A black-and-white-and-black
play, that puts the rising brave warrior
Hotspur against the libertine Prince of Wales, Henry. The latter being driven
by vanity and passion.
Yet as the
play progresses it seems like both are driven by the same vanity, just on
different playing fields: one among thieves, the other among warriors.
Moreover, once
the Prince is needed to defend his father’s crown against Hotspur, it is him
who changes for the better, develops modesty and humility and thereby beats
Hotspur not just physically but also from a moral point of view.
“Prince
Henry:
… Thou art
violently carried away from
Grace:
there is a devil haunts thee, in the likeness
Of an old
fat man, - a tun of man is thy com-
Panion. Why
dost thou converse with that runk
Of humours,
that bolting-hutch of beastliness, that
Swoll’n
parcel of dropsies, that huge bombard of
Sack, that
stuff cloakbag of guts, that troasted
Manningtree
ox with the pudding in his belly,
That veverend
vice, that gray iniquity, that father
Ruffian,
that vanity in years? Wherein is he good,
But to
taste sak and drink it? Wherein neat and
Cleanly,
but to carve a capon and eat it? Wherein
Cunning but
in craft? Wherein crafty, but in
Villainy?
Wherein villainous, but in all things?
Wherein
worthy, but in nothing?” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.431).
“King
Henry:
By seeing
seldom, I could not stir
But, like a
comet, I was wonder’d at;
That men
would tell their children, ‘This is he;’
(…)
Enfeoft
himself to popularity;
That, being
daily swallow’d by men’s eyes,
They
surfeited with honey, and began
To loathe
the taste of sweetness, whereof a little
More than a
little is by much too much.
So, when he
had occasion to be seen,
He was but
as the cuckoo is in June,
Heard, not
regarded.” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.435).
“Prince
Henry:
And that
shall be the day, whene’er lights,
That this
same child of honour and renown,
This
gallant Hotspur, this all-praised knight,
And your
unthought of Harry, chance to meet.
For every
honour sitting on his helm,
Would they
were multitudes, and on my head
My shames
redoubled! For the time will come,
That I
shall make this northern youth exchange
His
glorious deeds for my indignities.” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.436).
“Hotspur:
(…)
O gentlemen,
the time of life is short to spend that shortness basely were too long,
If life did
ride upon a dial’s point,
Still
ending at the arrival of an hour.
If die,
brave death, when princes die with us!” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.444).
“Hotspur:
… and here
draw I
A sword,
whose temper I intend to stain
With the
best blood that I can meet withal
In the
adventure of this perilous day!” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.444).
“Hotspur:
If I
mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.
Prince
Henry:
Thou speak’st
as if I would deny my name.
Hotspur:
My name is
Harry Percy.
Prince
Henry.
Why,
then I see
A very
valiant rebel of the name.
I am the
Prince of Wales; and think not, Percy,
To hare
with me in glory any more:
Two stars
keep not their motion in one sphere;
Nor can one
England brook a double reign,
Of Harry
Percy and the Prince of Wales.
Hotspur:
Nor shall it, Harr, for the hour is coe
To end the
one of us; and would to God
Thy name in
armswere now as great as mine!
Prince
Henry:
I’ll make
it greater ere I part from thee;
And all the
budding honours on thy crest
I’ll crop,
to make a garland for my head.” (Shapespeare, 1993, p.446).
