verbally rises above his state and situation. His humor and charm not only provide counterpoint and contrast to the more serious issues of the play, but also contribute to the movement of the play itself. Members of the audience may find themselves wishing for the political scenes to hurry along so that the portly knight can make his way on the stage once more.
The scene where Falstaff role-plays with Prince Hal and assumes the identity of both King Henry and Prince Hal (II, iv: 374-481) is an especially fine Court Jester scene. Yet, Shakespeare provides the unexpected. Falstaff surely does not respond as Lear’s Fool would do. Instead, the fat knight shapes and twists all developments in the staged conversation back to a defense of himself and an assertion of, so he would have one believe, his noble and fine attributes. Thus, the clever linguistic debate of words also contributes to the character’s self-serving natural instincts as he attempts to persuade the impressionable (so he hopes) young prince into providing his older companion a soft and cushy benefice once the prince becomes king.
Obviously, Shakespeare utilizes and develops his humorous creation far beyond the simple comic type suggested here. The play of 1 Henry IV has, as its central focus, a theme concerning honor. The central character of Prince Hal, through a maturation process, dynamically moves from a figure of lowly repute and low estimation to one who learns the