Henry IV: Part Two (Signet Classics)

Not as great as Part 1, but still an enjoyable play, featuring the ever-lovable Falstaff and showing us Hal’s ascent to royalty. Hotspur is much missed in this play. My main complaint is that the world of Falstaff and the world of Hal become more and more disparate and remote in this play. That’s the whole point, I think, and Shakespeare is aware of it, but, nonetheless, it gives this play a sadder, more dour note compared to Part 1. Still, this is essential to read if you enjoyed Part 1, and, that being said, the entire Henriad is well worth reading for any lover of Shakespeare.As for this edition, I love the Signet editions. They’re very readable, with helpful but unobtrusive footnotes and useful supplementary material.

A Great play greatly rendered well paced and entertaining

Arkangel has great production values. A joy to listen to time after time.

This rating is because the insert, while labeled as being for Henry IV, part 2, is actually the plot for Henry IV, part 1. So far the recording itself is fine.

Shakespeare!

The second part of Henry IV resolves the problems of King Henry and Prince Hal and makes Prince Hal confront the choice he must make in following a more regal tone or being friends with Falstaff and his crew. I think many of us can identify with having to distance ourselves from a person who constantly get us into trouble and that is the Prince’s dilemma.King Henry is dying and Prince Hal is proving himself as one of the greatest soldiers England has ever known. His father has a wonderful talk with him about how the taint of the crown that was on the King’s shoulders will not be on Hal’s because he rightfully inherits and has proven his mettle.Falstaff spends most of the play waiting for his time in the sun when his best friend becomes the King of England. He is drinking more than ever and bragging to everyone that will listen that he will soon be riding high because of his friendship.Prince Hal becomes a King and begins to act, as a royal prince should. He welcomes his father’s allies and distances himself from his own.Jamie Glover again plays Prince Hal and Julian Glover plays King Henry IV. I enjoyed this play as much as the first one and especially liked the maturity Prince Hal grows into in this play.

In Henry the Fourth part 1 we find Prince Hal, King Henry IV's heir, consorting with Falstaff and other brigands. All the while Henry Percy, known as Hotspur, is leading a rebellion. Prince Hal rises to the occasion, redeems himself on the battlefield, kills Hotspur but lets his friend Falstaff take the credit. But the rebellion isn't put down...This is a sequel, plain and simple. The plot is virtually the same as that of Henry IV part 1: the errant son isn't living up to his father's expectations and to his responsibilities as heir to the throne. He consorts with friends of dubious character, but then in time he fights to put down the rebellion against his father. Shakespeare does take us to King Henry IV's death and shows us Prince Hal become King Henry V, thus concluding the story. But the sequel feels unnecessary, after all if Prince Hal redeemed himself in part 1, where is the dramatic motive to have him do so again in part 2?But this is a Shakespeare sequel. The end in part 1 was good natured and Falstaff remained friends with the prince. The prince and the king have reconciled, but the king's advisers still suspect the prince. The Lord High Justice in particular, being fond of law and order, is not too happy at the thought of serving a king with a possibly criminal past.All ends well though. The Lord High Justice is of course nervous upon Henry V's accession, but the king wisely keeps him in his position. Having served his father so well, to the point of courting his own displeasure and risking his life in order to uphold the law, Henry V predicts he will serve his new king with the same integrity.And then for good measure, Henry V finally and fully repudiates Falstaff and his band. "I know thee not old man" answers Henry V to a stunned Falstaff who had expected Hal's rise to make his fortune. But no, he is cast aside along with Prince Hal's youth.Vincent Poirier, TokyoNote: Amazon wouldn't let me review the Pelican edition of HIVp2 because I already reviewed that edition of HIVp1. Apparently, it considers the two parts of this play to be a set. Oh well.VP

As with the first part of 'Henry IV' Arkangel does an excellent job in portraying the different levels of 15th century society. While Part Two is generally not as dramatically coherent as Part One, this particular production is handled as well as the first one. Geoffrey Bayldon is delightful as justice Shallow, while Pistol ("the foul-mouth'dst rogue in England") is played by Edward de Souza as a bulging-eyed, spluttering madman, who rolls his 'r's like a highland Scot. Evie Mathieson brings a seductive sleaziness to the part of Doll Tearsheet, giving hilarious weight to the prince's line about "Saturn and Venus this year in conjunction."

I belong to a Shakespeare reading group, so we have an appreciation of all of his plays!