Henry IV, Part 2 (Folger Shakespeare Library)
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Henry IV, Part 2 (Folger Shakespeare Library) Details
Henry IV, Part 2 is the only Shakespeare play that is a “sequel,” in the modern sense, to an earlier play of his. Like most sequels, it repeats many elements from the previous work, Henry IV, Part 1. This play again puts on stage Henry IV’s son, Prince Hal, who continues to conceal his potential greatness by consorting with tavern dwellers, including the witty Sir John Falstaff. As in Part 1, Prince Hal and Falstaff seek to best each other in conversation, while Falstaff tries to ingratiate himself with Hal and Hal disdains him. Part 2 adds some fresh characters, the rural justices Shallow and Silence and Shallow’s household. Political rebellion, while important to the plot, does not loom as large as in Part 1. There are no glorious champions; combat is replaced by deception, cunning, and treachery. The authoritative edition of Henry IV, Part 2 from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by A. R. Braunmuller The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.
Reviews
Compared to Part I, Part II maintains a better balance between the court and Eastcheap. Royalty is allowed moments of glory: Henry IV in his berating of Hal and Hal in his response and in his speech banishing Falstaff. Hal is given to some complex emotions when he picks up the crown lying next to his dying father. Northumberland surprises with a sudden spark, punning "Hotspur, Coldspur?" at the news that his son may be dead.Falstaff continues to be a magician creating reality from words. (This may be the main reason he is so fun to be around). Enigmatically, this corrupt liar, coward and a thief through and through manages to remain appealing. By contrast, our opinion of John of Lancaster is immediately sunk with the singular unseemly scene in which he cons the rebels.Of course, Falstaff is not as much a black magician as Richard III, who in a course of one speech, convinced Lady Ann, whose husband he killed, to be romantically interested in him. Falstaff's magic is not as sinister, but in it he is similarly effective, as when in a course of a short conversation, he convinces the Hostess, who is asking him to repay what he owes her, to lend him more.His prose does not make him as elegantly spoken as some better versed Shakespearean characters, but it is nicely of a piece with his remarkable internal freedom.Falstaff is fascinating: deeply flawed, he is appealing well beyond his deserves. Maybe by admiring Falstaff, we learn to be a bit more forgiving of human imperfections in us and others...