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Ernstberger

Henry IV Part One: Explication

By Wanda Ernstberger

King Henry IV and Prince Hal deliver the lines “How bloodily the sun begins.... the unborn times?” (5.1.1–21) just before the battle with Hotspur and the rebel army. The scene opens with a description of the weather and the physical landscape of the battlefield. Subsequently, King Henry addresses Hotspur’s uncle Worcester in an effort to avoid the impending conflict. This excerpt from the play is important because it provides the mood and tension for the scene, gives insight into the king and the prince’s characters, and highlights imagery and language that echo the themes of the play.

Descriptions of the setting and rhythmic patterns set the mood and provide dramatic tension. When the actors mention the “bloody sun,” the “southern wind,” and the “pale day,” (5.1.1–4) they enable the audience to envision the physical landscape which cannot be reproduced on stage. Moreover, the use of alliteration in “bloodily,” “begins” and “bulky hill” (5.1.1–2) draws the audience’s focus to these words which are indicative of an upcoming battle. Similarly, the ‘o’ sound is repeated in “robes of peace,” “old limbs,” “all-abhorrèd war,” “obedient orb,” “be no more an exhaled meteor,” “a portent of broached mischief in unborn times” (5.1.12–21). The common sound ties together the key concepts of the passage, and creates a somber mood and dramatic tension for the audience.

The king’s character is also illuminated through this part of the play. Henry IV is discontented with the encroaching conflict, as indicated through the sun’s distemp’rature (5.1.2–3). The sun is a symbol for the king (Best 50), and by stating that the sun is ill, Henry is expressing his lack of enthusiasm over the dispute. The metaphor also shows Henry IV’s belief that he is the head of the body politic, and he sees the struggle within his state as a disease within his body (51). Although King Henry is controlled while he meets the threat to his kingdom, there is an underlying anger in his speech to Worcester. The rhyming words “deceived” and “peace,” (5.1.11–12) illustrate that the king considers Worcester a traitor. A clothing metaphor further reinforces the king’s stance towards the challenge to his throne. He says the rebels forced him to “doff our easy robes of peace / To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel” (5.1.12–13). The metaphor not only underscores the king’s sense of betrayal, but also his preference for peace over war. His appeal to Worcester’s loyalty further highlights the king’s position. He requests for Worcester to “move in that obedient orb again / Where you did give a fair and natural light, / And be no more an exhaled meteor,” (5.1.17–19). In contrast to Hotspur’s impetuousness, Henry IV meets the challenge to his throne with an air of calm indignation. Instead of blindly rushing into battle, he offers an alternative to fighting. Consequently, King Henry IV is portrayed as controlled, proud and reasonable.

Prince Hal’s character is also illustrated through the passage. Similar to the king, Prince Hal is not overly eager to engage in war. He associates the beginning of the battle with the “hollow whistling in the leaves” which “foretells a tempest and a blust’ring day” (5.1.5–6). The symbols reflect the prince’s earnest mood in contrast to his previous jocose antics with Falstaff (2.4.). Furthermore, Prince Hal delivers the lines in blank verse, which is the style that denotes royalty and nobility. By speaking in this rhythmic pattern, Prince Hal shows that he is taking his responsibilities seriously. Moreover, the passage underscores a main theme of the drama as the prince fulfills his promise to the king to reform his disreputable habits (3.2.129–159).

Major themes of the play are also illuminated through the use of language. A heavenly bodies metaphor highlights the drama’s main issues. The king tells Worcester to “move in that obedient orb again / Where you did give a fair and natural light, / And be no more an exhaled meteor,” (5.1.17–19). This metaphor is ironic, because at the play’s opening, Westmoreland informs the king that Worcester is “malevolent to you in all aspects,” (1.1.96). Consequently, the king was aware of Worcester’s treachery throughout the drama, so it is ironic that he requests for Worcester to return to his former state of loyalty. King Henry’s appeal to Worcester also reflects the belief in the interconnectedness of the natural and social worlds. The Elizabethans believed that adverse or positive forces in the universe caused similar effects in human society (Best 51). The reference to heavenly bodies shows that the king wants to gain Worcester’s loyalty in order to restore peace in his kingdom. This metaphor also reflects one of the major themes of the play. Henry IV’s claim to the throne is the main point of contention between himself and the rebels. Hotspur and his allies believe that King Henry IV overthrew the rightful king, Richard II, and wish to restore Richard’s heir, Mortimer, to the throne (1.3.128–184). Although he usurped Richard II, Henry IV considers himself to be the legitimate ruler, as indicated by the language he uses in the passage. Consequently, the king meets the challenge to his authority, which leads to Hotspur’s downfall (5.4.76–85).

The images in this passage also echo the problems that afflicted Hotspur’s forces. Sickness is a recurring metaphor in the passage—for example, the sun’s “distemp’rature” causes the “pale day” (5.1.2–3). The sickness metaphor echoes the excuse that Hotspur’s father, the Earl of Northumberland, uses to avoid joining the battle (4.1.16–42). References to heavenly bodies and bad omens such as the “prodigy of fear,” (5.1.20) reflect Owen Glendower’s refusal to fight due to a negative prediction of the battle’s outcome (4.4.16–18). Mention of the “bulky hill” (5.1.2) foreshadows Douglas’s fall down a hill before he is captured by the king’s soldiers (5.5.21–22). Hotspur’s ensuing defeat, therefore, is reflected through the images in this passage.

The symbols in this excerpt also illustrate the preferred version of history during the Elizabethan era. The king requests for Worcester not to be “A prodigy of fear, and a portent / Of broachèd mischief to the unborn times?” (5.1.20–21). This warning is a prophecy that ties into the Tudor myth. This version of history stated that Henry IV’s ursurpation of Richard II caused almost a century of disorder culminating in the Wars of the Roses and the rise of Richard III. Harmony was restored when Henry Tudor, who was once again appointed by God, overthrew Richard III. Henry Tudor was Queen Elizabeth I’s grandfather, so the play reflected the myth in order to pay homage to the queen who reigned during the first production of the play (Best 58).

In conclusion, this excerpt creates a sense of tension and sets a somber and serious mood. King Henry and Prince Hal are not enthusiastic about the impending battle, but they are willing to engage the rebel forces. Major themes, such as the legitimacy of King Henry’s rule and Prince Hal’s reformation are reflected through these lines. Finally, the passage contains insights into the Elizabethan history and worldview that were prevalent in many of Shakespeare’s dramas.

Copyright 2005 Wanda Ernstberger

Works Cited

Best, Michael. English 324 Shakespeare Course Guide: Shakespeare’s Histories and Tragedies. Victoria: University of Victoria, 1999.

Shakespeare, William. The History of Henry IV, Part One. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Maynard Mack. New York: Signet Classic, 1998.