Resumo de Henry Iv, Part I - William Shakespeare

Shakespeare?s Henry IV, Part I is probably the best of the Bard?s plays that you?ve never read or seen performed. One of Shakespeare?s history cycle plays, the play is generally regarded as the best and features one of his most beloved characters in Falstaff. It also features one of the Shakespeare?s most memorable villains, if by the term villain you mean the character who isn?t supposed to win in the end. This character is Henry Percy, better known as Hotspur.
Hotspur is a favorite of King Henry IV, a valiant if overly impetuous knight whom the king holds up as a model for what he wishes his own son, Prince Hal, were. King Henry IV previously ascended to the throne through the murder of King Richard II with the help of rebels, including Hotspur. But dissatisfaction with Henry?s leadership is growing, among those who helped bring Henry to power, leading to another rebellion.
While Hotspur is proving himself a brilliant soldier, Prince Hal is hanging out with the fat, drunken, lazy Sir John Falstaff, frequenting taverns and spending time with lowlifes. The scenes between Hal and Falstaff are among the funniest in all Shakespeare, comic masterpieces that also point up the differences between Hal and Hotspur. Hal is far more clever than Hotspur, who leads with his heart. Prince Hal is acting the role of the frivolous prince, biding his time until the moment arrives when it will appear to all as if he reformed, making him look all the more courageous and kingly. The audience knows this through Hal?s soliloquy.
Hal and Falstaff play a game of role reversal of sorts with Falstaff playing the part of Hal?s father, the king. Falstaff as king encourages Hal to rid himself of bad influences like Falstaff. Under his breath, Hal responds that he will.
Meanwhile, the rebellion is showing signs of disrepair with arguments prematurely arising over how the kingdom will be divided once they drive out King Henry. Plans are set in motion to attack the King at Shrewsbury. Prince Hal meets with his disappointed father and promises that he will prove his mettle against the King?s favorite, Hotspur. Falstaff is less than thrilled to receive news that he has been given command of soldiers and is expected on the battlefield.
At Shrewsbury, Hotspur learns that his father is ill and cannot engage in battle, and also that Prince Hal?s brother John on the way with 7,000 soldiers. Hotspur being a hothead, a gloriously charismatic hothead, refuses to show concern and instead continues making jokes about Hal?s unmanliness. He argues that they should attack immediately because their glory will be all the greater for having defeated an army which greatly outnumbered their own. But when one of the King?s men arrives with a peace offer, Hotspur agrees to discuss the offer.
The peace talks don?t go well: Prince Hal offers to fight a one on one combat with Hotspur to decide the whole matter; Hotspur?s uncle the Earl of Worcester decides not to inform Hotspur of the king?s offer and instead tells him that the king arrogantly threatened them which drives Hotspur mad with the desire to spill Prince Hal?s blood in battle.
Much takes place in the ensuing battle, including Hal saving his father?s life, Falstaff getting attacked and pretending to die, Hotspur and Hal meeting face to face and Hal killing Hotspur, but eulogizing over his dead body with a moving speech, spotting Falstaff?s apparently dead body and realizing he can?t do the same to the fat man, Falstaff rising from the dead and stabbing Hotspur?s corpse in the leg and taking credit in front of Prince Hal and Prince John that he is Hotspur?s assassin. Hal lets Falstaff assume the honor and glory.
King Henry sentences Worcester to death and then divides his forces so that he can defeat what remains of the rebellion. Prince Hal?s courage and kingliness is celebrated, though at the beginning of King Henry IV, Part II, he?s back to partying with Falstaff again and the situation between King and Princeis pretty much back to where it was when the story began.

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