HENRY IV Selfie from Sam D.

William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I brings to mind images of honor, glory, and rebellion. Although there are many issues presented in the play that are poignant, the one that stood out the most to me was the maturation of Prince Hal—or the lack thereof, if he was in fact “faking” his misbehavior. Despite the fact that he was only pretending at the start of the play, by the end, his character has seen much development in ways the prince probably was not expecting.

 

When Prince Hal (Alex Hassell) is first seen, he is, in short, extremely immature. His first scene involves him in bed with two women as the comic relief after an extremely serious opening scene. His next scene is not much better; he and his friends scheme to steal a thousand pounds, and then he and his friend plan to swipe it again from their own group for laughs. This definitely doesn’t seem to be the first time he’s done it, though. His fellow thieves seem to know him well, and mentions are made to previous “excursions” of the same kind. He even plans tricks on Sir John Falstaff (Antony Sher) as a joke. It seems as though such a boy isn’t fit to be king any time soon.

Surprisingly, however, he manages his role as prince quite well. During the mock royal court in the tavern, he replaces Falstaff as king because he thought Falstaff wasn’t a good enough actor. Prince Hal’s acting chops, though, are surprisingly good; he plays king just as well as his own father might. When he finally does meet with the king, he knows precisely what to say and

how to say it in order to get his father on his side, and he even stands up and offers to battle Hotspur. In the midst of the battle, he protects his father from Douglas’ attempt at his life, and he does in fact fight Hotspur (Trevor White) and win. In the very last scene, his father even entrusts him with ruling a part of his kingdom. The stage helps solidify this point; the smooth transitions, thrust stage, and vomitories make entrances and exits much more dramatic or subdued when necessary, especially during the battles at the end of the play. Because of this, the audience was able to see the passion and growth (or lack thereof) in each scene. As the show went on, I definitely felt as though whatever change Prince Hal went through was occurring directly in front of me. The actors even involved the audience in many of the scenes, making it as though we were also thieving and fighting the battles with them. At this point, it begins to seem as though Hal has made quite a turn-around, and much for the better.

But when he is out carousing with his friends, Prince Hal tells them that he’s just taking a cue from Machiavelli. He is only pretending to be rambunctious in order so that, when he does become king, he will look even better for having overcome his youth. He argues that his thievery and antics are, in fact, good for the country, because it means he will be that much better of a king. So was there really a “growing up” at all, or was it all an act? And why would anyone in their right mind think that stealing from nuns is “good for the country?”

If the whole thing wasn’t staged, Prince Hal did quite a bit of maturing in a short period of time. In one scene, he’s playing king with his comrades, and in the next, he’s offering to battle the rebellious Hotspur for his father. The possibility that it could all just be an act is a strong one, but it is also possible that this was merely an excuse to get away with everything he did. Perhaps he wanted to steal for the adrenaline rush, or to simply have something fun to do with his friends, and the excuse that it would make him a good king seemed to be the one that would get him in the favor of more people. And it certainly does; the bystanders in the pub seem impressed with his explanation for his actions.

Regardless of whether he had Machiavellian intentions, Prince Hal does eventually experience character development. After slaying Hotspur, his entire demeanor changes. He is no longer a boy playing at kingship and war—he has been thrust into the midst of it. The land he is given to rule requires that he actually does mature, and quickly. Actions speak louder than words, and although Hal has been talking about how he will become a great king, it is not proven until he goes into battle and is given land to rule, which are perhaps the most “kingly” demonstrations of strength, both physical and mental. His real “growing up” is not of his own choice, but of an event that requires growth and change in any individual who experiences it.

Although his rebellious stage may or may not have been an act, by the end of the play, Prince Hal has experienced development and a sense of adulthood that he definitely did not have at the beginning. The experience of killing a fellow man changes him entirely. That, not a decision to change on his own, is what causes his maturation.