Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare centers around the recently crowned King Henry IV, a not necessarily morally just or favorable leader that has illegally deposed the previous and rightful king Richard II in a power grab. Henry IV, though now king, often forgets to consider his uncertain grounds with the nobles and questionable rights to the power when giving and taking orders from his court. Because his lack of solid and universally understood entitlement to the power, many of his actions are questioned by his court and by his nation, both because of their purpose and their validity from his position. One of King Henry’s fatal flaws is essentially acting very unlike a king, but expecting that those around him will treat him in a king-like manner.
King Henry’s hypocrisy in this right is reflected in many actions and demands he makes. Henry calls upon Hotspur to deliver his prisoners of battle to the King, but when Hotspur proposes the exchange of his brother in law Edmund Mortimer for the rebel prisoners, Henry states he would rather “on the barren mountains let him [Mortimer] starve” than consider releasing him (I, III, 91). He then demands once again that Hotspur “Send us your prisoners” (I, III, 126). Despite his position as king, Henry does not consider his highly sensitive position as leader, and refuses to compromise with those that can potentially damage his role the most. Hotspur offers him a proposal to resolve past and future issues, but Henry’s stubbornness, stubbornness also later seen in Hotspur, forces him not accept it. His incapacity to make certain concessions for the sake of peace causes others to turn away from helping him and turn to the rebellion for support. His hypocrisy works against him to therefore give cause to his subjects to aid the revolt rather than support his side.
Henry’s hypocrisy is also seem in regards to Prince Hal. Part of the plot revolves around King Henry and the court, but the other ongoing plot elsewhere follows Hal and his endeavors in the taverns of Eastcheap. Henry sets high expectation for Hal and dismisses him when he has a more nonchalant and playful attitude towards life initially in the play, Henry stating he sees “riot and dishonor stain the brow/Of my young Harry” (I, I, 84-5). Though Hal still pledges allegiance and loyalty to the King when asked to go into battle, any hesitance he has is to be expected. Henry himself is not an honorable king, something that become prominent in Act 5. He offers to pardon the rebels if they agree to peace, then turns back on his proposal when the his own forces win the battle. It is unclear, but potential that Hotspur and his army were the only rebels to march against the King. Henry also disguises Sir Walter Blunt as himself, which later leads to Blunt’s death when he is mistaken for Henry. The King places high standards on Hal, but fails to meet those standards of honor himself.
Some of his blatant hypocrisy comes back to harm him in the end, as his refusal to Hotspur’s proposal causes the young nobleman to turn against him, but Prince Hal still rises to honor despite his father’s unreasonable expectations. His hypocrisy stems from his misunderstand of his position as king. The ground beneath him is uncertain and never guarenteed, and he has no willingness to tread lightly while he is still new and somewhat unfavorable in the position. With the political uncertainty of the crown and his illegal deposition of Richard II, he has little right to take the crown for granted as he does. His hypocrisy, because of his position, goes unrealized as it is deemed normal of a king to make demands. King Henry IV’s hypocrisy ultimately causes many problems for himself and his court in the play.
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