Is Falstaff siplayed as honourable in Act 1&2 - Act I, scene 2 is of considerable importance because it introduces one of Shakespeare's most famous and beloved characters: Harry's friend and mentor Falstaff.

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Katie Yeowart                Is Falstaff siplayed as honourable in Act 1&2

Act I, scene 2 is of considerable importance because it introduces one of Shakespeare's most famous and beloved characters: Harry's friend and mentor Falstaff.

On the one hand, Falstaff is obviously a criminal, as all his banter about judges and hanging and his extravagant references to himself and other highwaymen as "squires of the night's body"—nocturnal thieves—suggest (I.ii.21). More than that, however, Falstaff seems to live with a sense of gusto and enjoyment that is completely foreign to royalty. His approach to life and honor and the way he regards himself are very different from the rigid and complicated systems of pride and vengeance that cause the noblemen to fight bloody wars and attempt to overthrow kings.

Falstaff is an opportunist, always turning a situation to his own advantage and usually not hesitating to step on other people as he does it. On the other hand, he seems to have no need for revenge—the lack of which differentiates him from the noblemen, including Harry. Falstaff does not hesitate to lie outrageously, but he is not concerned when he is caught. He sees no value in gaining honor by risking his life but instead believes he can find more honor in keeping his life. In short, Falstaff is interested in his own self-preservation and in living and enjoying his life to the fullest

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The relationship between Falstaff and Harry is complex. Falstaff seems to be fond of Harry, but it is strange that Harry enjoys spending time with Falstaff. This introductory scene demonstrates the apparently good-natured, joking sort of relationship that exists between them. But as Falstaff's extraordinary facility with language and knowledge of the seedy underbelly of London come to light, it becomes clear that Harry is also learning from Falstaff. The older man is, in a sense, instructing Harry in a robust way of life quite outside the noble sphere—the life that Falstaff himself leads and the philosophy that governs it.

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