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MonkeyNotes-Henry IV, Part 2 by William Shakespeare
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Act IV, Scene 4
Summary
King Henry IV is lying in the Jerusalem Chamber. Princes
Thomas of Clarence and Humphrey of Gloucester, Warwick,
and others enter. The King addresses the group; he says if civil
order is restored and his health improves then he will lead
England to the Holy Land. Th King wishes for a state where
wonÂ’t be any revolts. The youth, instead of drawing theirs
swords, will engage themselves in higher fields. The powers of
the armed forces will be collected and invested and everything
will move according to the wishes of the King. When he
inquires about Hal, he is told that the Prince may be hunting in
the forest. He asks Thomas of Clarence why he is not with his
brother whom he loves. The King advises Thomas to be with
Hal in the future when Hal will be the king. The King further
comments on HalÂ’s character. If Hal is humored, he is gracious
and kind of heart, if aroused he can be fiery. Therefore he must
be carefully studied. Though younger to him, Clarence must
reprove him when the Prince is careless and irresponsible and
must handle him tactfully. In this way Clarence will prove to be
a strong support to Prince Henry. When the King comes to
know from Clarence that the Prince is dining in the company of
Poins and other low subjects, he grieves for his son and heir.
He wonders sadly what will happen to the welfare of England
when Henry becomes King. Warwick comforts the King by
saying that the King is actually misjudging his son who is not an
irresponsible young man. He is mixing freely with his low
subjects to understand about all levels of people. He is
schooling himself about the state of affairs of the people in
England. Warwick further predicts that Hal will “turn past evils
to advantages.” Westmoreland enters and brings happy news.
He conveys the news that Mowbray, York, and Hastings are
arrested and brought under control. There is not a rebel
anywhere and peace flourishes. The King is happy to hear the
news and says Westmoreland is like a summer bird singing the
beginning of a new day. Harcourt arrives and reports that
Northumberland and Bardolph are captives. All this good news
does not improve the health of the King. Warwick is sure that
he will recover. Thomas of Clarence is more realistic; he points
out that incessant care and labor has brought his father close to
death. Thomas is reminded of the fact that the river Thames
has overflowed its banks three times just as it had done before
Edward IIÂ’s death. The King asks to be removed to another
chamber.
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