Henry IV, Part 2 -- Shakespeare Annotations Series

Author: (English) William Shakespeare, annotated by Zhang Wenting, Qiu Kuan
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. Meanwhile, the prince repents, takes the throne, reforms politics, and resolves to fight in France to reclaim his rights. The other follows the decline of the nobleman Falstaff, who takes advantage of the war to embezzle and extort money from an innkeeper, fraudulently claiming war credits by capturing prisoners, and is ultimately 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.