Henry IV Part 1 Act 2 – “I think this be the most villainous house in all London road for fleas: I am stung like a tench."

Henry IV Part 1 Act 2 –  “I think this be the most villainous house in all London road for fleas: I am stung like a tench.”

Act 2 of Henry IV Part 1 moves into a world that Shakespeare had not explored in any of his plays before, the seedy world of the roadside inn. In a scene that seems more like something from Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ than one from a Shakespeare History play, we encounter a group of carriers at the inn. Falstaff’s highwayman friend, Gadshill, asks some carriers for a lantern, but they distrust the look of Gladshill and refuse him the lantern. Gadshill hears from his informer that some rich travelers are about to hit the road and he goes to set up an ambush for the travelers.

Falstaff is searching for his horse (which Poins has secretly hidden) and he struggles to travel on foot. Hal lies to Falstaff and tells Falstaff that he will look for his horse. Gadshill enters and announces the arrival of the rich travelers. Masks are put on and they prepare for their robbery.

The victims give up their gold easily and are tied up. Hal and Poins re-enter in disguise and rob the robbers to take the rich booty. They have also hidden Falstaff’s horse. It seems from the robbery and the hiding of Falstaff’s horse, that it will take a while for Hal to become the honorable noblemen he assured us that he would become.

Meanwhile, at Warkworth Castle, the man that Henry IV believes his son should model himself on, is planning his rebellion. Hotspur reads a letter of rejection to join the plot because:

“The purpose you undertake is dangerous; the friends you have named uncertain; the time itself unsorted; and your whole plot too light for the counterpoise of so

great an opposition…”

Just when Hotspur is wondering whether the plans of the rebellion will be revealed or fail, his wife, Lady Percy (also known as Kate) enters and he tells her he will leave within a couple of hours. She asks Hotspur what is troubling him since he hasn’t eaten or slept well for two weeks but he ignores her and when she suggests that Lord Mortimer and his claim to the throne is behind all this, Hotspur gets angry with her saying:

“Away, you trifler! Love! I love thee not,

I care not for thee, Kate: this is no world

To play with mammets and to tilt with lips:

We must have bloody noses and crack'd crowns,

And pass them current too.”

Hotspur tells his wife no more but promises to take her with him when he leaves.

Back in London, Hal seems to be intent on drinking and living the high low life. When Falstaff and others arrive, Falstaff tells Hal and Poins the story of him being robbed but his story has become more exaggerated than the truth and he claims that hundreds of men set upon him. Hal challenges Falstaff on his version of events and reveals that Poins and him in fact were in disguise and were the one’s who robbed Falstaff. Falstaff claims that he knew it was them all along and he gets Harry and Poins to pay for the drinks.

A message arrives for Hal from his father. Falstaff leaves and returns to tell them all that civil war seems to be now inevitable. Hal must go to the court to see his father so he and Falstaff role play the meeting of Hal and his father until they are interrupted by the Hostess who tells them that the Sheriff is looking for Falstaff. Falstaff hides and the Sheriff enters but he does not find Falstaff. As the Sheriff goes, Hal tells Falstaff that:

“We must all to the wars, and thy place

shall be honourable. I'll procure this fat rogue a

charge of foot; and I know his death will be a

march of twelve-score.”