The characters of Hotspur and Prince Hal, I would say, are very different. Prince Hal is a man of great wit. He, although, not princely, appears to have a bit of sense in him. Claiming that mixing with people he knows are not good company is a way in which he will impress others when he takes off his dissolute façade and be what he really is: honourable and great. This would win the affections of eth people, and his father’s admiration. This shows that he still knows the difference between right and wrong, and knows that he should act like a prince when he ought to be. But it may also come across to us as manipulative, because he deceives everyone, just for the sake of adding glory to his name with the contrast of his behaviours.
Hotspur is a hot-tempered, impulsive man who is obsessed with the idea of honour, believing that honour comes from winning battles and having an untainted reputation. He is also very stubborn and obstinate, wanting things to be done his way, as seen when the king refuses to release Mortimer, he was willing to rebel against the king and even form allies to overthrow him. Also a very impulsive man, Hotspur makes rash decisions in the heat of the moment.
Although Prince Hal, the most likely protagonist of the play, appears to be more humane than Hotspur, I still prefer the character of Hotspur.
Hotspur is one who says things the way it is. He doesn’t conceal any of his emotions, which should have contributed to his impulsiveness. When the king called Mortimer “revolt”, Hotspur stood up for him and mentioned all that Mortimer has contributed to the country, hoping that the king will have that same kind of loyalty that he possesses. This defiance may have led to his own death if the king was angered, but in all his loyalty, he is willing to risk his life. Hotspur may be a little short-tempered, and has negative qualities, he is one who cherishes kinship. Hal, on the other hand, does not cherish even friendship. Hal dismisses Falstaff, a true friend in the end, which adds to the idea that he uses things in his way for his own gains. Although Hotspur is one who would most likely hold grudges, he is also one who would remember what another had done for him. A man like that is respectable because he is least likely to betray someone who have never done him wrong, or he feels indebted to. He is a man, whose character is not flat, and is very much a person who makes mistakes and has flaws, just like everyone else. As for Hal, his ambiguous character is hard to define, so whether he is a man of morals or pretense, it is hard to tell.
