Henry IV part 2

Part 2 picks up where part 1 left off. Henry IV is declining quickly and everyone is wondering if Hal has what it takes to be king. Hal still occasionally participates in the dark dealings of London's underbelly and his father is far from sure that he is ready to be king. Meanwhile another plot is brewing to overthrow Henry.

Hal is all along planning to throw off his low companions. As the ministers of state assure Henry IV, his son is studying the lower classes as one would study a language. In my post about part one I mentioned some of the ethical problems I had with what he was doing and why he was doing it. But in this play it struck me as so lonely. Hal does appear to care about both his father and his brothers, but up until his father is within inches of death he spends very little time with them. Instead he builds relationships with people he is planning to abandon.

It was interesting to see the interplay between Hal and Poins. Poins clearly thinks that he is the one true friend Hal has while Hal considers him another person to throw off. I am not sure how you live like that, never really getting close to anyone you spend your time with, never really trusting, always knowing you will leave them in the end. However Kings have to spend a lot of their time with people they do not love or trust and must always put their people above any personal feelings and I don't think I could do that either.


I was glad we got to see Lady Percy again even if briefly. Part 1 never shows her at all after her husband's death and I didn't feel like we had closure with here character. She seemed to get along quite well with her in-laws. I was also a big fan of her dress as seen on right

 The part of this play that struck me most deeply was Prince John's treatment of the rebels. It seemed crazy to me that he would break his word like that. It just seemed so completely dishonorable to , have them call off their troops in a show of good faith and then slaughter their men. The only person who seems to question the affair was Falstaff. And when Falstaff is the best moral compass in thee play I think we are in serious trouble. Of course little googling showed that Prince John was the one who executed Joan of Arc so...

Overall I found part two less interesting than part one but definitely well worth watching.

Photos from alwaysiambic.tumblr.com and telegraph.co.uk