Honor in Henry the Iv, Parts One and Two

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Katerina Peterson ENGL 3000-013 October 18, 2012 Honor Essay To be Honorable, or not to be Honorable: that is the Question Honor is a word that can be defined in several ways. In Shakespeare’s plays Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2, the concept of honor plays a key role in the actions of different individuals throughout the plays. However, honor is perceived differently by each character, which in turn leads them down different paths. Two characters, Hotspur and Falstaff, are juxtaposed within the plays because they represent the polar opposite views about honor, and this comparison causes honor to have no specific meaning, but instead it has meanings specific to these characters. Hotspur represents the side of putting honor above all else. He is a fiery and rebellious warrior, who takes an immense amount of pride on his military valor. Before he even appears in the play, King Henry IV associates Hotspur with Honor: Yea, there thou mak’st me sad, and mak’st me sin In envy that my Lord Northumberland Should be the father to so blest a son: A son who is the theme of honor’s tongue . . . (Henry IV, Part 1, I.i.77-80) King Henry IV is stating that Hotspur represents honor; when honor speaks, it speaks of Hotspur. It makes him commit the sin of jealousy, because Hotspur is more honorable than his own son. This quote sets up Hotspur’s character, and foreshadows the contrast of him amongst the other characters in the play. Even though Hotspur gets a lot of glory from being a strong military leader [a trait that is valued very highly during his time], his attitude towards life is unbalanced because he identifies himself solely with his reputation of determination and honor. He uses his own pride against himself during battle, when it becomes obvious they are going to lose, and he decides to proceed to fight: Forty let it be. My father

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