Summary: Act IV, scene i
In the rebels’ base camp in Shrewsbury (in the west of
England, near the Welsh border), Hotspur, Worcester, and the Douglas
are discussing their strategy of attack when a messenger arrives
bearing bad news. Hotspur’s father, Northumberland, is very sick
and has decided not to lead his troops to Hotspur—or to send them
at all. Worcester is deeply disturbed by this news, since not only
will Northumberland’s absence seriously weaken the rebel forces,
but it will also betray to the world that the rebels are divided
among themselves. Hotspur, however, quickly manages to convince
himself that all is well and bounces back optimistically.
Another messenger arrives, Sir Richard Vernon, who is
a relative of the Percys. Vernon has information that Henry’s forces,
commanded by the Earl of Westmoreland and Henry’s younger son, Prince
John, are marching toward Shrewsbury with seven thousand men. Moreover,
the king himself and the Prince of Wales—Harry—are also approaching
with still more forces. Vernon has seen Harry bearing himself regally
in his armor: he strikes all who see him as an excellent horseman
and an awe-inspiring young soldier. Unintimidated, Hotspur expresses
a wish to meet Harry in single combat to the death.
But Vernon has still more bad news: Glyndwr
has sent word from Wales that he will not be able to assemble his
forces within the allotted fourteen days. This development is very
alarming to both Worcester and the Douglas, since the battle will
clearly occur before Glyndwr
can arrive. Hotspur, however, refuses to let anything sway his confidence:
even if they must die, they will die merrily. The -Douglas, recovering
from the alarming news, claims to have no fear of death at all,
and the men continue to plan their battle.
Read a translation of
Act IV, scene i →
Summary: Act IV, scene ii
Meanwhile, on the road near Coventry—in southeastern England, east
of London—Falstaff and his men are marching west toward their rendezvous
with Henry at Bridgnorth. Falstaff sends Bardolph to buy some wine,
and, while Bardolph is gone, Falstaff talks aloud about his methods
for finding his unit of foot soldiers. Falstaff proves a very corrupt
military captain, which is not surprising. Instead of using his
power of impressment (that is, the power to draft soldiers) to draft
the best fighters available into his division, he has instead targeted
wealthy merchants and farmers who want to stay home. These individuals
are willing to bribe Falstaff in order to get out of the service.
As a result, Falstaff has made a good deal of money for himself,
but his troops consist only of ragtag souls willing to let themselves
be hired as soldiers: kleptomaniac house servants, youngest sons
with no inheritance, and bankrupt laborers. They are mostly undernourished,
untrustworthy, and unimpressive.
While Falstaff waits for Bardolph to return, Harry and
Henry’s ally, the Earl of Westmoreland, comes down the road and
take him by surprise. Westmoreland casts a dubious eye upon Falstaff’s
conscripts, but Falstaff cheerfully tells him that they are good
enough for cannon fodder. Harry warns Falstaff that he must hurry,
for Hotspur and the Percy allies are already preparing to fight,
and Henry has already made camp at Bridgnorth. The group hurries westward
to meet Henry.
Read a translation of
Act IV, scene ii →
Analysis: Act IV, scenes i–ii
Just as the play builds in drama to Harry’s vow to redeem
himself in Act III, scene ii, it now builds toward resolution: the
Battle of Shrewsbury (which occurs in Act V). The course that the
play must take from here, however, is already becoming clear: the
cascade of bad news that pours in on the Percys in Act IV, scene
i seems to indicate the beginning of the end. Abandoned by their
allies one by one, the rebels—already the underdogs against the
entrenched power and divine right of King Henry—are seeing their
chances for victory worsen by the minute.
