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The Eastcheap world extends Hal’s
range of roles. Mimicking the tavern
drawer (barman), he shows that
he can “drink with any tinker in
his own language” (2.5.18–19).
The multi-layered tavern scene
(2.5) draws the clearest parallels
between kingship and acting when
he and Falstaff rehearse Hal’s
interview with his father. Playing
the king with a cushion for a crown,
Hal responds to Falstaff’s appeal
against banishment with simple
honesty: “I do; I will” (2.5.486). The
moment is rich with possibilities,
not least that Hal speaks for himself
here and the threat of banishment
is real. The knocking at the door
that follows underlines the cold
reality of Hal’s words: that time
will intrude upon this comic world
and judgment will catch up with
them all.
This parallel between politics
and performance is acknowledged
by the king himself when he and
his son meet for real. He tells Hal
that, as Bolingbroke, he rationed his
appearances, and was so courteous
in public that he soon had Richard’s
audience in his hands. He fears that
the Prince is too familiar with his
people and will be as vulnerable as
Richard was. But Hal already has
his plan. He assures his father that,
as Henry used Richard, so he will
use Hotspur and appropriate his
reputation for himself: “Percy is
but my factor, good my lord, / To
engross up glorious deeds on my
behalf” (3.2.147–148). Hal’s language
of commodity sounds more like
a Renaissance merchant than a
medieval knight. The politician
prince will fashion his heroic image
out of Hotspur’s coat of arms.
The two meet at Shrewsbury
in battle. On stage, it’s a chance to
thrill the audience with swordplay.
The opponents are equally matched
and by the end almost admire each
other’s fighting skills; this makes
Hotspur’s death all the more
poignant, as Hal admits: “Fare
thee well, great heart...When that
this body did contain a spirit, /
A kingdom for it was too small a
bound” (5.4.86, 88–89).Ambiguous ending
As Hal turns to leave, he sees
Falstaff’s body nearby and bids
a brief farewell to his surrogateTHE LORD CHAMBERLAIN’S MAN
father. But once he’s gone, the fat
knight rises from the ground in
high indignation at Hal’s farewell.
This comic coda alters the tone of
the ending. We laugh, happy that
Falstaff only pretends death. But
we are also invited to consider
Falstaff’s feigning as a comment
on Henry’s tactical success. For the
king used decoys in the battle, men
dressed as him and carrying his
escutcheon. It’s a ploy that only
confirms the rebels’ view of him
as a counterfeit king.
When Falstaff then heaves
Hotspur’s body on his back and
goes off to spin tales of how he
killed the hero, we watch story-
telling take up what’s left of
chivalry. And as Hal meets Falstaff
taking off with the body, he agrees
to “gild” (5.4.155), the old man’s lie,
which makes for an ambiguous,
downbeat ending. It’s a sign that
Hal has yet to separate himself from
his former life, and both his less-
than-honorable father figures. ■Prince Hal is caught
between, and is under
pressure from, the
“three worlds” of the
play—the tavern and
his surrogate family,
the royal court and
duty to his father,
and the rebel camp,
where Hotspur
represents an ideal
of knightly honor
Hal knows he
cannot attain.Prince HalRoyal CourtBoar’s Head Tavern HotspurI can teach thee, coz, to shame
the devil—By telling the truth
Hotspur
Act 3, Scene 1