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To make himself look better in the future

Hal tells us the whole reason why he hangs out with Falstaff in one speech.
I don't have in front of me and am relying on memory, so please pardon any
errors I may make with punctuation, etc; but here it goes:

I know you all and will awhile uphold
The unyok'd humor of your idleness
Yet herein will I imitate the sun
Who doth permit the base contagious clouds
To smother up his beauty from the world
That when he please again to be himself
Being wanted, he may be more wond'red at
By breaking through the foul and ugly mists
Of vapors that do seem to strangle him.
If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work;
But when they seldom come, they wished for come
And nothing pleaseth but rare accident
So when this loose behavior I throw off
And pay the debt I never promised,
By how much better than my word I am
By so much shall I falsify men's hopes
And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
My reformation glitt'ring o'er my fault
Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.
I'll so offend to make offense a skill,
Redeaming time when men think least I will.

Hal hangs out with Falstaff to make himself look bad. His father and the
rest of the court make comments on Hal's inappropriate behavior and there
is a certain level of fear that Hal won't be able to handle the responsibilities
that go with being King. However, Hal intended this all along so that when
the time comes for him to take responsibility, not just on the field of battle
in this play, but also as king in King Henry V, he makes himself look better
by having that troubled past than if he had just been the faithful prince;
because no one expects such valor from a trouble-maker.

Posted by J.H.P. on April 25, 1997 at 08:18:16
In Reply to "Henry IV Part 1: Why does Hal hangout with Falstaff?" posted by Raynelle on April 24, 1997 at 17:37:30

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