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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help
You ask if Prince Hal is a Renaissance man. That depends on
how you define Renaissance man. One definition would be
as a lover of man, philosphy and learning. I'm not sure
how clear it is that Hal is a lover of such things. It
has been a while since my last reading of Henry IV part i.If we twist the question around a little and ask is Hal
a man of the Renaissance, the answer is yes. This era saw
a drastic change in the conception of a king. Machiavelli,
in "The Prince," wrote that a king should maintain his control
over his kingdom by any means necessary, be it murder, cheating
or stealing. At the same time, Erasmus wrote a treatise
on the Christian King where a ruler should rule with
forgiveness, rewards and trust. Hal is often seen in one
of these two roles but how you see him will depend upon
your interpretation of his character. Is he gaining his
kingship through deceit by manipulating his friends, like
Falstaff, and the general public when he states that he will
shine even more after leading such a debauched young manhood?
Or is he a kind ruler that rewards Falstaff by allowing him
to take credit for the killing of Hotspur? There are other
examples you will need to look at, but Hal is definitely
a man of the Renaissance and fits into one of these to
Renaissance molds. Which one depends upon how you see him.
Posted by Steven on April 07, 1997 at 10:57:32
In Reply to "Henry IV, part I, Prince Hal..." posted by Aleena on April 06, 1997 at 17:19:33
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help