By William Shakespeare STUDENT-TEACHER STUDY GUIDE. compiled and arranged by the Education Department of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey

Transcription

1 Henry IV, Part One By William Shakespeare STUDENT-TEACHER STUDY GUIDE compiled and arranged by the Education Department of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey

2 Cover Artwork: Madrid Artist Enrique Moreiro was specially commissioned to create the unique portraits used for The Shakspeare Theatre of New Jersey s 50th Anniversary Season.

3 The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey TIMON OF ATHENS: Know-the-Show Guide In This Guide: Classroom Activities for Teachers and Students... p2 Shakespeare: Helpful Tips For Exploring & Seeing His Works... p3 Henry IV, Part One: A Short Synopsis... p4 Who s Who in Henry IV... p5 About the Playwright... p6 Shakespeare s London... p7 Sources and History of Henry IV, Part One... p8 Director s Thoughts on Henry IV, Part One... p8 Commentary and Criticism... p11 Are You SURE This is English?... p12 Shakespeare s Common Tongue... p13 Terms and Phrases Found in Henry IV, Part One... p13 What Did He Say/Who Said That - Quizzes... p15 Topics for Discussion... p16 Test Your Understanding Quiz... p17 Follow-Up Activities... p18 Answers to Quizzes... p18 Meeting the Common Core Standards... p19-1- About The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey... back cover

4 C L A S S R O O M FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS What we hear most from educators is that there is a great deal of anxiety when it comes to Shakespeare; seeing it, reading it and especially teaching it. One of the principal goals of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey s education programs is to demystify Shakespeare, take him off the shelf and re-energize his work for students and teachers alike. Toward these goals, this Study Guide provides educators with tools to both allay their own concerns and to expand the theatre-going experience for their students beyond the field trip to The Shakespeare Theatre. The information included in this guide will help you expand your students understanding of Shakespeare in performance, as well as help you meet many of the Common Core Standards. We encourage you to impart as much of the information included in this Study Guide to your students as is possible. The following are some suggestions from teachers on how you can utilize elements of the guide given limited classroom time. Many teachers have found that distributing or reading the Short Synopsis and Who s Who pages has greatly increased students understanding and enjoyment of the production. It provides the students with a general understanding of what they will be seeing and what they can expect. Some teachers have simply taken the last five minutes of a class period to do this with very positive results. When more class time is available prior to your visit, we recommend incorporating the background information on William Shakespeare and the play itself. One teacher divided her class into groups and assigned each group research topics based on the divisions found in the study guide. Using a copy of the corresponding study guide page as a launch pad, the students had one week to research the topics. The students then presented their information to the class in three- to five-minute oral reports. Including the questions that evolved from the presentations, the entire project took only one class period. I am told that the reading of Old English and Middle English texts was quite entertaining and very informative. Using the questions found in the TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION, many teachers will opt to take a class period after the trip to The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey to discuss the play with their students. The questions help keep the comments focused on the production, while incorporating various thematic and social issues that are found in the play. One school spent two days working through performance-based activities (a few of which are suggested in the FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES section) with a particularly difficult and rowdy class. They were astounded with the results. Their students took the opportunity to ham it up, and discovered a great joy and understanding from performing Shakespeare. What s My Line? Promoting Active Listening Teacher-tested, student-approved! Try this exercise with your students: Before attending the production, give each student one line from the play to listen for. Discuss the meaning of the line and encourage their input in deciphering what Shakespeare meant by the line. How would the student perform the line? Why is the line important to the play? Does it advance the plot, or give the audience particular insight into a character or relationship? Again, we hope you will incorporate as many portions of this study guide as you are able into your classroom experience. If you have any suggestions for activities or topics not already found in the Study Guide, please contact our Education Department. We are always interested in hearing new ways to excite young people (and teachers) about Shakespeare and live theatre. Happy Teaching, Brian B. Crowe, Director of Education A C T I V I T I E S Following the production, discuss the line again. Did the actor present the line in the way your student expected? If not, how was it different? -2- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey s Main Stage

5 Shakespeare: Helpful Tips For Exploring & Seeing His Works Just plunge right in (to Shakespeare). See a play, read it aloud, rent a video, listen to a tape. It s up to you. When you look at Shakespeare close up, he s not as intimidating as when he s seen from afar. Tragedy can have humor, and great comedy always has elements of the tragic. Norrie Epstein The Friendly Shakespeare 18th-century critics complained that Shakespeare s tragedies weren t consistently serious enough. According to the classic rules, tragedy should be uniformly somber. Shakespeare s use of humor in his tragedies prevents us from becoming washed away in a dense fog of emotion. Rather, it forces us out of the tragic long enough to appreciate the level to which the play s passions have taken us. My advice to anyone seeing Shakespeare: Don t worry so much! Just make sure your ears are clean and your eyes are sharp. Listen and look and watch. Look at the distance people stand from each other; look at the relationships being developed. Stay with it. Don t negate the move that Shakespeare will make toward your gut, toward your soul because he will touch you there, if you allow yourself to be touched. -David Suchet, actor Some of the plays have taken on mythic proportions. By myths, I mean we grow up knowing certain things about [Shakespeare s] characters but we don t know how we know them. There are lots of SHAKESPEAREAN MICROCHIPS lodged in our brains. Charles Marowitz, director It was Olivier s Henry V that made me realize that Shakespeare is about real people and that his language wasn t simply beautiful poetry. Robert Brustein, director Don t be afraid to LISTEN, WATCH AND REACT; laugh, cry, and be moved. Shakespeare wrote for a live and active audience. Both audience and actor must be involved to create a truly winning performance. There are some parts of the plays you ll never understand. But excuse me, I thought that s what great art was supposed to be about. DON T FREAK OUT OVER IT! Peter Sellars, Director -3-

6 Henry IV, Part One: A Short Synopsis As the play begins, England is in the midst of a year-long war with Scottish and Welsh forces. The newly crowned King Henry IV meets with his advisors to discuss the progress of the war. Word comes that one of their English leaders, Mortimer, has been captured by Owen Glendower, the leader of the Welsh forces. More favorable news comes from another front, as they learn that Sir Henry Percy (known as Hotspur) has defeated the Scottish forces at Holmedon. In his pride, however, Hotspur has determined to keep his prisoners rather than turn them over to King Henry. Despite this insubordination, the king laments that his own son, Prince Henry (also known as Prince Harry or Prince Hal), is not as renowned a warrior and leader as Hotspur. Hotspur is called to the court to answer for his refusal to deliver the prisoners to the King. Hotspur says he only refused to do so initially because an offensive and affected lord had demanded them of him as he left the battlefield. Hotspur then entreats the King to pay the ransom to free his brother-in-law, Mortimer. The King claims that Mortimer is a traitor having recently married the daughter of England s enemy Owen Glendower and refuses to pay any ransom for him. Alone with his father (Northumberland) and his uncle (Worcester), Hotspur rails against the king. When Worcester and Northumberland explain that Mortimer is the rightful heir to the throne, Hotspur vows to side with Mortimer. Worcester reveals a plot of rebellion, allying them with Mortimer, Glendower, and the Earl of Douglas from Scotland. Later, Hotspur prepares for battle at home, and angrily peruses a letter from someone who warns him that the ill-planned rebellion is certain to fail. His wife, Lady Percy, enters and demands to know what has been troubling him. He refuses to tell her anything, but consoles her by saying that she will follow after him tomorrow. As the rebellion against the king gains momentum, Prince Hal gallivants with a company of thieves under the leadership of the fat and drunken Sir John Falstaff. As Ned Poins hatches a plan for the group to rob some passing travelers, Hal initially refuses to join the expedition. Poins informs Hal, however, that the robbery is merely a set-up for a grand jest against Falstaff. Hal and Poins will watch Falstaff and the others rob the travelers, and then will rob the money from Falstaff to see what lies he will tell about the encounter. After Poins leaves, Hal soliloquizes about how he will rectify his behavior when he becomes king, and how his kingly maturity will shine when juxtaposed against his youthful indiscretions. At Gadshill, Falstaff, Poins, Hal, Bardolph, and Peto prepare to rob the travelers. Poins and Hal steal off alone, under the pretense of catching the victims further down the road if they should escape Falstaff s men. Falstaff, Bardolph, and Peto -4- successfully capture and rob the travelers. Hal and Poins then enter, in disguise, and threaten their friends, who flee in terror leaving their booty behind. Later at the Boar s Head Tavern, Hal and Poins await their friends. Falstaff, Bardolph, and Peto arrive wearily, in bandages, and Falstaff recounts an elaborate story about how he fended off his attackers the number of which increases as his story advances. Eventually, Hal reveals that it was he and Poins who had attacked them, and exposes Falstaff s lies. Falstaff claims that he knew it was them all along, and that he couldn t very well attack or kill the heir apparent. A messenger brings news of the revolt in the court, and word that Hal must return to the castle tomorrow. Falstaff and Hal then engage in an elaborate role-play, wherein first Falstaff, then Hal plays the King scolding the prince for his behavior. A sheriff suddenly arrives at the tavern in search of Falstaff who has been accused of robbery. Falstaff hides, as Prince Hal deals with the sheriff, and promises that Falstaff will be held accountable. After the sheriff leaves, Hal and Peto discover that Falstaff has fallen asleep in his hiding spot. They pick his pockets, only to find a list of his expenses owed to the hostess of the tavern. Hotspur, Glendower, and Mortimer join forces and strategize their attack against the oncoming forces of King Hal. The discussion turns heated as the men discuss the plans for the division of England after their assumed victory. Plans are laid to leave immediately to prepare for battle, and the wives of Mortimer and Hotspur enter to say goodbye to their husbands. It is discovered that Mortimer s wife (the daughter of Owen Glendower) is unable to speak English, and that Mortimer cannot speak any Welsh. Glendower translates his daughter s fears about Mortimer leaving, and then she sings a song in Welsh. The men depart to prepare for battle, and the wives prepare to follow the next day. Meanwhile, Hal returns and meets with his father. The King admonishes him, comparing the Prince s indiscretions with Hotspur s nobility. Prince Henry vows to make himself worthy of his title and his father. Sir Blunt brings news that the rebels have convened at Shrewsbury, and the King lays out plans to face the rebels there. Back at the inn, Falstaff complains to the hostess that someone has picked his pockets and stolen an expensive ring from him. Hal arrives, and quickly reveals that he himself picked Falstaff s pocket, but discovered nothing more than papers, once again exposing Falstaff as a liar. Hal instructs Falstaff to be prepared to join the English forces in battle the next day. At the rebel camp near Shrewsbury, a messenger brings Hotspur word that his father, Northumberland, is very ill and cannot join them. Word also arrives stating that Glendower s forces will

7 Who s Who in Henry IV not be arriving as originally planned. Despite these great odds, Hotspur eagerly anticipates the battle, and his opportunity to face Hal in combat. Falstaff enters with his bedraggled soldiers on their way to join the King s forces. Rather than seeking for additional munitions and soldiers, however, Falstaff orders Bardolph to seek ale from the town inwhich they are resting. The Prince and Westmoreland meet Falstaff on the road, and urge him to hurry as the King is already encamped. On the eve of the battle, Sir Walter Blunt enters the rebel camp with a request from the King to know the specific complaints that have caused this rebellion. Hotspur angrily rants, but eventually tells Blunt that the King is safe for tonight, and that he ll send word of their purposes in the morning. In the morning, Hotspur s uncle and Vernon visit the King s camp. Worcester reminds the King that it was the Percys that aided him in his rise to the throne, and that he has since rejected them. Feeling manipulated and abused, they now demand restitution, and seek to overthrow the usurping King Henry. In hopes of preventing the bloodshed of English soldiers, Hal challenges Hotspur to single combat. The king disallows this challenge, but offers forgiveness to the rebels if they withdraw immediately. Worcester convinces Vernon to keep the King s offer secret from Hotspur. Instead they say that the King is prepared for battle, and the rebels take up arms. In the battle, Douglas kills Sir Walter Blunt, mistaking him for the King. Elsewhere, Hal encounters the lazy Falstaff, whom he scolds. Eventually, Douglas encounters the real King Henry. In the fight that ensues, the Scot gets the upper-hand and is about to slay the King, when Prince Hal rushes in and fights Douglas off. Finally, Hal and Hotspur meet in battle. As they are fighting, Douglas attacks Falstaff, who falls. Prince Hal is eventually victorious, slaying Hotspur. He gives a respectful speech over Hotspur s body, and then sees the fallen Falstaff, for whom he also grieves. After Hal leaves, Falstaff rises, and reveals that he was only pretending to be dead to avoid further altercation with Douglas. Seeing the slain Hotspur, Falstaff gives him a wound in the thigh, and plans to claim that he has killed him. Prince Hal returns to the scene, discovers that Falstaff is alive, and listens to his fabricated story about killing Hotspur. After the battle, Worcester and Vernon are brought before the king who reprimands them for conveying false information to the rebels, and sentences them both to death. The Earl of Douglas has been captured, but Prince Hal negotiates for his release, and sends him back to Scotland. The fighting is not yet over, and the King prepares for future battles to finally quell rebellion in the land for good. -5- THE COURT OF KING HENRY IV: King Henry IV King of England, having deposed his cousin King Richard II. He faces rebellious uprisings in his kingdom, and frets over his son s unprincely behavior. Prince Henry (also Known as Prince Harry or Hal) Prince of Wales, and heir apparent to the throne. He spends the first half of the play carousing with Falstaff and a gang of thieves. He vows to live up to his title when the time demands, and does so in the battle at Shrewsbury against the Percys. Prince John Duke of Lancaster, and Prince Hal s younger brother. Earl of Westmoreland A loyal adviser to the King. Sir Walter Blunt A lord loyal to the king. He is killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury. THE BOAR S HEAD TAVERN: Sir John Falstaff Prince Henry s loyal friend. An old and fat ne er-do-well, fond of women and drink, and a notorious liar. He is extremely witty, and mentors Hal s debaucherous foray into the world outside of the court. Poins, Bardolph, and Peto Falstaff s companions. Mistress Quickly The hostess of the tavern. Francis A waiter at the tavern. THE REBEL FORCES: Henry Percy (Hotspur) Son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Young Henry Percy is hot-headed, but a valiant warrior, and known throughout the land for his skill in battle. He rebels against the King, and is eventually killed by Prince Harry at the Battle of Shrewsbury. Lady Percy Hotspur s wife; sister to Mortimer. Earl of Northumberland Henry Percy, father of Hotspur. He initially assisted King Henry IV in his ascent to the throne, but later rebels against his sovereign. Earl of Worcester Thomas Percy, uncle of Hotspur. He is executed after the battle of Shrewsbury. Edmund Mortimer Earl of March, and Richard II s rightful heir. He is captured by the Welsh enemy Owen Glendower, and marries his daughter. He joins the rebellion in order to stake his claim to the throne. Owen Glendower A proud Welsh leader who claims supernatural skills. He initially captures Mortimer, but joins the rebellion in support of his claim to the throne. Lady Mortimer Glendower s daughter, and Mortimer s wife. Earl of Douglas Leader of the Scottish forces. He is captured at the Battle of Shrewsbury, but Prince Henry bargains to save his life and sends him back to Scotland. Sir Richard Vernon A noble who backs the rebellion. He is executed after the Battle of Shrewsbury.

8 About the Playwright William Shakespeare, widely recognized as the greatest English dramatist, was born on April 23, He was the third of eight children born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden of Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire, England. Shakespeare s father was a prominent local merchant, and Shakespeare s childhood, though little is known about it for certain, appears to have been quite normal. In fact, it seems that the young Shakespeare was allowed considerable leisure time because his writing contains extensive knowledge of hunting and hawking. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a farmer. She was eight years his senior, and the match was considered unconventional. It is believed that Shakespeare left Stratford-on-Avon and went to London around By 1592 he was a successful actor and playwright. He wrote approximately 38 plays, two epic poems, and over 150 sonnets. His work was immensely popular, appealing to members of all social spheres including Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. While they were wellliked, Shakespeare s plays were not considered by his educated contemporaries to be exceptional. By 1608, Shakespeare s involvement with theatre began to dwindle, and he spent more time at his country home in Stratford. He died in Most of Shakespeare s plays found their first major publication in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare s death, when two of his fellow actors put the plays together in the First Folio. Other early printings of Shakespeare s plays were called quartos, a printer s term referring to the format in which the publication was laid out. These quartos and the First Folio texts are the sources of all modern printings of Shakespeare s plays. Famous Players KEVIN KLINE (Falstaff): American film actor, famous for his appearance in Sophie s Choice as well as his Oscar-winning role in A Fish Called Wanda. A two-time Tony winner, he received rave reviews for his portrayal of Falstaff in Lincoln Center Theater s 2003 production of Henry IV. Kline grew out and whitened his hair and beard for the role, and of course added some padding. TOM HIDDLESTON (Hal): Though most famous for his role as Loki in the blockbuster films Thor and The Avengers, this classically trained British actor actually received the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Play. He will appear in the BBC-produced Henry IV, Part One & Two and Henry V scheduled for distribution later this year. Left: Kevin Kline as Falstaff in the Lincoln Center Theatre s production of Henry IV, Right: Tom Hiddleston as Henry V in the upcoming NBC Universal-BBC co-production presented as part of Cultural Olympiad. -6-

9 Shakespeare s London London, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, was a bustling urban center filled with a wide variety of people and cultures. Although most life centered around making a living or going to church, the main source of diversion for Londoners was the theatre. It was a form of entertainment accessible to people of all classes. The rich and the poor, the aristocrats and the beggars all met at the theatre. Though often appeasing the church or the monarchy, theatre at this time did experience a freedom that was unknown in previous generations. Evidence of this can be found in the numerous bawdy and pagan references found in Shakespeare s plays. This relative artistic license and freedom of expression made theatre extremely unpopular among certain members of society, and it was later banned entirely by the Puritans. Not until the reign of Charles II ( ) was the theatre restored to the status it held in Shakespeare s day. The Globe Theatre, the resident playhouse for Shakespeare s company of actors, was easily accessible to Londoners and an active social center. Actors and performers were also regularly brought to court or to private homes to entertain. Despite their social popularity, actors maintained a relatively low status, sometimes no better than a common beggar or rogue. Most performers were forced to earn a living doing trade work. The aristocracy s desire for entertainment, however, did spur the development of numerous new theatre pieces. Often a nobleman would become a patron to an artist or company of actors, providing for their financial needs and sheltering them to some degree from official sanctions. In return, the company would adopt the name of the patron. Shakespeare s acting company was originally named Lord Chamberlain s Men after their patron, Henry Carey, Lord Chamberlain. Later, under the patronage of King James I, they were known as The King s Men, an unprecedented honor at the time. Despite the flourishing of the arts at this time, London was sometimes a desolate place. Outbreaks of the Black Plague (the bubonic plague) frequently erupted, killing thousands of citizens. Theatres, shops, and the government were all shut down during these times in hopes of preventing the spread of the disease. Elizabethans were unaware that the disease was being spread by the flea and rat populations, which well outnumbered the human population of London at that time. A Man of Many Words Shakespeare used over 20,000 different words in his plays and poems. Of these, 8.5% (1,700 words) had never been seen in print before Shakespeare used them. The Sonnets You might have thought that Shakespeare wrote the sonnets earlier in his career, as a type of stepping stone to his plays. However, Shakespeare actually penned most of his sonnets during the various outbreaks of the plague in London, when the theatres were closed. To give you a sense of just how extraordinary this is, consider that the King James Bible uses only 8,000 different words. Homer is credited with using approximately 9,000 different words in his works. Milton is estimated at using 10,000 different words in his works. -7-

10 Sources and History of Henry IV, Part One Henry IV, Part One is the second installment of Shakespeare s Henriad, the second of his two historical tetralogies. The Henriad includes Richard II; Henry IV, Part One; Henry IV, Part Two; and Henry V. Henry IV, Part One is set in the years , beginning with the Battle of Holmedon Hill and ending with the first Percy family revolt at the Battle of Shrewsbury in Henry IV, Part One is a notable example of how Shakespeare took great liberties with adapting true historical facts in order to create complex, dynamic characters and engaging stories. For example, the historical Hotspur was not the same age as Prince Hal. Rather, he was much older. The historical Prince Hal didn t actually kill Hotspur at the Battle of Shrewsbury. Although Falstaff is allegedly modeled on a real person (Sir John Oldcastle, a knight who fought alongside King Henry V), and although Prince Hal did display debaucherous youthful behavior, there is no historical evidence to suggest that there was an actual Falstaff figure leading the Prince down that path. These changes focus the story on the character development of Prince Henry. Indeed, despite the play s title, the primary character in the story is not the king, but Prince Hal, and the play is thematically concerned with his rivalry with Hotspur and his friendship with Falstaff. Shakespeare wrote Henry IV, Part One in the years His primary source for his historical material is generally agreed to be the second edition of Raphael Holinshed s massive work, The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, which was published in However, he was also influenced by an anonymous play staged in 1595 called The Famous Victories of Henry V. Henry IV, Part One was enormously popular in its time, and was published in six quarto editions before it was included in the First Folio published in The play continues to be popular today, and is often performed alongside the other Henriad plays, which helps to highlight the theme of Hal s maturation and transformation into King Henry V. Director s Thoughts on Henry IV, Part One Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion! King Henry; Henry IV, Part One THE PLAY Henry IV, Part One was extremely popular during Shakespeare s time. It was published in six quarto editions before its inclusion in the First Folio of Shakespeare s main historical source was Holinshed s Chronicles, but he also borrowed from The Famous Victories of Henry V, an anonymous play from Henry IV, Part One is arguably Shakespeare s best history play, presenting a powerful story of a king in the making, and introducing one of his greatest and most memorable comic characters, the witty and decadent Sir John Falstaff, a character that so charmed Queen Elizabeth that she is said to have commissioned Shakespeare to write a play showing Falstaff in love, which Shakespeare did with The Merry Wives of Windsor. Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son? Tis full three months since I did see him last. If any plague hang over us, tis he. I would to God, my lords, he might be found. Inquire at London, mongst the taverns there, For there, they say, he daily doth frequent With unrestrained loose companions! --Henry Bolingbroke in Richard II As Henry IV, Part One begins, King Henry is plagued with guilt over his usurpation of the throne and the murder of his cousin, King Richard II. His kingdom is torn apart by civil strife. His son and heir to the throne, Prince Hal, is nowhere to be found. We discover the prince at the Boar s Head Tavern, running from his royal responsibilities and wasting time drinking and carousing with Sir John Falstaff and a gang of thieves. Meanwhile, King Henry s legitimacy is being hotly debated and a new rebellion brews, led by his once loyal subject Hotspur. Before all-out war, the King summons his son back to court. THE PRODUCTION There is something very exciting to me about presenting one of Shakespeare s best history plays as we celebrate the 50-year history of our company, and the occasion has informed my approach to Henry IV, Part One. -8-

11 I do not consider myself a traditionalist Shakespeare director (though my reverence for the power in Shakespeare s words makes me somewhat of a purist), but because this production launches our milestone 50th Anniversary season, I felt a certain amount of pageantry and tradition was in order and I decided to embrace the period in which the story takes place. Shakespeare s plays are timeless, but not only because they can be set in alternate locales and time periods and accommodate modern conceits. It is because their relevance reaches out from centuries past. Brent Harris as King Henry the Fourth and John Little as Earl of Westmoreland, with Cliff Miller as John of Lancaster in the background Photo: Gerry Goodstein, Someone told me recently that the abundance of over-conceptualization and modernization currently practiced in producing Shakespeare s work make presenting his plays in their original historical period almost revolutionary. I make no claims to revolution; I just appreciate the journey that BEFORE HE WAS KING Before becoming king, Henry Bolingbroke was Duke of Lancaster, a nobleman who was banished for ten years by his cousin, King Richard II. While in banishment, his father, Sir John of Gaunt, died. Richard took this opportunity to claim all of the properties and money that should be inherited by Lancaster for himself against the advisement of many of his counselors. In 1399, while King Richard II was away fighting in Ireland, Henry claimed the throne, and subsequently deposed and imprisoned Richard. Richard died in prison, and Henry was accused of his murder. King Henry IV s ascension to the throne marked the beginning of the short reign of the House of Lancaster (a branch of the House of Plantagenet), which lasted from The reign included Henry IV, his son Henry V, and later his grandson Henry VI (who briefly lost the throne to civil war from ). Shakespeare s text provides on its own, and feel that the actual time and place of the events in Henry IV, Part One provide the best scenario for this production, at this theater, and at this time in our history. With those things in mind, the design team and I have taken an approach that avoids an absolute historically accurate landscape as much as a metaphorical or symbolic one. Instead, we have endeavored to combine late medieval costumes from the actual time of Henry IV, with a scenic design that emulates an Elizabethan theatre aesthetic; a unit set that provides a strong visual framework and embraces theatricality; that is capable of being in turn, powerful or neutral, colorful or utilitarian; that allows us to travel deftly from scene to scene, relies upon the actors and the text to tell the story, and asks our imagination to be an integral part of the experience. WHAT S A TETRALOGY? A tetralogy is a collection of four related literary or operatic works that, when united, tell a common story. Shakespeare s two tetralogies include The Henriad (Richard II; Henry IV, Part One; Henry IV, Part Two; and Henry V) and a second focusing on the War of the Roses (Henry VI, Parts One, Two and Three, along with Richard III). Each of these individual works are designed to be enjoyed on their own or in concert with each other. Another popular tetralogical example is J.R.R. Tolkein s The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. -9-

12 FURTHER THOUGHTS When I was given the opportunity to work on Henry IV, Part One, I was primarily excited about Prince Hal s journey; his plan to imitate the sun, and his desire to prove himself. These were ideas with which I identified and what I mainly recalled from my early readings and from a production I saw at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey twenty years ago. As I worked on the script and read the play repeatedly, I fell in love with all of it. Shakespeare has woven a rich tapestry which connects every moment of the play, combining history and invented characters, blending pathos with comedy, and revealing the same complex humanity in servants and thieves as he does in knights and kings. Unfortunately, the history plays often suffer from the stigma that they are dry and boring. People tend to feel less connected to these plays than they do to Shakespeare s tragedies and comedies. Perhaps it is because of the misconception that history plays are like dusty theatrical lectures about royalty and nobles fighting over a crown, people whose lives are alien to ours, who lived in a time far removed from our own. Certainly Henry IV, Part One was timely for Shakespeare s audience; it touched on their concerns about legitimacy and succession, for Queen Elizabeth was aging and without an heir. But ultimately, the histories are about all of us. They are pageants of humanity. They are about struggling, dysfunctional families; fathers and sons trying to relate; husbands and wives trying to stay together; friends growing apart; and people trying to live honorably and striving for redemption TOP: Izzie Steele and Jon Barker as Lady Percy and Hotspur. ABOVE: Derek Wilson as Prince Hal and the company. Photos: Gerry Goodtein, 2012.

13 Commentary and Criticism FALSTAFF AS FATHER-FIGURE: The two parts of Henry IV do not belong to Hal, but to Falstaff, and even Hotspur, in the first part, is dimmed by Falstaff s splendor. Courage in Falstaff finds expression as a refusal to acknowledge rejection, even though Sir John is aware, as Henry IV, Part One, opens, that Hal s ambivalence has resolved itself into a murderous negativity. Hal s displaced paternal love is Falstaff s vulnerability, his one weakness, and the origin of his destruction. Time annihilates other Shakespearean protagonists, but not Falstaff, who dies for love. Critics have insisted that this love is grotesque, but they are grotesque. The greatest of all fictive wits dies the death of a rejected father-substitute, and also of a dishonored mentor. SHAKESPEARE: THE INVENTION OF THE HUMAN, Harold Bloom, 1998 THE GENIUS OF HENRY IV, PART ONE At issue are not only the contradictory desires and expectations centered on Hal in the play the competing hopes of his royal father and his tavern friends but our hopes, the fantasies continually aroused by the play of innate grave, limitless playfulness, absolute friendship, generosity, and trust. Those fantasies are symbolized by certain echoing, talismanic phrases ( when thou art king, shall we be merry? a thousand pound ), and they are bound up with the overall vividness, intensity, and richness of the theatrical practice itself. Yeats phrase for the quintessential Shakespearean effect, the emotion of multitude, seems particularly applicable to 1 Henry IV with its multiplicity of brilliant characters, its intensely differentiated settings, its dazzling verbal wit, its mingling of high comedy, farce, epic heroism, and tragedy. The play awakens a dream of superabundance, which is given its irresistible embodiment in Falstaff. SHAKESPEAREAN NEGOTIATIONS, Stephen Greenblatt, 1989 COMEDIC ELEMENTS IN HENRY IV, PART ONE 1 Henry IV is the first of Shakespeare s history plays to make extensive use of the techniques of comedy. On a national level, the play shows the continuing problems of Henry Bolingbroke, insecure in his hold on the throne, and the victim of rebellions led by Worcester, Hotspur (Harry Percy), and Glyndŵr. These scenes are counterpointed by others, written mainly in prose, which, in the manner of a comic subplot, provide humorous diversion while also reflecting and extending the concerns of the main plot. Henry suffers not only public insurrection but the personal rebellion of Prince Harry, in his unprincely exploits with the reprobate old knight, Oldcastle [commonly known as Falstaff]. Sir John had become Shakespeare s most famous comic character, but Shakespeare shows that the Prince s treatment of -11- him as a surrogate father who must eventually be abandoned has an intensely serious side. THE OXFORD SHAKESPEARE: THE COMPLETE WORKS, 2ND ED., Edited by Stanley Wells, 2005 CRITICISM OF PRINCE HENRY One can hardly forgive Shakespear[e] quite for the worldly phase in which he tried to thrust such a Jingo hero as his Harry V down our throats. The combination of conventional propriety and brute masterfulness in his public capacity with a low-lived blackguardism in his private tastes is not a pleasant one. No doubt he is true to nature as a picture of what is by no means uncommon in English society, an able young Philistine inheriting high position and authority, which he holds on to and goes through with by keeping a tight grip on his conventional and legal advantages, but who would have been quite in his place if he had been born a game-keeper or farmer. We do not in the first part of Henry IV see Harry sending Mrs. Quickly and Doll Tearsheet to the whipping-post, or handing over Falstaff to the Lord Chief Justice with a sanctimonious lecture; but he repeatedly makes it clear that he will turn on them later on, and that his self-indulgent good-fellowship with them is consciously and deliberately treacherous. And there is neither subtlety nor (for Shakespear[e]) much poetry in the presentation of these characters. They are labeled and described and insisted upon with the roughest directness; and their reality and their humor can alone save them from the unpopularity of their unlovableness and the tedium of their obviousness. Fortunately, they offer capital opportunities for interesting acting. SHAW ON SHAKESPEARE, George Bernard Shaw, 1961 THE EDUCATION OF PRINCE HAL: The Henry IV plays are above all education plays in the manner of Edward III. They show us the process by which the ideal king is made. And to accomplish his education purpose, Shakespeare adapted the dramatic form which had traditionally been used in such interludes as Nice Wanton, Lusty Juventus, and Wit and Science. Prince Hal must be educated in the arts of war and the arts of peace, and to each of these ends one part of Henry IV is devoted. We thus have in the two plays a development of the two ends which the author of Edward III has encompassed in his single play. Just as the moral aspects of kingship are taught to Edward and the military aspects are taught to his son, Prince Hal is taught to be a soldier in 1 Henry IV and a statesman in 2 Henry IV. THE ENGLISH HISTORY PLAY IN THE AGE OF SHAKESPEARE, Irving Ribner, 1957

14 Are You SURE This Is English? Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare and his contemporaries did not write in Old English, or even Middle English. PLAYWRIGHTS OF THE 16TH AND EARLY 17TH CENTURIES WROTE IN MODERN ENGLISH. Shakespeare spoke (and wrote in) the same language which we speak today. It is possible to be thrown a bit by grammatical carry-overs from earlier English [ thee and thou instead of you ] and the poetic liberties that Shakespeare took, but there is no doubt that the words and syntax used in his plays can be understood today without any translation. To help clarify this point, here are some examples of Old, Middle, and Modern English. Old English ( CE) What did Shakespeare sound like? While we may associate Shakespeare with the refined British accent of an Ian McKellen or Judi Dench, linguistic scholars suggest that the closest approximation to the London accent of Shakespeare s day is the accent heard nowadays in the Appalachian region of the United States. When Julius Caesar invaded Britain in BCE 55-4, the Celtic (pronounced KEL-tic) tribes lived in the British Isles. Their languages survive today in the forms of Gaelic (Scotland and Ireland), Welsh (Wales) and Manx (Isle of Man). The Romans brought Latin to Britain. However, early English developed primarily from the language of tribes which invaded and settled England from what is now Germany. This language, known as Old English, was also influenced by the Latin spoken by Catholic missionaries from Rome as well as the Scandinavian dialects of Viking raiders and settlers. Selection from Beowulf Author unknown, ca 800 CE Oft Scyld Scèfing sceaðena prèstum, monegum mægðum meodo-setla oftèah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærert wearð fèasceaft funden, hè þæs frofre gebàd, wèox under wolcnum, weorð-myndum þàh, oð-þæt him aeghwylc ymb-sittendra ofer hron-ràde hÿran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Often Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes, from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore, awing the earls. Since first he lay friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him: for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve, till before him the folk, both far and near, who lived by the whale-path, heard his mandate, gave him gift: a good king he! Middle English ( CE) The conquest of England by the Norman army in 1066 brought great changes to English life and the English language. The Old French spoken by the Normans became for many years the language of the Royal Court and of English literature. Over time, the spoken English still used by the lower classes borrowed about 10,000 words from French, as well as certain grammatical structures. By the time English reappeared as a written, literary language in the 14th century, it only distantly resembled Old English. This German-French hybrid language is known as Middle English. Selection from The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer, ca 1390 CE But natheless / while I haue tyme and space Er that I ferther / in this tale pace Me thynketh it acordant to resoun To telle yow / al the condiciun Of eeche of hem / so as it seemed to me And whiche they weere / and of what degree And eek in what array / that they were inne And at a knyght thanne wol I first bigynne. MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION: But nonetheless, while I have time and space Before I continue in this story I think it appropriate to speak of, To tell you, the condition Of each of them, as it seemed to me. And who was who, and of what degree, And in what fashion each was dressed. And with a knight then I will begin. Modern English ( present day) With the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, the English language began to develop and mutate at an unprecedented rate. Books, previously a precious and expensive commodity, were now widely available to anyone with basic literacy. Works in Latin, Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese were being translated by the hundreds, and the translators found it necessary to borrow and invent thousands of new words. English trade and exploration fueled even more cultural and linguistic exchange. The early Modern English of Shakespeare and his contemporaries has been referred to as English in its adolescence : daring, experimental, innovative and irreverent. selection from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, ca 1595 CE Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man: Romeo! No, not he; though his face be better than any man s, yet his leg excels all men s; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare

15 Shakespeare s Common Tongue alack expression of dismay or shock anon soon, right away aught nothing avaunt go away ere before hath has hence away (from here) henceforth from now on hither here lest or else naught nothing o ft o ft e n perchance by chance, perhaps, maybe sirrah [pronounced SEER-uh] hey, you as to someone of lower status thee you thence away, over there thine yours thither there thou you thy your whence where wherefore why [literally: where is the for or reason? ] whither where... and the thys have it Often Shakespeare will alternate his usage of thou for you, or thy for your, or thine for yours. Though the words are synonymous, there is a great deal of information that can be obtained by looking closely at these choices. The different uses of these pronouns have to do with status, relationship, degrees of intimacy and shifting attitudes. You is used in formal situations and conveys respect from the speaker. It is used when addressing royalty and parents. Thou, used in more informal settings, also can suggest contempt or aggression from the speaker. The use of thou places the speaker above the status of the person to whom s/he is speaking. Children are addressed using thou, thee or thy. In a conversation between two people of equal status, the use of you suggests that everything is going along smoothly, whereas thou would suggest that there is some kind of upset or unrest in the relationship. Terms and Phrases Found in Henry IV, Part One -13- ACT 1 Holy-rood day Holy Cross Day, September 14. Balked heaped up, thwarted. Sack Spanish white wine. A fair hot wench in flame-colored taffeta a term for falconry suggesting the hawk s trimming of its feathers as preparation for action. Lay by! a thief s cry, similar to Hands up! Lugged bear baited bear. In a popular form of entertainment, bears were led in chains and set upon by dogs. Latter spring/all-hallown Summer Hal addresses Falstaff as a youth in age (a second spring) and likens him to a period of unusually mild weather (a second summer) occurring around All Hallow s Day, November 1. Pouncet-Box perfume box with a perforated lid. God save the mark! God keep evil away! (An expression of indignation). Bolingbroke Henry s family name. Hotspur s use of it suggests his unwillingness to acknowledge Henry as King. Canker wild and inferior kind of rose; also, cankerworm (which destroys plants), or ulcerated sore. Sword-and-buckler in Elizabethan England, the sword-andbuckler, or small shield, were associated with ordinary fighting men. A prince should use a rapier and dagger. ACT 2 Charles s Wain The constellation now known as the Plow or the Great Bear. Tench spotted fish whose markings may have looked like flea bites. (Breeds fleas like a ) Loach a fish. The comparison means that urine breeds fleas either as a loach breeds loaches or as a loach breeds fleas. There was a popular belief that some fish spawned flies or fleas. Culverin a name both for a kind of long cannon and a firearm noted for its ability to fire over a long range. O, Esperance! referring to the Percy motto Esperance ma comforte, or Hope is my reliance. Pass them current establish them as the norm, let them circulate. By r lady By our lady (an oath invoking the Virgin Mary). Humors Renaissance theory held that four bodily fluids, or humors, determined by their relative proportions the health, temperament, and mood of an individual.

16 Ecce signum Behold the evidence (Latin). (knaves in) Kendal green a course green cloth made in Kendal, Cumbria. It was associated with poor country people, especially forest dwellers. Hot livers short tempers, livers inflamed by drink. Saving your reference if you will excuse the reference. ACT 3 Burning cressets metal baskets of fire suspended from long poles; meteors. Ballad-mongers sellers of writers of ballads. Moldwarp mole. Holinshed records a prophecy whereby Henry, figured as a mole, would be overthrown by a dragon, a lion, and a wolf, representing Glendower, Percy, and Mortimer, respectively. which do hold a wing quite from Why do fly a course contrary to. to fill the mouth of deep defiance up To add volume to the voice of deep defiance; to fill up the appetite of deep defiance. Apple-John a kind of apple often eaten long after picking, when its skin was shriveled. out of heart disinclined, weary. Dame Parlet a traditional name for hens and for women supposed to talk too much. Denier a French copper coin of little value. Newgate fashion bound like convicts and taken to and from London s Newgate prison. Embossed rascal bloated rogue; hunted deer, exhausted and foaming at the mouth. I could wish this tavern were my drum! disputed passage. Perhaps Falstaff means he wishes he could stay at the tavern rather than go to the war, or that he could make the tavern ring with noise of his departure. He puns on taborn (tabor), a kind of drum used to call soldiers to battle. ACT 4 Soothers flatterers. Zounds God s wounds, an oath or curse. Quailing backing down. Maidenhead beginning. Daffed put aside. Agues shivery fear. Labor effort. Yeomen small freeholders. Toasts-and-Butter cowards. Zeal sincerity. Pages young servants, attendants. Forsooth indeed. ACT 5 Chewet chatterbox. Wanton ungoverned, ill-managed. Water-colors excuses that are transparent and flimsy. Albeit although it be that, although on the other hand. Scutcheon eschutcheon, painted shield. Catechism religious instruction and statement of faith in the form of a question and answer. Spleen intemperate impulse. Forswearing swearing falsely. Coats richly embroidered vests worn over armor and featuring coats of arms. Carbonato rasher of meat, scored across and grilled. Cheerly a cry of encouragement. Vanities empty boasts. Termagant savage and aggressive. Further Reading Asimov, Isaac. Asimov s Guide to Shakespeare. New York: Gramercy, Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Plays, His Poems, His Life and Times, and More. Peaslake: Delta, Doyle, John and Ray Lischner. Shakespeare for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds, Hazlitt, William. Characters of Shakespeare s Plays. Irvine, CA: Reprint Services, Print. Rozakis, Laurie E. The Complete Idiot s Guide to Shakespeare. New York: Alpha Books, Toropov, Brandon. Shakespeare for Beginners. New York: Writers and Readers, Van, Doren Mark. Shakespeare. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Dunton-Downer, Leslie and Alan Riding. The Essential Shakespeare Handbook. New York: Dorling Kinderley,

17 What Did He Say? This is an opportunity to test your comprehension of Shakespeare s language. Below you will find passages from Henry IV, Part One. Answer the questions for each passage as specifically as possible. PRINCE HAL I know you all, and will awhile uphold The unyoked humor of your idleness: Yet herein will I imitate the sun, Who doth permit the base contagious clouds To smother up his beauty from the world, That, when he please again to be himself, Being wanted, he may be more wonder d at, By breaking through the foul and ugly mists Of vapors that did seem to strangle him. FALSTAFF Honor pricks me on. Yea, but how if honor pricks me off when I come on, how then? Can honor set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is honor? A word. What is in that word honor? What is that honor? Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that died a Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Tis insensible, then? Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it. Therefore I ll none of it. Honor is a mere scutcheon and so ends my catechism. HOTSPUR O, Harry, thou hast robb d me of my youth! I better brook the loss of brittle life Than those proud titles thou has won of me; They wound my thoughts worse than sword my flesh: But thought s the slave of life, and life time s fool; And time, that takes survey of all the world, Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy, But that the earthy and cold hand of death Lies on my tongue: no, Percy, thou art dust And food for Who Said That? 1. To whom is Prince Hal speaking? 2. What is the purpose of this speech? What does it tell us about Prince Hal s character? 3. What is the unyoked humor of your idleness that Hal refers to? 4. Why does Hal compare himself to the sun? What is the meaning of the imagery in this passage? 5. When in the play does this speech occur? What is the timeline that it establishes? 1. To whom is Falstaff speaking? 2. What are some ways in which this speech is different from the ways other characters speak? (Look at the way it is written, as well as the way it sounds.) 3. When in the play does this speech occur? What is the point of honor, and why does it concern Falstaff? 4. What does Falstaff mean when he says I ll none of it? Why does he shirk honor? What is he afraid of? 5. What does it mean, that honor is a mere scutcheon ( shield )? Do you agree with Falstaff? What other characters in the play, if any, might share his beliefs? 1. To whom is Hotspur speaking? 2. When in the play does this speech occur? Why is Hotspur unable to finish the speech? 3. What proud titles has Prince Hal won from Hotspur? 4. Why does Hotspur say that he can better brook ( endure, or tolerate ) the loss of brittle life? Is he afraid of dying? Why or why not? 5. What does it mean, that thought s the slave of life? What does this speech convey about death? About Hotspur s character? How does that compare to other characters in the play and their attitudes towards death? Match the spoken line to the character who speaks it. Two characters speak two lines each from this list. Five characters speak none of the quotes listed below. A. No more the thirsty entrance of this soil PRINCE HAL Shall daub her lips with her own children s blood B. I ll so offend, to make offence a skill; Redeeming time when men think least I will. FALSTAFF MORTIMER C. For what offence have I this fortnight been A banish d woman from my Harry s bed? D. At my nativity The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes E. Do not thou, when thou art king, hang a thief. F. My liege, I did deny no prisoners. G. Another king! They grow like Hydra s heads. H. God forbid a shallow scratch should drive The Prince of Wales from such a field as this I. Was it for me to kill the heir-apparent? Should I turn upon the true prince? WORCESTER LADY PERCY KING HENRY IV NORTHUMBERLAND HOTSPUR OWEN GLENDOWER THE EARL OF DOUGLAS BARDOLPH POINS -15-

18 Topics for Discussion About the Play 1. Henry IV, Part One is marked by a constant shifting between two contrasting worlds: the court and the tavern. The difference between these two locations is highlighted by a shift in speech (verse versus prose) as well as in tone (drama versus comedy). Although Shakespeare is known for his skill in writing in iambic pentameter, this play is almost perfectly split between verse and prose, and the play was ground-breaking in its ability to combine two drastically different styles. Do you find it easy or difficult to transition between contrasting scenes? What do you think this dichotomy adds to your understanding of the story? Do you find either verse or prose more difficult to understand? Which characters speak in prose, and which speak in verse? Are there any characters who speak in both prose and verse? When do they speak in prose, and when in verse? 2. At the beginning of the play, King Henry confesses his envy of Northumberland s successful son Hotspur, and wishes that some night-tripping fairy had exchanged / In cradle-clothes our children where they lay, / And call d mine Percy, his Plantagenet! The play invites us to compare Prince Hal and Hotspur, who do not actually meet each other until they confront one another in battle at the end of the play. Compare and contrast the qualities of these two characters. Be specific: how are they similar? How are they different? Does Hotspur have any undesirable qualities that King Henry may be overlooking? Does Prince Hal display any qualities of which his father should be proud? 3. Although Falstaff provides an important element of entertainment and comic relief in the play, his role is also central to understanding the character development of Prince Hal. Why do you think Prince Hal spends so much time with him? Do you think Falstaff is a bad influence on the Prince? Do you think Hal will (or should) forget his friendship with Falstaff once he becomes king? Support your opinions with specific examples from the play. 4. The rebellion against the King is made up of several individuals, all with different reasons to rise up against him. Name the leaders in the rebel plot, and their reasons for joining up against the King. Do you think these are good reasons to instigate a rebellion? Are there any reasons which you think are more legitimate than others? Support your opinions with specific examples from the play. 5. Between the 14th and 16th centuries in England, morality plays were a popular type of performance. These stories set up Vice and Virtue in black-and-white juxtapositions, and ended with a clearcut moral. Can you see any ways in which Henry IV, Part One was influenced by this tradition? Do you think there is a clear moral or purpose to this story? Is it easy to understand this story s moral on its own, or do you think you might need more information from the other plays in the Henriad? What role, if any, do Christianity and the idea of God play in this story? This play has a rich cast of diverse characters. Spend some time to think about who you think the main character of the story is. Can you choose just one? Does it shift from one person to another? Does your answer change if you consider who the play is named after (King Henry IV)? Does your answer change if you consider that Falstaff and Hotspur both have more lines than Prince Henry? Why or why not? 7. This play, and indeed the entire Henriad tetralogy, is concerned with the idea of what it means to be a king. What do you think are the necessary qualities of being a good king or a worthy leader? Do you think Prince Henry s youthful behavior is inappropriate? Do you think it is possible for him to change when the time comes? Consider the notion of an inherited reign, rather than an elected one. That is, Prince Hal is going to become king one day merely because his father is king now, and he is the eldest son. Is that fair? Does he have a duty to live up to certain expectations? What kinds of sacrifices might he have to make when he becomes king? Are there any reasons why he might not want to become king? About the Production 1. The role of Falstaff has been interpreted in many different ways throughout the centuries: sometimes he is clownish to the extreme and incorporates elements of slapstick humor, and sometimes he is dry, witty, and subtle. Do you think one way is better or more correct than the other? How did the actor playing Falstaff in this production portray the character? Similarly, Hotspur can be portrayed as deadly serious or as youthfully hot-tempered. Prince Hal can be portrayed as a naïve young man beginning to come to terms with his future, or as a whipsmart prince plotting and manipulating his public appearance. How do the actors in this production portray these characters? Are there places in between the extremes that can be played? How do the actors in this cast bring these characters to life? 2. Describe the world of this production. Be specific: include details about the costumes and scenic elements, including colors, textures, and shapes. Where has the artistic team set the play? What scenic or other design elements help signal the shifts between court, tavern, and battlefield locations? What do the costumes tell us about the historical era of the story, and about the different kinds of people who inhabit it? How do the sound and music choices help clarify the location and time in which this production has been set? Are these choices different from or similar to what you expected before you saw the play? Do you like the choices that were made? What choices might you have made differently? How would altering the artistic elements of the production impact how you understood the story? 3. If you have already read the play, did seeing it performed alter your interpretation of the story? Was anything clarified in performance that you found confusing when reading the play? Did the actors interpret the characters in the same manner as you did? Were any characters greatly different than you expected them to be performed? How so? Be specific.

19 Test Your Understanding Quiz 1. Shakespeare s plays are most often written in, but Henry IV, Part One also incorporates speech in. a. blank verse/prose b. Old English/verse c. prose/blank verse d. Latin/Old English 2. Who was king of England before King Henry IV? a. Henry III b. Richard II c. Henry Percy d. Henry Bolingbroke 3. Who was the rightful heir to the throne after Richard II according to Worcester? a. Henry Percy b. Douglas c. Mortimer d. Glendower 4. Who robs Falstaff after he and his companions have captured the travelers? a. Francis & the Hostess b. The travelers c. Bardolph & Peto d. Prince Henry & Poins 5. writes to that he fears the rebellion plot is unsound and will most likely fail. a. An anonymous writer/hotspur b. Hotspur/Northumberland c. Worcester/Hotspur d. Worcester/King Henry 6. This play begins and ends with two important, historical battles. Where did these battles take place? a. Holmedon/Shrewsbury b. Northumberland/Lancaster c. England/Ireland d. Gadshill/Eastcheap 7. Which two of the reasons listed below do the Percys give for wanting to rebel against King Henry? a. King Henry has been allowing Falstaff to rob the soldiers. b. King Henry has forgotten the support the Percys once showed him. c. Prince Hal has insulted and abused them. d. They believe that Mortimer is the rightful king. 8. Who kills Hotspur in the play? a. Falstaff b. Douglas c. King Henry d. Prince Henry 9. King Henry refers to one of the characters as Mars (the God of War) in swaddling clothes. About whom is he speaking? a. Hotspur b. Glendower c. Prince Henry d. Prince John 10. Why is Mortimer unable to communicate with his own wife? a. She is in Wales and he in England. b. They do not speak the same language. c. She is deaf. d. They have a secret marriage. 11. Worcester s and Vernon s punishment at the end of the play is: a. Torture b. Fine c. Banishment d. Execution 12. Which of these characters is not alive at the end of the play? a. Sir Blunt b. Douglas c. Mortimer d. Westmoreland 13. What does King Henry demand from Hotspur at the beginning of the play? a. His sword b. His land c. His horse d. His prisoners 14. Who laments becoming food for worms? a. Falstaff b. Hotspur c. Prince Henry d. Sir Blunt -17-

20 Follow-up Activities 1. Critic s Corner Write a review of this production of Henry IV, Part One. Be sure to include specific information and your own reactions to both the acting and the design elements (lights, set, costumes, and sound). Explain what you liked and disliked, and support your opinions. Then submit your review to The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey s Education Department, or see if it can be published in your school newspaper. 2. Alert the media! This play would certainly pack a newsticker: Henry Percy s great success at the Battle of Holmedon, the Prince of Wales carousing with unsavory characters, Mortimer being captured by the Welsh Glendower then marrying his daughter, and of course the epic Battle of Shrewsbury. Assign these and other big events of the play to members of the class and create appropriate television, newspaper or blog coverage of the events. How do you think the people of England, Wales, and Scotland felt about these events? Be sure to include important details and quotes from the play. 3. I learn by this letter Write a letter or diary entry from the point of view of one of the characters, discussing an event or situation in the play. For example: a letter from Prince Hal to his father accounting for his behavior; a letter from Worcester to Douglas detailing the plot of the rebellion; a selection from Lady Percy s or Lady Mortimer s diary, detailing her fears at her husband s departure for battle; further notes of Falstaff s personal expenses, etc. Be sure to incorporate text from the play as much as possible. words. Choose carefully the lines from your act that carry the most important information and advance the story. When each group is done, you will have a 15-minute version of Henry IV, Part One which you can perform for one another. Afterwards, discuss both the process of adaptation and how your abridgement compared to the much more modest cuts which director Joseph Discher made for this production. 5. A Director Prepares Henry IV, Part One has long captured the imagination of directors and designers for stage and screen. Individually or in small groups, come up with your own scenic or costume designs for the play. Find a line or image expressed in the play as your launch pad. You can use drawings and collages as well as writing to explain and justify your design to the class. 6. Speak the Speech In small groups, work to present a short passage of the text (one of Prince Henry s or Hotspur s monologues, for example) to the class. Each group should come up with its own unique presentation: different rhythms, echoing or underscoring key words or phrases, simple props, movement, etc. After each group has presented its interpretation of the text, discuss what was successful about each one. From this, you can develop a rubric for what makes a good performance minute Shakespeare Divide into five groups, and have each group take one act of the play. Your task is to create a three-minute version of your act, using only Shakespeare s Test Your Understanding Quiz Answer Guide 1. A 2. B 3. C 4. D 5. A 6. A 7. B&D 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. D 12. A 13. D 14. B Who Said That? Answer Guide A. King Henry B. Prince Henry C. Lady Percy D. Glendower E. Falstaff F. Hotspur G. Douglas H. Prince Henry I. Falstaff -18- John Ahlin as Falstaff. Photo: Gerry Goodstein, 2012.

21 Meeting the Common Core Standards In 1996, the New Jersey State Board of Education adopted Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) that set out to clearly define what every New Jersey student should know and be able to do at the end of his/her schooling. More recently, these were adjusted to match a national model called the Common Core Standards. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is committed to supporting teachers by ensuring that our educational programs are relevant to standards-based teaching and learning. Viewing a performance at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and participating in the post-performance discussion can serve as a powerful springboard for discussion, writing, and other outlets for higher-order thinking. On this page you will find suggestions for ways to align your study of our production to each standard. LANGUAGE ARTS LITERACY STANDARDS As a theatre dedicated to the classics, we are continually engaged in exploring some of the world s greatest literature, and the relationship between the written text and performance. Our philosophy and practice follow the four underlying assumptions of the Language Arts Literacy CCCS: that language is an active process for constructing meaning, that language develops in a social context, that language ability increases as learners engage in texts that are rich in ideas and increasingly complex in language, and that learners achieve mastery not by practicing isolated skills but by using and exploring language in its many dimensions. In the practice of theatre, we merge all areas of the language arts, as the standards suggest, in an integrated act of rehearsal, reflection, and learning. Below, you will find just a few of the possibilities for aligning your study of our productions to each of these standards. STANDARD 3.1: All students will apply the knowledge of sounds, letters and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers, and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension. Read a scene from the play as a class and use context clues to interpret new words and expand vocabulary (3.1.C/F); demonstrate understanding by performing a scene from the play (3.1.G); compare and contrast literary elements in the play with another text being studied (3.1.H). STANDARD 3.2: All students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes. Write a new ending for the play in blank verse or in modern prose (3.2.D), write a critique of the play which will be workshopped and published in a classroom setting (3.2.A/B/D). STANDARD 3.3: All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes. Participate in a post-show discussion (3.3.A/B), memorize and perform a monologue or scene from the play (3.3.D). STANDARD 3.4: All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations. Select one speech or line from the play and compare how it was performed in the stage and film version (3.4.A/B). STANDARD 3.5: All students will access, view, evaluate and respond to print, nonprint, and electronic texts and resources. Discuss how the play expresses cultural values of the playwright s time (3.5.A); compare and contrast the printed text with its staged version (3.5.B). VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS STANDARDS According to both No Child Left Behind and the New Jersey CCCS, the arts (including theatre) are a core subject and experience with and knowledge of the arts is a vital part of a complete education. In the area of performing arts, performances, workshops and study guide exercises developed by The Shakespeare Theatre address all five state standards. Below, you will find just a few of the possibilities for aligning your study of our productions to each of these standards. STANDARD 1.1: All students will use aesthetic knowledge in the creation of and in response to dance, music, theatre and visual art. Discuss the use of metaphor in both the text and the design of the production; discuss how the play expresses cultural values of its period and/or of today. STANDARD 1.2: All students will utilize those skills, media, methods, and technologies appropriate to each art form in the creation, performance, and presentation of dance, music, theatre and visual art. Perform a monologue or scene from the play; participate in a classroom workshop that develops the physical and technical skills required to create and present theatre. STANDARD 1.3: All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of dance, music, theatre and visual art. Participate in a post-show discussion of elements such as physicality and creating motivated action; discuss the relationship between play text and production design. STANDARD 1.4: All students will develop, apply and reflect upon knowledge of the process of critique. Write a review of the production using domainappropriate terminology; develop a class rubric for effective theatrical presentations; compare and contrast the play with work by other artists. STANDARD 1.5: All students will understand and analyze the role, development, and continuing influence of the arts in relation to world cultures, history, and society. Discuss the representation of social issues (class, political leadership, etc.) in the play; research how the historical period affected the writer s work; compare the play to work from other historical periods. -19-

22 About Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey The acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation. Serving approximately 100,000 adults and young people annually, it is New Jersey s largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare s canon and other classic masterworks. With its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences. The longest-running Shakespeare theatre on the East Coast and the seventh largest in the nation, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey marks its 50th season in The company s 2012 Main Stage season features six productions presented in its 308-seat F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre and runs June through December. In the summer, an Outdoor Stage production is also presented at the Greek Theatre, an open-air amphitheatre nestled in a hillside on the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth in nearby Morristown. In addition to being a celebrated producer of classic plays and operating Shakespeare LIVE! (one of the largest educational Shakespeare touring programs in the New York/New Jersey region), The Shakespeare Theatre is also deeply committed to nurturing new talent for the American stage. By providing an outstanding training ground for students of the theatre, and cultivating audiences for the future by providing extensive outreach opportunities for students across New Jersey and beyond, The Shakespeare Theatre is a leader in arts education. For additional information, visit our web site at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is one of 20 professional theatres in the state of New Jersey. The company s dedication to the classics and commitment to excellence sets critical standards for the field. Nationwide, the Theatre has emerged as one of the most exciting new theatres under the leadership of Artistic Director, Bonnie J. Monte since It is one of only a handful of Shakespeare Theatres on the east coast, and in recent years has drawn larger and larger audiences and unprecedented critical acclaim. The opening of the intimate, 308-seat F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in 1998, provided the Theatre with a state-of-the-art venue with excellent sightlines, and increased access for patrons and artists with disabilities. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is a member of ArtPride, The Shakespeare Theatre Association, Theatre Communications Group, and is a founding member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Drew University, as well as contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, government agencies and individuals. The Shakespeare Theatre is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. Offi cial Airline of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey