Free Henry IV Essays: The Character of Falstaff :: Henry IV Henry V Essays

The Character of Falstaff in Henry IV     The character of Falstaff, in Shakespeares play Henry IV Part One, serves as an emblem of frivolity and carelessness within a world filled with social and political significance. Falstaff scorns the world of politics and moral decisions in favor of brisk from moment to moment. though he dislikes this other world, Falstaff realizes he moldiness sometimes come in contact with it. Falstaffs famous speech in lines 127-139 of Act V shows us how he regards the Princes world of honor and duty. Through this speech, Falstaff places himself firmly out of any moral world concerned with legal expert or honor, instead living for no other reason than life itself. Falstaffs speech comes after the King and Prince Hal decide to war against the army of Hotspur. Though they wait on word from Worcester, the probability of conflict seems high. Falstaff knows that when the battle comes, he is going to be in the middle of it. Shortly before his speec h on the nature of honor, Falstaff shows fear that he might be hurt. In lines 121-2 Falstaff asks Hal to protect him if he should fall during battle. The Princes rejection of the request shows his scorn for Falstaffs desire to passively preserve only his own life. Throughout the last half of the play, as the Prince drifts away from Falstaff, Falstaffs role in the action of the play as a whole diminishes. The importance placed upon the idea of honor allows Hal to assume his rightful position beside the King, while Falstaff dims into the background. Falstaffs idea of honor is directly linked to his smell out of time itself. In the opening lines of his speech, Falstaff says,Tis non due yet I would be loath to pay him before his day. (L. 127-8) In this example, God is being cogitate by Falstaff to someone who has set a schedule determining the time and place of everyones death. For Falstaff, ones role in life is not to stray from the path created by that higher Power. The notion of h onor, as he later describes in this speech, is a belief through which one can wear that natural order. He says,Yea, but how if honor prick me off when I come on? (L. 130) In order for one to gain honor, one must risk ones life. This type of gambling is not for Falstaff, as he decides that his own life is more important than,A word.