Henry IV, Act IV, scene 3
Rebels and Pub Crawlers, post your comment about Act 4 scene 3. See the directions under Act 4, scene 1 for details. When you finish commenting on this page, post a comment to someone on Mr. Sale's class blog.
http://sale4th.blogspot.com/
http://sale4th.blogspot.com/
posted by Cheryl Makovsky at 7:10 AM
5 Comments:
9. In Act 4, Scene 3, I noticed Hotspur greeted Sir Walter Blunt with astonishing reverie since it is Hotspur who is addressing this man and he rarely remarks to another in an appraising manner: "...and would to God/ You were of our determination./ Some of us love you well, and even those some/ Envy your great deservings and good name/ Because you are not of our quality/ But stand against us like an enemy" (4.3.38-42). Hotspur truly acts with respect towards this gentleman we do not particularly honour. However, I really want to look at the motif of honor and courage through what Hotspur says. Although he doesn't say honour or courage, he clearly holds Blunt relatively high and in this exchange, perceives Blunt as a rebel because Blunt sides with Hotspur’s enemy. I wonder, what is it that Blunt has done historically which Hotspur praises him for, but also what important Blunt has in his person that he should be mentioned at all and regarded so well by the coarse Hotspur.
5. This scene portrays Hotspur's irrational thoughts and his quick-tempered nature. He always seems to be too quick to make decisions without fully thinking them out. He is very selfish and does not see how his actions will affect others. I also thought it was interesting when he told Blunt his grievances toward the king. He says "In short time after, he deposed the King,
Soon after that deprived him of his life
And, in the neck of that, tasked the whole state.
To make that worse, suffered his kinsman March
(Who is, if every owner were well placed,
Indeed his king) to be engaged in Wales,
There without ransom to lie forfeited,
Disgraced me in my happy victories,
Sought to entrap me by intelligence,
Rated mine uncle from the council board,
In rage dismissed my father from the court,
Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,
And in conclusion drove us to seek out
This head of safety, and withal to pry
Into his title, the which we find
Too indirect for long continuance." Hotspur is very easily angered and quite "hot-headed." He is very selfish and quick to point out those who have faulted him. I think he lacks the understanding of a king's responsibilities and is too fast to judge. He wants things to happen immediately instead of carefully weighing the options and thinking things through.
Response to Katie
I also found it interesting how much Hotspur appeared to respect Blunt especially, when at the end of the scene, Hotspur acts out of character almost in respect for Blunt. This is the first time in the play that we have seen Hotspur truly put aside his anger and listen to someone else without mocking him like he did to Glendower in Act III. I really liked Blunt’s line to Hotspur: “I would you accept of grace and love” (119). It is almost as if Blunt knows Hotspur well and knows that Hotspur has a soft side. Why else would he even consider asking Hotspur to take the road of mercy and love instead of war? And to my surprise anyway when I first read it, Hotspur answers with: “And maybe we shall” (120). Though this line does not contain the most eloquent words, these words are important because for the first time Hotspur is listening to someone else, but it is probably too late to save him from his eventual downfall.
5. Hotspur was very irritating in this scene. I still can't see why he is so respected and honored because I haven't seen anything of the sort in him. He first was very stubborn and short with Vernon, insisting that they fight the king that night. When Hotspur again doesn't listen to Vernon and says "Tonight, Say I", Vernon responds, frustrated, "Come, come it nay not be. I wonder much, being men of such great leading as you are, that you foresee not what impediments drag back our expedition," (lines 17-20). Vernon cannot understand how Hotspur could ignore all of the problems they were having with getting troops combined and just think about revenging the king. Hotspur is so proud and stubborn that he will not listen to anyone. Even when a messenger for the king comes to find out his motives, he just rambles on about how horrible King Henry is. Hotspur is already making lots of mistakes and losing respect.
Megan F-
I thought it was really interesting reading about how you thought Hotspur's weakness is compromise. I wonder if later on this will be brought out even more in the play. My group and I are supposed to act out this scene and we decided to portray it in a different light: we saw Vernon's and Worchester's personalities as absolutely dull while Hotspur was overly dramatic. He is the only one of the rebels ready to stand and fight at any moment, which shows his resolve to win the war. Hotspur has so much anger bottled inside him and the rest of the men seem to be unimpressed. They act like they aren't convinced that they should be fighting, because otherwise the men would be anxious to be in battle.
Post a Comment
<< Home