Henry IV Part 1

Roles

• Hotspur - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

Hotspur explains why he didn't obey the King's orders

Summary

The play has two main storylines that come together at the end in the battle of Shrewsbury. One storyline is about King Henry dealing with his son Prince Henry who has forsaken the royal court to spend his time in taverns with shady characters. The other storyline concerns the rebellion by a group of noblemen, led by Harry Percy "Hotspur", against King Henry. As the play opens we learn that King Henry is dealing with rebellions against the English army by the Scots and Welsh. His army, led by Harry Percy "Hotspur" has managed to defeat the Scots at Holmedon but he refuses to send his prisoners to the king. The king is furious and orders them to the court to explain his behavior. In this monologue, in ACT I, Scene 3, Hotspur explains to the king why he refused to send him his prisoners. He tells the king that his messenger arrived right after he had finished fighting and didn't show any respect for him and his soldiers. Exhausted and wounded from the battle, he felt insulted and refused his requests.

Tone

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