How does Shakespeare put on stage the conflict between different attitudes to loyalty? How effectively do you think he does this?

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Brendan Lee

How does Shakespeare put on stage the conflict between different attitudes to loyalty? How effectively do you think he does this?

On stage we are introduced to two different styles of leadership. Shakespeare uses the King and Hal to act as contrasts of leadership. We seethe king as a ‘scary ogre’, who is to be feared. When we first meet the king he is easily angered as he is not obeyed by Hotspur, as he does not hand over the prisoners which he has captured. This shows that the king immediately demands obedience and respect. Whenever someone is addressing the king, they call him ‘my liege’ or ‘my lord’.

This again shows that people fear him, as they feel they must respect him. However, when we first meet Hal, Prince of Wales, Falstaff addresses him with ‘Hal’ and ‘lad’, which shows that people do not fear Hal as much, and that he is not as respected. Hal ’mingles’ with the ‘common’ people, and he feels at home in the pub with his mates. This style of leadership is in contrast to his father’s, the King. Hal does not demand respect and obedience . He is content with others making jokes at him and having a laugh. Falstaff says to Hal ‘ for a fine thief of the age of two and twenty or thereabouts’. Falstaff is suggesting that Hal is boring, but Hal is satisfied with being called this, whereas if it was the King who had received this comment, he would have got angry at being insulted. Hal himself enjoys a laugh with his mates, even if it means that someone is disadvantaged by it. For example he plays a trick on Falstaff, by allowing him to carry out a robbery and then the prince himself robs Falstaff. Hal did this just to show Falstaff up, and to make a fool of him, of which he does. Hal mixes with thieves and drunks, people of which his father would not approve. If Hal becomes king, it seems that he will not have the power and respect that his father had, because of the way he acts. It is not fit for the Prince of Wales to go on robberies, and get drunk in local pubs. People will lack respect for him and he will have no authority.

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In the scene with the King, we see him as not a very attractive character. He speaks in a manner which is slow, serious, and very stern. This introduction to the king is important as it is the audience’s first view of him and they decide straight away what sort of character he is. This, almost evil presence around the King makes even the audience fear him, which is why the other characters in the play fear him. This is the kings way of leading his people. By being strict, ‘snobbish’, stern and fearful, this is why people follow him. ...

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