Henry IV, Part 1Henry IV, Part 1
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
Henry IV, Part 1, culminates in the battle of Shrewsbury between the king’s army and rebels seeking his crown. The…
Act 1, scene 1
King Henry meets with his advisers to discuss his proposed crusade to the Holy Land, but the discussion turns instead…
Act 1, scene 2
Prince Hal and Sir John Falstaff taunt each other, Hal warning Falstaff that he will one day be hanged as…
Act 1, scene 3
King Henry meets with Hotspur, Hotspur’s father (Northumberland), and his uncle (Worcester) to demand that Hotspur yield his prisoners to…
Act 2, scene 1
Gadshill, the “setter” for Falstaff and his fellow thieves, seeks information at an inn about the travelers whom they plan…
Act 2, scene 2
Falstaff, Peto, Bardolph, and Gadshill rob the travelers and are, in turn, robbed by Prince Hal and Poins in disguise.
Act 2, scene 3
Hotspur reads a letter from a nobleman who refuses to join the rebellion against King Henry. Lady Percy enters to…
Act 2, scene 4
At a tavern in Eastcheap, Prince Hal and Poins amuse themselves by tormenting a young waiter while waiting for Falstaff…
Act 3, scene 1
Hotspur, Worcester, Mortimer, and the leader of the Welsh rebels, Glendower, meet in Wales to make final the terms of…
Act 3, scene 2
Prince Hal reconciles himself with his father by swearing to fight the rebels and to defeat Hotspur.
Act 3, scene 3
Falstaff tries to swindle the Hostess of the inn. Prince Hal offers Falstaff a command in the infantry.
Act 4, scene 1
Hotspur, Worcester, and Douglas learn that Hotspur’s father, Northumberland, is too sick to join them in the coming battle. They…
Act 4, scene 2
Falstaff discloses to the audience how he has misused his commission as an officer to take money from men eager…
Act 4, scene 3
As Hotspur argues with his fellow commanders about when to fight, they are visited by Sir Walter Blunt, who brings…
Act 4, scene 4
The archbishop of York and Sir Michael, who sympathize with Hotspur, debate the chances of his success against the king’s…
Act 5, scene 1
Worcester and Vernon visit the king’s camp, where Worcester repeats the grievances that he says have led to the rebellion….
Act 5, scene 2
Worcester lies to Hotspur, telling him that the king made no offer of pardon and is ready to begin the…
Act 5, scene 3
The battle begins. Douglas kills Blunt, who is disguised as King Henry. Falstaff enters alone to disclose to the audience…
Act 5, scene 4
Prince Hal saves King Henry from death at the hands of Douglas. Hal then meets Hotspur. While they are fighting,…
Act 5, scene 5
The king’s forces having won, King Henry condemns Worcester and Vernon to death, and the king and his supporters prepare…
Characters in the Play
King Henry IV, formerly Henry Bolingbroke
Prince Hal, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne (also
called Harry and Harry Monmouth)
called Harry and Harry Monmouth)
Lord John of Lancaster, younger son of King Henry
Earl of Westmoreland
Sir Walter Blunt
Hotspur (Sir Henry, or Harry, Percy)
Lady Percy (also called Kate)
Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy, Hotspur’s father
Earl of Worcester, Thomas Percy, Hotspur’s uncle
Edmund Mortimer, earl of March
Lady Mortimer (also called “the Welsh lady”)
Owen Glendower, a Welsh lord, father of Lady Mortimer
Douglas (Archibald, earl of Douglas)
Archbishop (Richard Scroop, archbishop of York)
Sir Michael, a priest or knight associated with the archbishop
Sir Richard Vernon, an English knight
Sir John Falstaff
Poins (also called Edward, Yedward, and Ned)
Bardolph
Peto
Gadshill, setter for the robbers
Hostess of the tavern (also called Mistress Quickly)
Vintner, or keeper of the tavern
Francis, an apprentice tapster
Carriers, Ostlers, Chamberlain, Travelers, Sheriff, Servants, Lords, Attendants, Messengers, Soldiers
