Honor in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 1: Hal vs. Hotspur

Introduction: Honor as a Central Theme

Honor becomes a principal theme in William Shakespeare's play I Henry IV. Through the young men Prince Hal and Hotspur, Shakespeare delves into how character can be misleading and how we must learn to look at a man's actions rather than his words to determine whether he is truly honorable. Our first impressions of these two young men are polar opposites, with Hotspur appearing to win the category of honor outright, while Hal is anything but honorable as he passes his days in taverns. Yet this is precisely the impression Shakespeare intends to overturn. He uses this situation to demonstrate that it is risky to judge people by first impressions — and, in doing so, he also teaches us the very definition of honor.

Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 draws readers in with the contrast between these two young men. Hotspur steals everyone's attention at the beginning of the play only to be outdone by Hal, the least likely individual to do so. Honor, Shakespeare shows, is worth more than words, and Hal ultimately wins not just the heart of his father but the respect of readers as well.

Shakespeare engages readers with diverse characters to illustrate his points. True to many situations in life, his characters develop — and this is exactly what happens to Hotspur and Hal. In the beginning of the play, Hotspur gives the impression that he is the young man who possesses the most honor and who will grow into an honorable leader. His triumph over the Scots appears to be working in his favor. He is proud and, for all intents and purposes, has every reason to be. His character is charming and engaging. It is also worth noting that King Henry admires him greatly. The king is aware of Hotspur's potential and even expresses the wish that Hotspur were his son rather than Hal:

Hotspur as the Ideal of Honor

In envy that my Lord Northumberland
Should be the father to so blest a son,
A son who is the theme of honor's tongue,
Among a grove the very straightest plant. (I.i.79–82)

Shakespeare draws attention to the king's attraction to Hotspur with this statement. It is significant to recognize that the king rules at a time when his country's borders are unsafe; he has no room for anything but nobility and honor. He is refined, dignified, and equipped to defend his land and people. By making the king this way, Shakespeare compels us to see Hotspur as the greater of the two young men at this point in the play and helps us understand why the king would favor him over Hal.

Hotspur is a fearless young man, and fearlessness is a quality every honorable man must possess. He declares:

Send danger from the east unto the west,
So honor cross it from the north to south;
And let them grapple. O, the blood more stirs
To rouse a lion than to start a hare! (I.iii.195–198)

Prince Hal's Dishonorable Beginnings

Shakespeare draws further attention to Hotspur's honor by having him define it directly. Hotspur understands the demands of combat and is easily motivated. This makes him a superior warrior, one who will seize every opportunity to fight and win honor for his name. He is an admirable young man who appears to have a brilliant future ahead of him.

Prince Hal, by contrast, seems to be missing the mark entirely when it comes to honor and honorable intentions at the beginning of the play. He is indolent and cavalier about his position in life. Part of Hal's problem lies with the company he keeps. Falstaff might be great fun, but he is not the brand of role model any king would want for his son. In fact, Falstaff is the epitome of what honor is not. He spends most of his time in taverns drinking and declares, "I am now of all humors that have showed themselves humors since the old days of good man Adam to the pupil age of this present twelve o'clock midnight" (II.iv.82–84).

It is also significant that Falstaff functions as a father figure to Hal. He even mocks those who enjoy fighting, as when he says, "I am not yet of Percy's mind, the Hotspur of the north, he that kills me some six or seven dozen of Scots at a breakfast, washes his hands, and says to his wife, 'Fie upon this quiet life! I want work'" (II.v.94–97). Here Falstaff deliberately points out that he is nothing like Hotspur — and is proud of it. Falstaff is not the kind of person who should be influencing a young man on the threshold of becoming king. Hal, however, is enchanted by him and appears wholly to be missing the mark when it comes to his future.

Conclusion: True Honor Revealed

Shakespeare brings the notion of honor and what it means to the forefront of this play. He does so by drawing readers' attention to the young and seemingly vapid Hal and the overreaching Hotspur. Both men appear to be something they are not at the beginning of the play, and as time goes on, we see that true honor emerges in the least likely places. The young rivals illustrate how looks can be deceiving and how, in the end, actions do speak louder than words. Hotspur turns out to be more talk than anything else. Hal, guided by the lazy Falstaff, appears to be a lost soul whose future looks dim. Yet time reveals that we can only truly know a man after circumstance has given him the opportunity to rise to occasions that allow him to prove his honor through action, not words.