The Character Falstaff in Shakespeares Henry IV Essay -- Henry IV Hen

The Character Falstaff in Shakespeares Henry IV Sir John Falstaff has a number of functions in 1 Henry IV, the most obvious as a clownish figure providing comic relief. His many lies and exaggerations entertain because of the outlook and cleverness he employs to save himself from paying debts and answering for crimes. He in many ways represents an everyman--a sinner with little shame or honor, who nevertheless maintains at least an outward concern for honor and appearances. If sack and colewort be a fault, God help the wicked If to be mature and merry be a sin, then many an old server that I know is damnd. . . . Banish the others but for sweet jacks Falstaff, class Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant Jack Falstaff . . . blackball plump Jack, and banish all the world. (II.iv) Clearly, Falstaff hopes to exculpate himself by arguing that his sins are no worse than everyone elses. And it is this aspect of Falstaff, that he is like the others, that is perhaps the most int riguing--Is Falstaff a vitiate or mirror of the other characters, notably Hotspur and Prince Hal? We see Shakespeare setting up parallel situations that reveal how we should read the characters. For example, many critics see a kind of teacher/student or even father/son human relationship in Falstaff and Hals relationship. This relationship is not filled with mutual respect however. Falstaff no doubt hopes that his fraternizing with the young Prince will mean a pay-off in titles, money, and prestigiousness when Hal comes into power. Falstaff asks the Prince, Do not thou, when thou art king, hang a pirate (I.ii) thieving is after all Falstaffs vocation, so he shows here that he is already thinking of how to gain an advantage of the future kings influence. As for Hal, he c... ...honor of the bawdy house, of the drunken boast, but true honor that is based in fact and in deed. He can rise to the occasion of trump outing the best of the foemen. He rejects his false father Falstaff a nd rushes to the aid of his real father, saving him in battle. Yet, he has taken something from Falstaff too, and that is his humor, his flexible mind, his joy of life. He lets stand Falstaffs paradoxical claim that he Falstaff has killed Percy. In this, Hal shows modesty and true self-confidence. To that he has amalgamate Hotspurs valor and honor while avoiding Hotspurs brittle hair-splitting and unalloyed pride. In Hal, Shakespeare successfully merges the two extremes of Falstaff and Percy into a human and humane whole.Works CitedShakespeare, William.Henry IV.In The Norten Anthology of English Literature.Eds. M.H. Abrams et all. fifth Ed. New York Norton, 1987.