Summary: Act V, scene iii
On the battlefield at Shrewsbury, the fight is on between
the army of King Henry and the forces of the Percy rebellion. The
Douglas, the fearless leader of the Scotsmen, searches the battlefield
for Henry himself. He meets Sir Walter Blunt, dressed like the king
and acting as a decoy. The two fight, and the Douglas kills Blunt.
Hotspur enters and identifies the dead Blunt as an impostor.
The two leave in search of the real Henry, and Falstaff
appears, trying to avoid the heat of the battle. He encounters a
breathless Harry, who has lost his sword. Harry asks Falstaff if
he can borrow his. The cowardly Falstaff declines to give it up—if
Hotspur is still alive, Falstaff does not want to be unarmed. Disgusted,
Harry leaves, and Falstaff goes off in a different direction.
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Act V, scene iii →
Summary: Act V, scene iv
Harry reenters, now accompanied by his father, brother
John, and Westmoreland. Harry is wounded but refuses to stop fighting and
seek medical attention. He heads off with John and Westmoreland
to fight, leaving Henry alone. The Douglas reenters, still seeking
the king. Henry bravely meets the Douglas in single combat, although
he knows that he can hardly hope to win: he is an old man, while
the Douglas is a deadly fighter in the prime of his life. Harry reappears,
and, seeing his father in danger, challenges the Douglas, whom he
beats back so ferociously that the Douglas flees the field. Henry
thanks his son with warmth and pride, saying he has at last regained
his father’s respect, and Harry heads back into battle.
Hotspur enters and finds Harry alone. They identify one
another, and both agree that it is time they fought to the death.
In the heat of their battle, Falstaff wanders back in. The fighters
do not notice him, but Falstaff cheers Harry on. The Douglas returns
once again and attacks Falstaff. Falstaff falls down, pretending
to be dead, and the Douglas leaves him where he lies.
Harry, meanwhile, has critically wounded Hotspur, who
dies. Spying Falstaff lying on the ground as if dead, Harry eulogizes
both and, vowing to come back and bury them, leaves. As soon as
Harry is gone, Falstaff springs up and stabs the dead Hotspur in
the leg. When Harry and John reenter, Falstaff, in his typical manner,
claims that he fought a bloody battle with the wounded Hotspur after Harry
left and finally finished him off. John and the dumbfounded Harry
decide to settle the matter later. They hear the trumpets sounding
retreat, and all return together to the base camp.
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Act V, scene iv →
Summary: Act V, scene v
The battle is over, and Henry’s forces have won decisively.
The rebel leaders are all dead or captured. Henry, who has discovered
that the battle was triggered, in part, by Worcester’s intentional
failure to deliver his offer of peace to Hotspur, orders Worcester
and Vernon to be executed.
