus on the drama of the rise and fall of kings, as we see in both Richard II and Henry IV Part 1. While the outcome of these stories was known to the theatergoers of his time, Shakespeare retold these...

Henry Iv 4 Pages

A Multidimensional Story of Making a King

In spite of its title, Henry IV, Part 1 is, without question, the story of a prince as he stands, however uncertainly, on the threshold of kingship. Yet Shakespeare’s literary account of this historical figure is not merely a diary of a royal progeny engaged...

Henry Iv 8 Pages

The Complex Question of Believing

In the study of three of Shakespeare’s plays, Twelfth Night, or What You Will, The Tragedy of Richard II, and Henry IV, Part 1, one of the themes that is presented is the contrast of “appearance vs. reality.” Sometimes the confusion is comedic, and at...

Henry Iv 3 Pages

Analyzing the Construction of the Character of Prince Hal

In the 16th century, Niccolo Machiavelli stated on “The Prince” that leadership came mostly from theatrics. That is to say, to be a good leader one must first be a good actor, or at the very least be convincing enough to get the loyalty of...

Henry Iv 3 Pages