ACT V
SCENE i
Worcester and Vernon visit the King's camp, where Henry, Hal, Prince
John, Blunt, and Falstaff are gathered. Henry remarks that the rebellion
has made him "doff our easy robes of peace" and "crush our old limbs in
ungentle steel" (V.i.12-13). Worcester reviews the history of Henry's
usurpation, using a conceit in which Henry operates like a cuckoo: he
"did oppress our nest, / Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk"
(V.i.61-62). Henry dismisses all this as an excuse to rebel,
Henry shoots down the idea of single combat between Hotspur and Hal,
the latter acknowledging, "I have a truant been to chivalry" (V.i.94).
Henry's deal is that he'll pardon the rebels if they lay down their
weapons. Hal anticipates Hotspur and Douglas rejecting this offer.
Falstaff requests that Hal stick close to him. He offers a soliloquy
on the ridiculousness of the notion of honor when Hal remarks that
he owes God a death/[debt]:
SCENE ii
Worcester recommends to Vernon that they remain silent about the
King's offer -- it's all over for the older rebels politically
anyway:
Hotspur, momentarily dreading that Worcester asked King Henry for mercy,
is made to believe that the King is resolved for war. Vernon mentions
the aborted plan for single combat with Hal, and Hotspur snorts at his
report of Hal's noble bearing and dignity:
SCENE iii
Trumpets announce the battle. Douglas has killed the Lord of Stafford who
was armed in the likeness of King Henry. Now Blunt is similarly dressed
and Douglas thinks this is Henry. They fight and Blunt is killed. Hotspur
comes by and tells Douglas it isn't the King: "The King hath many marching
in his coats" (V.iii.25). Douglas vows, "Now by my sword, I will kill all
his coats; I'll murder all his wardrop, piece by piece, / Until I meet the
King" (V.iii.26-28).
Falstaff could do without all this danger. All but a few of his men have
been killed and the few survivors have turned to begging in town. Prince
Hal is a model of seriousness and asks for Falstaff's sword. Falstaff
claims to have bested Hotspur, but Hal knows this isn't true. So Falstaff
keeps his sword but offers to lend his encased pistol: "'tis hot, 'tis hot"
(V.iii.53). Hal pulls out a bottle of sack instead, so he pitches a fit:
"is it a time to jest and dally now?" (V.iii.55). He throws the bottle at
Falstaff and rushes off. Falstaff resolves not to court death and end up
like Blunt: "I like not such grinning honor as Sir Walter hath. Give me
life, which if I can save, so; if not, honor comes unlook'd for, and there's
an end" (V.iii.58-61).
SCENE iv
Henry wants Hal and John to rest but Hal won't. Douglas encounters Henry
and asks, "What art thou / That counterfeit'st the person of a king?"
(V.iv.27-28). "The King himself," responds Henry (V.iv.29), acknowledging
that Douglas until now has met only "shadows" (V.iv.30). They do battle,
and Henry is in trouble when Hal enters, challenges Douglas, and sends him
running. Henry is pleased and returns to battle. The reference to a
"Nicholas Gawsey" may indicate the relevance of Nicholas Dawtry to the
play as part of the inspiration for Falstaff (Clark 699).
Hal then encounters Hotspur:
"In Hotspur's sense, 'honor' passes from loser to victor.... And it is
the title of champion that Hotspur bewails the loss of, not life itself"
(Asimov 377). Historically, we don't know who killed Hotspur at the
Battle of Shrewsbury on 21 July 1403 (Asimov 378).
Hal then sees Falstaff lying as if dead and offers a eulogy for him too:
"could not all this flesh / Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell!
/ I could have better spar'd a better man" (V.iv.102-104).
Hal leaves and Falstaff gets up, rationalizing about his cowardice.
SCENE v
The rebellion quelled, Henry chides Worcester for failing to deliver
word to the rebels of his offer of peace. He orders Worcester and
Vernon killed. Hal requests mercy for the valorous Douglas (who is
not an Englishman anyway) and it is granted. Henry sends Prince John
and Westmoreland with one army to fight Northumberland and Archbishop
Scroop. Henry and Hal will take another army to Wales to fight Glendower
and Mortimer. Rebels never prosper.
FINAL PERSPECTIVE
Although Hal seems to have shaped up by the end of this play, he'll
regress in order to provide some interest to Henry IV, Part 2.
Despite his reputation, reputation, reputation in Part 1, Hal
is never shown by Shakespeare to be drunk, and "Most of all, he is never
tarred with sexual immorality. Shakespeare never shows him as anything
worse than a young man with a keen sense of humor and a liking for
horseplay" (Asimov 331). But, do we ever even see Falstaff drunk?
"From the targeting of particular constituencies to the learning of
regional languages and customs, the artful insinuations about 'character'
and fitness for office, and the prodigal-son trajectory of a
wastrel-turned-patriot-and-hero, the story of Prince Harry, or Hal, who
will become the legendary Henry V, is a model of the making of a national
icon" (Garber 314). So goes the critical insistences, but if Hal gradually
"shapes up," he shapes up into what?
To face the garment of rebellion
(Worcester's words might aptly have been those of a Vere ancestor to
Henry VII.)
With some fine color that may please the eye
Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurly-burly innovation....
(V.i.74-78)
'Tis not due yet; I would be loath to pay him before his day. What need
I be so forward with him that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter;
honor pricks me on. Yea, but how if honor prick me off when I come on?
how then? Can honor set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the
grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is
honor? A word. What is in that word honor? What is that honour? Air. A
trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that died a' Wednesday. Doth he feel it?
No. Doth he hear it? No. 'Tis insensible, then. Yea, to the dead. But
will['t] not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer
it. Therefore I'll none of it, honor is a mere scutcheon. And so ends
my catechism. (V.i.127-141)
For treason is but trusted like the fox;
This is "a statement clearly suggestive of the line of Howards"
(Clark 694; cf. Ogburn and Ogburn 93, 715). In particular, "hare-brain'd
Hotspur, govern'd by a spleen" (V.ii.19), should not be informed. "We
as the spring of all shall pay for all" (V.ii.23).
Who, ne'er so tame, so cherished, and lock'd up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestor.
(V.ii.12-14)
If he outlive the envy of this day,
Although it is time for a rallying speech, Hotspur claims not to be a
man of words:
England did never owe so sweet a hope,
So much misconstrued in his wantonness.
(V.ii.66-68)
Better consider what you have to do
With Hotspur's cries of "Esperance!" (the Percy family motto)
and "Percy!," the rebels embrace and depart for battle.
Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,
Can lift your blood up with persuasion.
(V.ii.76-78)
I am the Prince of Wales, and think not, Percy,
They fight, Hal cheered by Falstaff, until Douglas returns and fights
with Falstaff, who fall down pretending to be dead. Douglas leaves and
Hotspur falls, beginning his own eulogy -- "O, I could prophesy, / But
that the earthy and cold hand of death / Lies on my tongue. No, Percy,
thou art dust, / And food for --" (V.iv.83-86). "For worms, brave Percy"
(V.iv.87), finishes Hal, adding a noble tribute to Hotspur's valor.
To share with me in glory any more.
Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere,
Nor can one England brook a double reign
Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales.
(V.iv.63-67)
'Sblood, 'twas time to counterfeit, or that hot termagant Scot had
paid me scot and lot too. Counterfeit? I lie, I am no counterfeit.
To die, is to be a counterfeit, for he is but the counterfeit of
a man who hath not the life of a man; but to counterfeit dying,
when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true
and perfect image of life indeed. The better part of valor is
discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life. 'Zounds,
I am afraid of this gunpowder Percy, though he be dead. How if he
should counterfeit too and rise? By my faith, I am afraid he would
prove the better counterfeit. Therefore I'll make him sure, yea,
and I'll swear I killed him. Why may not he rise as well as I?
Nothing confutes me but eyes, and nobody sees me. Therefore, sirrah
[stabbing him], with a new wound in your thigh, come you
along with me. (V.iv.113-129)
"In peace Falstaff is an immensely beguiling figure, but war reveals
a darker side to his opportunism, as if Shakespeare were helping us
to sympathize with the Prince's inevitable rejection of his values"
(Wells 145). Falstaff hoists the dead Hotspur onto his back just as
Hal and John enter. John is surprised to see Falstaff alive, given Hal's
report a moment ago. Falstaff takes the credit for killing Hotspur and
expects this will earn him a title: "If your father will do me any honor,
so; if not, let him kill the next Percy himself" (V.iv.140-142). Hal says
he'll not refute Falstaff's lie: "For my part, if a lie may do thee
grace, / I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have" (V.iv.157-158).
They all leave, Falstaff saying,
I'll follow, as they say, for reward. He that rewards me, God reward
him! If I do grow great, I'll grow less; for I'll purge, and leave
sack, and live cleanly as a nobleman should do. (V.iv.162-165)
Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway,
Meeting the cheque of such another day,
And since this business so fair is done,
Let us not leave till all our own be won.
(V.v.41-44)