The Foxes, The Lion, and the Fat Knight: Introduction to Henry IV, Part 1
Introductory Comments We start our study of Shakespeare with Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry V, two plays from the four-play Second History Cycle, which, as I have already explained elsewhere, deals with the first part of the family conflict and civil war known as the Wars of the Roses (those who would like a more detailed account of the narrative of this conflict in Shakespeare's two History Cycles should click here). In this lecture I shall be exploring some of the more important issues in Henry IV, Part 1. These issues arise out of the dramatic action of the first play in the four-part sequence, Richard II, are explored further in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and apparently resolved in Henry V. In dealing with our first two plays, I particularly want to call our attention to Shakespeare's use of irony to challenge,