King Henry the Fourth Part II William Shapespeare 1993

Two interesting things: the play on hopes and not to build on them as things never seem to turn out as good as hoped for.

“Rumour:

(…) from Rumour’s rongues

They bring smooth comforts flalse, worse than true wrongs.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.449).

“Lord Bardolph:

It was, my lord; who lined himself with hope,

Eating the air on promise of supply,

Flattering himself with project of a power

Much smaller than the smallest of his thoughts:

And so, with great imagination,

Proper to madmen, led his powers to death,

And, winking, leapt into destruction.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.454).

“Archbishop of York: (…)

And take you this!’ O thoughts of men accurst!

Past, and to come, seems best; things present, worst.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.455).

“King Henry: (…)

How many of my poorest subjects

Are at this hour asleep! – O sleep, O gentle sleep,

Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frigthted thee,

That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down

And steep my senses in forgetfulness?” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.464).

“King Henry: (…)

Will Fortune never come with both hands full

But write her fair words still in foulest letters?

She either gives a stomach, and no food, -

Such are the poor, in health; or else a feast,

And takes away the stomach, - such are the rich

that have abundance, and enjoy it not.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.475).

“King Henry: (…)

For all the soil of the achievement goes

With me into the earth.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.477).

And then – in contrast to nothing ever turning out as good as planned  – the transformation of the immoral Prince Henry into King Henry the Fifth shedding all his past. As he was seemingly aware of his immorality and never used power to defend it. And the same affection that propulsed his immoral life can also do for his newly won moral life:

“Prince Henry:

From a god to a bull? A heavy descension! It was

Jove’s case. From a prince to a prentice? A low

Transformation! That shall be mine; for in every

Thing the purpose must weigh with the folly.

Follow me, Ned.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.459).

“King Henry: (…)

O, with what wings shall his affections fly

Towards fronting peril and opposed decay!” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.475).

“King Henry the Ffith to Chief Justice: (…)

How might a prince of my great hopes forget

So great indignities you laid upon me?

What! Rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison

Th’immediate heir of England? Was this easy?

My this be washt in Lethe and forgotten?

(…)

Offend you and obey you as I did.

So shall I live to speak my father’s words:

‘Happy am I, that have a man so bold

That dares do justice on my proper son;

And not less happy, havin such a son;

And not less happy, having such a son

That would deliver up his greatess so

Into the hands of justice.’ – You did commit me:

For which, I do commit into your hand

Th’unstained sword that you have used to bear.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.480).

“King Henry the Fifth: (…)

I have long dream’d of such a kind of man,

So surfeit-swell’d, so old, and so profane;

But, being awaked, I do despise my dream.

Make les thy body hence, and more thy grace;

Leave gormandizing;

(…)

Presume not that I am the thing I was;

For God doth know, so shall the world perceive,

That I have turn’d away my former self;

So will I those that kept me company,

When thou dost hear I am as I have been,

Approach mem and thou shalt be as thou wast,

The tutor and the feeder of my riots.” (Shakespeare, 1993, p.483).