Henry IV, Part II

Author: (English) Shakespeare / Zhang Wenting / Qiu Kuanan Annotations
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Henry IV, Part 2 is a continuation of Henry IV, Part 1, and is one of Shakespeare's most famous English historical plays. The play has two main storylines: one involves King Henry IV, who is exhausted from dealing with domestic rebellion and worried about his prince's incompetence, ultimately dying of illness; the prince then repents, takes the throne, reforms politics, and resolves to go to war with France to reclaim his rights. The other follows the decline of the nobleman Falstaff, who takes advantage of the war to embezzle and accept bribes during recruitment, borrows money from an innkeeper by deception, and claims credit for prisoners of war, only to be cruelly rejected when he tries to curry favor with the new king. The two storylines run parallel and intertwine, creating a striking contrast. The dramatic language is particularly rich, featuring many serious and intricate political poems as well as witty wordplay.