Hal's voice in this play is more melancholy than in Part 1 — his jokes have an edge of exhaustion. Watch for moments when the wit suddenly gives way to something genuine and then gets covered over again. The gap between what he says and what he means is where the character lives.
Before God, I am exceeding weary.
I swear to God, I am extremely tired.
God, I'm so tired.
i'm tired exceeding weary so tired
Poins is Hal's second-best companion — clever enough to keep up, perceptive enough to challenge, but never quite equal. Watch for how he correctly reads Hal's behavior while still being named in the list of people Hal is about to leave behind.
Is ’t come to that? I had thought weariness durst not have attached one
of so high blood.
Has it come to this? I thought weariness wouldn't dare touch someone of your noble blood.
Really? I thought tiredness wouldn't dare touch a prince.
weariness high blood attach a prince surprise
Faith, it does me, though it discolours the complexion of my greatness
to acknowledge it. Doth it not show vilely in me to desire small beer?
Yes, it does affect me, though admitting it lowers my royal dignity. Doesn't it seem wrong to you?
Yeah, it does, even though I hate admitting it. Doesn't that seem weird?
it affects me discolours my greatness weakness wrong to admit
Why, a prince should not be so loosely studied as to remember so weak a
composition.
A prince shouldn't be so careless about his own character as to remember something as trivial as this.
A real prince shouldn't pay attention to something so weak.
prince loosely studied weak composition ignore
Belike then my appetite was not princely got, for, by my troth, I do
now remember the poor creature small beer. But indeed, these humble
considerations make me out of love with my greatness. What a disgrace
is it to me to remember thy name! or to know thy face tomorrow! or to
take note how many pair of silk stockings thou hast—viz. these, and
those that were thy peach-coloured ones! or to bear the inventory of
thy shirts, as, one for superfluity, and another for use! But that the
tennis-court keeper knows better than I, for it is a low ebb of linen
with thee when thou keepest not racket there; as thou hast not done a
great while, because the rest of thy low countries have made a shift to
eat up thy holland. And God knows whether those that bawl out of the
ruins of thy linen shall inherit his kingdom: but the midwives say the
children are not in the fault; whereupon the world increases, and
kindreds are mightily strengthened.
Maybe my appetite wasn't shaped in a princely way. For truth's sake, I do remember the poor creature, a common maid.
Maybe I wasn't born with a prince's appetites. Honestly, I remember this poor girl, just an ordinary maid.
appetite not princely remember poor creature common
How ill it follows, after you have laboured so hard, you should talk so
idly! Tell me, how many good young princes would do so, their fathers
being so sick as yours at this time is?
That's strange. After you've worked so hard, how can you talk so foolishly? Tell me, how many good men did you waste in the robbery at Gad's Hill?
That's weird. After all your effort, now you're talking like an idiot. How many guys got killed in that robbery at Gad's Hill?
ill it follows worked hard talked idly robbery gad's hill
Shall I tell thee one thing, Poins?
Poins, can I tell you something?
Poins, can I tell you something?
tell thee one thing poins
Yes, faith, and let it be an excellent good thing.
Yes, and it better be worth hearing.
Yeah, and it better be good.
yes faith excellent thing
It shall serve among wits of no higher breeding than thine.
It's good enough for people not as clever as you are.
It'll be fine for people your level of wit.
serve among wits no higher breeding thine
Go to, I stand the push of your one thing that you will tell.
Go ahead. I'm ready to hear whatever you're going to say.
Go ahead. I'm listening.
i stand the push your thing
Marry, I tell thee it is not meet that I should be sad, now my father
is sick; albeit I could tell to thee, as to one it pleases me, for
fault of a better, to call my friend, I could be sad, and sad indeed
too.
Listen, I tell you it's not right for me to be sad now that my father is sick, even though I could have good reason to be. But I shouldn't show it.
Look, it's not right for me to be sad while my father's sick, even if I have reasons to be. But I can't let it show.
not meet sad father sick should not show reason
Very hardly upon such a subject.
That's a hard thing to manage with this subject.
That's hard to pull off.
hardly upon subject difficult
By this hand, thou thinkest me as far in the devil’s book as thou and
Falstaff for obduracy and persistency. Let the end try the man. But I
tell thee, my heart bleeds inwardly that my father is so sick; and
keeping such vile company as thou art hath in reason taken from me all
ostentation of sorrow.
I swear, you think I'm as bad as you and Falstaff are—both of you are stubborn and refuse to repent.
I swear, you think I'm just like you and Falstaff—both stubborn bastards.
devil's book as far thou and falstaff obduracy persistence
The reason?
Why do you say that?
Why?
reason why
What wouldst thou think of me if I should weep?
What would you think of me if I started to cry?
What would you think if I cried?
what think if i weep crying
I would think thee a most princely hypocrite.
I'd think you were a hypocrite pretending to be a good prince.
I'd think you were a total faker.
most princely hypocrite
It would be every man’s thought; and thou art a blessed fellow to think
as every man thinks. Never a man’s thought in the world keeps the
roadway better than thine: every man would think me an hypocrite
indeed. And what accites your most worshipful thought to think so?
That's what everyone would think. And you're lucky to think like everyone else. No one's honest enough to call me otherwise.
That's what everyone would think. You're lucky you're normal. No one's brave enough to call me out.
every man's thought blessed fellow no one honest
Why, because you have been so lewd and so much engraffed to Falstaff.
Because you've been so wicked and so close to Falstaff.
Because you've been such a bad guy and you're always with Falstaff.
lewd engraffed to falstaff wicked
And to thee.
And also to you.
And you too.
and to thee also you
By this light, I am well spoke on; I can hear it with mine own ears.
The worst that they can say of me is that I am a second brother, and
that I am a proper fellow of my hands; and those two things, I confess,
I cannot help. By the mass, here comes Bardolph.
Well, I can hear it in my own ears. The worst anyone says is that I'm as bad as you and that company. But at least I'm not a drunk with a red nose.
Yeah, I hear it myself. The worst they say is I'm just like you. But at least I don't have a red drunk face.
well spoke on hear with mine ears worst they say not red-nosed
And the boy that I gave Falstaff. He had him from me Christian, and
look if the fat villain have not transformed him ape.
And here's the boy I gave to Falstaff. He was a normal young man when I gave him to Falstaff, but look what that fat villain has made him into!
And there's the kid I gave Falstaff. He was normal when I gave him to him, but look what that fat bastard's done to him!
boy that i gave falstaff christian look fat villain made him
God save your Grace!
God protect you, Your Grace!
God save you, sir!
god save your grace greeting
The exchange between Hal and Poins about his father's illness is one of the most psychologically astute moments in either Henry IV play. Hal can't publicly mourn because his reputation as a dissolute prince makes any grief look calculated. He diagnoses the problem himself: keeping Poins's company has 'taken from me all ostentation of sorrow.' He's trapped. He built the trap deliberately — Part 1's famous 'I'll so offend to make offence a skill' — but the trap now hurts. He genuinely loves his father. He genuinely feels grief. But there is no credible way to show it while he is still Prince Hal of the taverns. The only way out is the transformation: to become Henry V. But until he does, he's stuck being misread. This scene is where the cost of the Eastcheap education first becomes visible as a genuine personal loss.
And yours, most noble Bardolph!
And you as well, noble Bardolph.
And you, Bardolph.
and yours noble bardolph
Come, you virtuous ass, you bashful fool, must you be blushing?
Wherefore blush you now? What a maidenly man-at-arms are you become! Is
’t such a matter to get a pottle-pot’s maidenhead?
Come here, you honest donkey, you shy fool. Why are you blushing? What could be more shameful than your master's behavior? You're redder than your master!
Get over here, you stupid fool. Why are you blushing? What could be more embarrassing than what your boss does? You're as red as he is!
you ass bashful fool blush maidenly red like master
He calls me e’en now, my lord, through a red lattice, and I could
discern no part of his face from the window. At last I spied his eyes,
and methought he had made two holes in the ale-wife’s new petticoat and
so peeped through.
He called me just now through a red window, and I couldn't see any part of his face from the shadows
He just called me through a red window, and I couldn't see his face in the dark
calls me now red lattice couldn't discern face
Has not the boy profited?
Has the boy shown any improvement?
Has he learned anything good?
boy profited improved learned
Away, you whoreson upright rabbit, away!
Get away, you diseased rabbit, get away!
Get lost, you diseased jerk! Go!
away whoreson rabbit away
Away, you rascally Althaea’s dream, away!
Get away, you rascal, you evil creature, get away!
You too, you rotten thug! Get away!
away rascally althaeas dream insult back
Instruct us, boy; what dream, boy?
Teach us, boy. What does that insult mean?
Hey, explain it. What's an Althaea dream?
instruct us what dream explain
Marry, my lord, Althaea dreamt she was delivered of a firebrand; and
therefore I call him her dream.
Well, my lord, Althaea dreamed she gave birth to a burning torch, so I call him her dream because he's burning with rage.
Well, my lord, Althaea dreamed she had a firebrand baby, so I call him her dream because he burns with anger.
althaea firebrand burning torch rage call him dream
A crown’s worth of good interpretation. There ’tis, boy.
That's clever. Here's some money for that.
That's good. Here's some cash.
good interpretation crown's worth there it is
O, that this blossom could be kept from cankers! Well, there is
sixpence to preserve thee.
If only this boy could be kept safe from corruption! Well, here's sixpence to keep you honest.
If only this kid could stay decent! Here's a coin to keep you out of trouble.
blossom kept from cankers sixpence preserve thee
An you do not make him be hanged among you, the gallows shall have
wrong.
And if you don't make sure he gets hanged among your crew, the gallows will be cheated of justice.
And if you don't get him hanged eventually, the gallows is missing out.
do not make hanged among gallows wrong
And how doth thy master, Bardolph?
How is your master doing, Bardolph?
How's Falstaff doing?
how doth master bardolph
Well, my lord. He heard of your Grace’s coming to town. There’s a
letter for you.
Well, my lord. He heard that you had come to town. He sent a letter for you.
Good, my lord. He heard you were in town. He sent you a letter.
well my lord heard grace's coming letter
Delivered with good respect. And how doth the martlemas, your master?
Delivered with proper respect. And how is old fatty, your master?
Delivered real respectfully. So how's the old fat man?
delivered good respect martlemas master old
In bodily health, sir.
In good physical health, sir.
His body's fine, sir.
bodily health physical fine
Marry, the immortal part needs a physician, but that moves not him.
Though that be sick, it dies not.
His soul, immortal part, needs a doctor, but that doesn't bother him. Even when his spirit is dying, it doesn't stop him.
His soul needs a doctor, but he doesn't care. His spirit's dying and it doesn't slow him down.
immortal part physician sick it dies not spirit
I do allow this wen to be as familiar with me as my dog, and he holds
his place, for look you how he writes.
I let this creature be as familiar with me as my dog. He keeps his place because I allow him to, and look how he abuses that privilege.
I let him be as close as my dog. He has a place because I give it to him, and look how he acts.
allow this wen familiar my dog holds place abuses it
he has occasion to name himself: even like those that are kin to the
King, for they never prick their finger but they say, “There’s some of
the King’s blood spilt.” “How comes that?” says he that takes upon him
not to conceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower’s cap, “I am the
King’s poor cousin, sir.”
He signs his name every time, like people related to the King do, because they never forget their rank.
He does this every time, like King's relatives who won't let you forget who they are.
kin to king never prick title pretension
Nay, they will be kin to us, or they will fetch it from Japhet. But to
the letter: “Sir John Falstaff, knight, to the son of the King, nearest
his father, Harry Prince of Wales, greeting.”
They'll be related to us or they'll claim they come from Japhet. But let's get to the point of the letter: 'Sir John Falstaff...'
They'll relate to anyone or make up a story. But anyway, the letter says 'Sir John Falstaff...'
be kin to us fetch japhet get to letter falstaff
Why, this is a certificate.
This is just a document listing his complaints.
This is just a list of grievances.
certificate grievances list
Peace! “I will imitate the honourable Romans in brevity.”
Be quiet! 'I will copy the honorable Romans by being brief.'
Shut up! 'I'll be like the Romans and keep it short.'
peace imitate honourable romans brevity
He sure means brevity in breath, short-winded.
He means brief in breath, short of wind.
He means he'll run out of breath soon.
brevity in breath short-winded no stamina
“I commend me to thee, I commend thee, and I leave thee. Be not too
familiar with Poins, for he misuses thy favours so much that he swears
thou art to marry his sister Nell. Repent at idle times as thou mayst,
and so, farewell.
Thine by yea and no, which is as much as to say, as thou usest him—Jack
Falstaff with my familiars, John with my brothers and sisters, and Sir
John with all Europe.”
'I commend myself to you, I commend you, and I leave you. Don't be too friendly with Poins, because he misleads you and you're too good for him.'
'I send my regards, I praise you, I'm done. Don't hang around with Poins too much, he's a bad influence.'
commend me to thee commend thee leave thee not familiar with poins misuses thee
Falstaff's letter is a miniature self-portrait. He addresses himself with three different names — Jack Falstaff with intimates, John with family, Sir John with 'all Europe' — which tells you everything about how he performs identity. He spreads gossip about Poins to create a wedge. He tells Hal to repent 'at idle times' — a beautifully economical dismissal of repentance as something you do when you have nothing better to do. He claims he'll be 'brief' and immediately writes a long address. Every line is a manipulation, even the funny ones. And crucially, Hal reads it aloud to Poins — which means it's functioning as entertainment, not as personal communication. The letter is designed for an audience, which means Falstaff knows Poins will hear it, which means the gossip about Poins marrying the Prince to his sister is a calculated move. Falstaff is always playing three moves ahead.
My lord, I’ll steep this letter in sack and make him eat it.
My lord, I'll soak this letter in wine and make him eat it.
My lord, I'll soak this letter in wine and shove it down his throat.
steep this letter sack make him eat revenge
That’s to make him eat twenty of his words. But do you use me thus,
Ned? Must I marry your sister?
That's only good for making him swallow twenty of his words. But do you actually do this to me? Must I marry your sister?
That'll just make him choke on his words. But wait, do you really do this to me? You want me to marry your sister?
eat twenty words use me thus marry sister sarcastic
God send the wench no worse fortune! But I never said so.
God bless the girl with good fortune. But I never said that.
I hope your sister does well. But I never said that.
god send wench no worse fortune never said
Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of the wise
sit in the clouds and mock us. Is your master here in London?
That's how we play around with time, while smart people sit in heaven and laugh at us.
That's how we waste time while smart people watch from heaven and laugh.
play the fools with time spirits of wise clouds mock us
Yea, my lord.
Yes, my lord.
Yeah, my lord.
yea my lord yes
Where sups he? Doth the old boar feed in the old frank?
Where is he having supper? Is the old boar eating in his usual place?
Where's he eating dinner? Is he at his usual spot?
where sups he old boar feed old frank
At the old place, my lord, in Eastcheap.
At the usual place, my lord, in Eastcheap.
Same place, my lord, Eastcheap.
old place mylord eastcheap
What company?
Who's with him?
Who's there?
what company with him
Ephesians, my lord, of the old church.
His usual crowd of disreputable friends, my lord, the same old church of drunkards.
His usual trashy crowd, my lord, the same old drinking buddies.
ephesians old church drinking buddies usual crowd
Sup any women with him?
Are there any women there?
Any women there?
sup any women with him
None, my lord, but old Mistress Quickly and Mistress Doll Tearsheet.
No one, my lord, except the old Mistress Quickly and Mistress Doll Tearsheet.
Just Mistress Quickly and Doll Tearsheet, my lord.
none my lord old mistress quickly doll tearsheet
What pagan may that be?
Who is this strange woman?
Who the hell is that?
what pagan may that be who
A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kinswoman of my master’s.
A respectable lady, sir, and a relative of my master's.
A nice lady, sir, and she's related to my boss.
proper gentlewoman kinswoman master's relative
Even such kin as the parish heifers are to the town bull. Shall we
steal upon them, Ned, at supper?
Like the village heifers are related to the town bull. Should we surprise them, Ned, at supper?
Like the heifers are related to the town bull. Want to sneak up on them at dinner?
parish heifers town bull kin steal upon them
I am your shadow, my lord, I’ll follow you.
I'm your shadow, my lord. I'll follow wherever you go.
I'm your shadow. I'm with you.
your shadow follow where you go
Sirrah, you boy, and Bardolph, no word to your master that I am yet
come to town. There’s for your silence.
Boy, Bardolph, don't tell your master that I've come to town yet. Here's payment for your silence.
You and Bardolph, don't tell him I'm here. Here's money for keeping quiet.
sirrah boy bardolph no word master come to town payment
I have no tongue, sir.
I have no tongue, sir.
I'm not saying anything, sir.
no tongue silence won't tell
And for mine, sir, I will govern it.
And I will control mine, sir.
And I'll keep mine shut, sir.
for mine sir govern it control kill
Fare you well; go.
Go well. You may leave.
Go. Get out of here.
fare you well go
I warrant you, as common as the way between Saint Albans and London.
I guarantee you, she's as common as the road between Saint Albans and London.
Yeah, she's as common as the highway between Saint Albans and London.
common way between saint albans london highway whore
How might we see Falstaff bestow himself tonight in his true colours,
and not ourselves be seen?
How can we watch Falstaff tonight in his natural behavior without being noticed ourselves?
How can we watch Falstaff tonight without him knowing?
see falstaff bestow himself night true colours not seen
Put on two leathern jerkins and aprons, and wait upon him at his table
as drawers.
Put on leather aprons and work clothes, and serve him at his table as waiters.
Put on aprons and work clothes and wait tables for him.
leathern jerkins aprons wait upon drawers servants
From a god to a bull? A heavy descension! It was Jove’s case. From a
prince to a ’prentice? A low transformation that shall be mine, for in
everything the purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned.
From a god to a bull? That's a huge fall! Jupiter did that. From a prince to an apprentice? A shameful descent!
From a god to a bull? That's brutal. Jupiter did that. From a prince to a waiter? That sucks!
god to bull heavy descension jove's case prince 'prentice low transformation
The Reckoning
This is Prince Hal at his most unguarded — and most interesting. He can't mourn his dying father openly because, given the company he keeps, it would look like hypocrisy. He can't act princely because he's in the company of Poins. He's caught between worlds, which is exactly where the play needs him to be. The plan to spy on Falstaff is another Eastcheap prank — but it carries a darker charge than the games of Part 1. Hal is now watching a friend he's preparing to discard.
If this happened today…
A billionaire's son who spent his twenties partying with a crew of freeloaders is now back in the city, his father terminally ill. He can't post a grief-stricken Instagram because everyone would think it was performative — the party reputation is too thick. He reads a group-chat message from the oldest freeloader, who addresses him like a peer and spreads gossip about his friends. He and his remaining buddy decide to show up disguised as bartenders at the freeloader's dinner party — just to watch him operate.