Abigail Philip
Midterm Essay
Shakespeare
English 266 Honors
Dr. Silva
4/26/06
Errors of Judgment
The play 1 Henry IV by William Shakespeare addresses many issues and themes.
Some of these, being the role of gender assumptions, the theme of appearance vs. reality,
the role of truth telling vs. lying, relationships between fathers and sons, and many others.
We see the role of errors of judgment very commonly throughout this play.
Errors of judgment, plays a very important role in this play. We see, for example
that Prince Hal is underestimated and misjudged by his father and by everyone else.
Prince Hal is seen as someone who is neglecting his princely duty and associates with the
wrong crowd. His father, the King, does not approve of his behavior. Hal, in this play
proves himself to his father showing him that he can indeed become a great and noble
leader. Hal is bothered of the way people speak about him to his father. He speaks of this
in act V scene IV “O god, they did me too much injury” (II 49).
Hal, in my opinion seems to be a very smart individual. In act 1 scene 2, we see
him talking to himself saying that he associates with the lower class as a psychological
plan. He wants people to think little of him so that he may surprise them when he starts
behaving like a Prince. He is very slow to anger. I say this because while there were
persons who made accusations against him to the King tarnishing his reputation, he took
it in stride. He has a talk with his father that may clear his offence. Hal states in Act 1,
scene 2 “So please your majesty, I would I could quit all offenses with as clear excuse.”
We also see that when the King makes a reference saying, “he is like Percy and Hal is not
from him,” Hal responds by saying,
“Do not think so. You shall not find it so. And god forgive them that so much
have swayed your majesty’s good thoughts away from me. I will redeem all this
on Percy’s head, and in the closing of some glorious day be bold to tell you that I
am your son.”
The quote above is very important because here we see Hal reassuring his father in telling
him; “Indeed I am your son! He said that he would make Hotspur pay by killing him. Act
3, scene 2, is very critical because here it shows the true Hal. He is coming into his
element and is speaking as the Prince he is. He is promising to defeat Hotspur. Hal states
that at the end of the battle, he will be the one left standing and Hotspur, whom everyone
is praising, will be defeated. And they will both switch places.
For every honor sitting on his helm, would there be multitudes, on my head my
shames redoubled! For the time will come that I shall make this northern youth
exchange his glorious deeds for my indignities.
At the beginning of the play, we see King Henry envying the Earl of Northumberland for
having his son Henry Percy “Hotspur” because he views him as someone who
acknowledges their responsibility and associates with persons in his class. He makes his
father proud, and although the King despises the Earl, he cannot help but wish that
Hotspur were his own. He hears of the battle and his bravery and wishes that Prince Hal
were like him (1.1). When the King needs Hals help he is nowhere to be found, and thus
he has to handle matters by himself.
As the play progresses, we continue to see the King make errors in his judgment
of his son. We see the King as having no faith in his son in act V scene 1. Here, Hal is
speaking to his father about challenging Hotspur to a single fight, and his father’s
response is no because he is afraid his son will lose. Only at the end of the play during the
battle, does he realize that he was wrong. We as readers of this play, have a better
understanding of Prince Hal and we see that in (Act 1.2) Hal engages in soliloquy in
which he declares his decision to soon give up buffoonery and take his princely duties
seriously. Hal knows what is expected of him and he plans on living up to the
expectations but according to his own ways.
Finally, at the end of the play the King realizes that he made an error in judgment
against his son. We see this in Act 5 scene 4 when Hal helps his father who was
struggling in his fight with Douglas. The King says, “Thou hast redeemed thy lost
opinion, and showed thou mak’st some tender of my life, in this fair rescue thou hast
brought me” (ll. 46-49). We also see Hal honor his word and defeat Hotspur in battle
proving that he is ready to take up his princely duties.
In addition, another instance in this play where errors of judgment were evident
was on the part of Hotspur. I say this because he too underestimated Prince Hal, and in
the end of the play in act 5.3, it is Prince Hal who defeats Hotspur and slays him. The
prince however respects his opponent and feels badly afterwards. In act V scene IV, Hal
states, “for worms, brave Percy. Fare thee well, great heart; ill weaved ambition, how
much art thou shrunk” (ll 86-87). Hal praises Hotspur and respects him a great deal.
Hotspur is a man of action, quick tempered and very impatient. This I believe also
leads to his demise. Hotspur in act 1 scene 3 describes and dismisses Hal as “that same
sword-and-buckler Prince of Wales, but I think his father loves him not and would be
glad he met with some mischance, I would have him poisoned with a pot of ale” (ll, 229232). Hotspur is a man of risks and action and because of his impatience and
underestimation of Hal; he loses the battle and his life. Hotspur, in act IV scene 1
describes Hal as being a “nimble footed madcap” (ll, 95).
In conclusion, in this play, there are terrible errors of judgment, most of which are
made against Hal. His father and everyone else underestimate him because it appears that
he is neglecting his princely duties. Because of his companionship with thieves and
drunks, he is views as unorthodox. This is because in those days Princes did not associate
with the peasants the way Hal did. Usually persons in this stature would associate around
his own kind, meaning Royalty and those of upper ranks. The prince, however, proves
everyone wrong including his father at the end of the play by stepping up and embracing
his future. He keeps his word and defeats the ill tempered Hotspur. Prince Hal, by the
description given to him in the book, we would think that he would not make it as king,
or be successful but he proves them all wrong on the sequel.