In order to succeed in his plan, there are a few challenges that Harry must meet. The first is to repair his reputation and demonstrate his ability to be honorable, whether perceived or genuine, not only in the eyes of the people of England, but also in the eyes of his father. The second is to meet with his adversary, Harry Percy the rebel, whose death will strengthen Prince Harry’s reputation with the people and make his future reign as King seem deserved, unlike his father’s who many people, including the Percy’s view as almost stolen. The third challenge that he must face will be completely changing his personal habits to no longer be considered a miscreant, which will involve turning his back on his tavern friends.
In Act V, Scene 4 Harry and his father will finally make amends. This is the first that we get of the official start of Prince Harry’s reformation. In the beginning of the play, King Henry wished that Hotspur were his son and not Prince Harry as Harry’s conduct was irreprehensible and Hotspur was a true brave knight, involved in foreign affairs, in wars, and seems to be willing to die for his beliefs. The King says,
“In envy that my Lord Northumberland
Should be the father to so blest a son,
A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue;
Who is sweet Fortune’s minion and her pride:
Whilst I, by looking on the praise of him,
See riot and dishonour stain the brow
Of my young Harry. O that it could be proved
That some night tripping fairy had exchanged
In cradle clothes our children where they lay.” (I.i.l78-88)
It happens during the battle in Act V, Scene 4 that the King is about to be killed by Douglas. As Douglas goes to strike the King one last time, Prince Harry moves in and blocks the blow, saving his father’s life. This action is very important within the play and Harry uses it to point out that if the all of the rumors people were spreading about him were true and he didn’t love his father, why then would he save the King’s life? King Henry says in some of the most rewarding lines of the play, “Thou hast redeem’d thy lost opinion,/And showed thou makest some tender of my life,/In this fair rescue thou hast brought me.” Here the King is telling Prince Harry that he has won back his lost reputation with him, but we know that this redemption is only one of Harry’s challenges, so it only properly follows that he should soon face Hotspur.
Hotspur, or Harry Percy as we know him in Richard II, is Harry’s most important, yet most difficult barrier. In order for this barrier to break, Hotspur must die. Shakespeare makes their opposition and loathing for one another evident throughout the play by writing these two characters as direct inverses and opposites of each other. Prince Harry is portrayed as being in control of all aspects of his life: his reputation, his reformation, his future, and his temperament. This I think is done by letting us in on his plan in the beginning of the play and also by showing us how he seems to govern over the tavern and his friends there. He is completely in control of what is going on and even seems to play with his friends like a puppeteer. Conversely, Hotspur is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of person. He acts and speaks impulsively, he constantly disrupts order by interrupting conversations, and he attempts to depose the King, a task in which he will not succeed. We see that Prince Harry cannot succeed without the fall of Hotspur and vice versa. They both seem to know this and relish the thought of the final confrontation. Hotspur says,
“And that same sword and buckler Prince of Wales,
But that I think his father lives him not
And would be glad he met with some mischance,
I would have him poison’d with a pot of ale.” (I.iii.l230-233)
Prince Harry says,
“I will redeem all this on Percy’s head
And in the closing of some glorious day
Be bold to tell you that I am your son…(III.ii.l132-152),
…. And that shall be the day, whene’er it lights,
That this same child of honour and renown,
This gallant Hotspur, this all-praised knight,
And your unthought-of Harry chance to meet.
…That I shall make this northern youth exchange
His glorious deeds for my indignities.
Percy is but my factor, good my lord,
To engross up glorious deeds on my behalf;
And I will call him to so strict account,
That he shall render every glory up,
yea, event he slightese worship of his time,
Or I will tear the reckoning from his heart.”
We see by these lines that they both realize the time will come when they will have to meet and fight. The rebellious Hotspur’s death will metaphorically transfer upon Prince Harry all of his honour and Harry will therefore be deserving of the crown in the eyes of the English.
This inevitable meeting of opposites that we have prepared for surfaces in Act V, Scene 4. Prince Henry just finishes successfully chasing Douglas away when Hotspur confronts him. The words they speak in lines 63-70 illuminate their agreement that only one of them can prevail.
The Prince says,
“I am the Prince of Wales; and think not, Percy
To share with me in glory any more:
Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere;
Nor can one England brook a double reign,
Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales.”
Hotspur agrees,
“Nor shall it, Harry; for the hour is come
To end the one of us; and would to God
They name in arms were now as great as mine!”
They fight and Prince Harry comes out the victor. As Hotspur lies dying, we witness the sort of humanity and respect towards him from Harry that he seems to always show. Harry says a generous speech over his body, respectfully covers his face, and wishes that Hotspur be remembered for his valor and strength and not for his disgraceful rebellion.
Immediately after the death of Hotspur, Harry sees Falstaff also lying dead. Falstaff is one of the tavern people that Harry used as a pawn in his plan to create his degenerate image. The act of Harry turning on these friends is another bridge that will have to be crossed and this scene illuminates his recognition of it. As Falstaff lay on the ground, dead to Prince Harry, Harry speaks of him affectionately yet coldly, he says, “I could have better spared a better man:/O’ I should have a heavy miss of thee/If I were much in love with vanity (V.4.l104-106).” Harry is openly acknowledging that he is a reformed man now and that although he cares for Falstaff, he can no longer consort with him or his type. Even though this may be true, we are able see that Harry’s stint at the tavern could actually have been beneficial to him in other ways besides just using the tavern people as image-generators. For, by fraternizing with the tavern goers, Harry is developing an understanding and a skill in dealing with all types of people and it makes him a well-rounded man. He says: “To conclude, I am so good a proficient in one quarter of an hour, that I can drink with any tinker in his own language during my life ( II,iv.l17-19).” Another point is that this fellowship with the commoner worked to his father’s good fortune in that he was friendly with the people and in so being, they rallied up with him against King Richard. Therefore, it could create some rallying amongst the people for Harry as well.
Act V, Scene 4 is an integral part of 1 Henry IV because it shows the completion of the metaphorical transformation of Hal to Prince Harry. In this scene Prince Harry is redeemed in the eyes of his father, he defeats his adversary and the stronghold of the rebellion, and he recognizes the path he must take which will leave his tavern friends behind and he accepts it. We get a strong feeling from Prince Harry that when his turn comes to reign as King, he will meet the challenge head on and do what he must to be an effective ruler.
