149
financial, keeps him in London.
There the Lord Chief Justice
rebukes him for dishonorably
misleading Prince Hal, and
Mistress Quickly has him arrested
for debt. He mollifies her with
further empty promises and
borrows more; and then maligns
Prince Hal, who overhears these
potential words of treason. Amid
the rising noise and chaos of the
Eastcheap underworld, a sudden
call to his father’s sickbed delivers
a timely rebuke to the wayward
Prince for this irresponsible
waste of time.Sensing his own mortality, Falstaff
seeks comfort from Doll Tearsheet
before departing for duty. He is
tasked with a recruiting drive in
Gloucestershire. But since Falstaff
takes bribes to exempt certain
conscripts, his fighting force retains
the poorest men in every sense.
At court, the wakeful king is
troubled by his betrayal of those
same warlords who helped him
to the crown, and by fears for the
future once the unpredictable Hal
is king. He asks that the crown lie
on his pillow as he sleeps. When
Hal arrives and takes the crownTHE LORD CHAMBERLAIN’S MAN
Act 3 Act 4 Act 5
believing the king has died, the
king is all the more convinced his
son desires his death. Hal assures
his father that he dreads that event,
and promises that, when it comes,
it will herald a just reign.
Henry dies, and Falstaff hopes
for influence at court. But Hal keeps
his word. Promising the Lord Chief
Justice to defend the law, he
dismisses Falstaff when his old
friend hails him at the coronation.
As Falstaff is arrested for debt,
Prince John mentions a rumored
war with France and we know that
Agincourt beckons. ❯❯2.4
3.1 4.1 5.1
3.2 4.3 5.2
Ensign Pistol’s swaggering
brings chaos to the tavern,
and Hal overhears
Falstaff malign him.
Unable to sleep, the
king worries about
further rebellion.At Gaultree Forest,
Prince John leads the
rebels to believe a
compromise is
possible, before
arresting them
for treason.In Gloucestershire,
Pistol brings news that
Henry IV is dead and
Hal at last is king.Falstaff
reminisces with
Shallow and Silence
in Gloucestershire
and then recruits the
weakest men.Thinking his sleeping
father dead, Hal takes
the crown and, when
rebuked, reassures his
father he will prove a
noble king one day.Hal promises the
worried Lord Chief
Justice that he will
make the law his
means of rule.5.4
Newly crowned,
Henry V rejects
Falstaff, while Prince
John mentions future
war with France.