Henry IV, Part 2Clarendon Press, 1998 - 287 pages This book again pits a rebellion within the State and that master of misrule, Falstaff, against the maturing of Prince Hal. Alternating scenes between bawdy tavern and regal court, between revelry and politics, Shakespeare probes at the sources, uses, and responsibilities of power as an old king dies and a young king must choose between a ruler's solemn duty and a merry but dissipated friend, Falstaff. The play represents Shakespeare at the peak of his maturity in writing historical drama and comedy. This edition offers a fully modernized text of one of Shakespeare's most fascinating plays. Henry IV, Part 2 is the only play in the canon whose structure almost exactly mirrors that of its predecessor, and thereby affords unique perspectives on Shakespeare's art and craft. Far from being the impoverished country cousin of an illustrious work, Part 2 introduces unforgettable new characters like Pistol and Shallow, and memorable minor players such as Doll Tearsheet and the reluctant Goucestershire recruits. Above all, it gives us more Falstaff. Although he is now politically distanced from Hal, he looms larger than ever as a mischievous figure who never ceases to fascinate with his unique blend of native wit, inventiveness, and corruption. Through a radical reconsideration of the play's text(s) and date, it is argued here for the first time that the character of Falstaff was called Oldcastle in Part 2 as well as in Part 1, and that it was the vetting of Part 2 for the 1596-7 Christmas performances at Court which led to the change of name in both plays. This edition moreover takes the view that the Folio-only passages in the play reflect the text of the original prompt-book. |
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Page vii
... Passages 78 Quarto 1600 79 84 90 The Copy for Folio 91 Editorial Procedures ΙΟΙ Abbreviations and References 103 THE HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE FOURTH , ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 2 113 Index 275 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS I. John Neville as Pistol and Gwen vii.
... Passages 78 Quarto 1600 79 84 90 The Copy for Folio 91 Editorial Procedures ΙΟΙ Abbreviations and References 103 THE HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE FOURTH , ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 2 113 Index 275 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS I. John Neville as Pistol and Gwen vii.
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ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Bardolfe Bolingbroke Bullcalf Bullough CAPELL Chimes at Midnight Clarence Cobham Coleville coronation crown Davison Davy death Dent DOLL TEARSHEET doth dramatic Drawer drink Earl edition Enter Falstaff Epilogue Exeunt Exit Famous Victories father Folio foul papers Gaultres Gloucestershire Hal's Harry HASTINGS hath Heauen F Henry IV plays Henry the Fourth Holinshed Hotspur Humphreys Iohn KING HENRY King's lines Lord Bardolph LORD CHIEF JUSTICE lord of Westmorland Master Shallow Merry Wives MISTRESS QUICKLY Mouldy Mowbray night noble Northumberland Oldcastle OXFORD peace performance phrase Pistol POINS political pray prick PRINCE HENRY PRINCE JOHN printed prompt-book prose proverbial Q and F quarto rebels reference Richard Richard II royal scene Shaaber Shake Shakespeare Shrewsbury Silence speare's speech-prefix stage direction subs suggests Taylor Theatre thee thou tion troth verse W. W. Greg WARWICK Westmorland William word