Essay On Betrayal In Henry IV And Richard II

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Shakespeare displays betrayal throughout Henry IV and Richard II. Betrayal affects both kings but affects their reign differently. The Unabridged Dictionary defines betrayal as, "to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty...to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to" (n.d.). People handle betrayal in different ways, and this occurs with these two kings. King Henry IV was a stronger king than Richard II because he was capable of handling betrayal and was able to hold onto his reign until his death unlike Richard II who was dethroned by his friend. Betrayals of Richard II The first betrayal that appears in Richard II is within the first scene. The betrayal is between Mowbray and Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke is accusing …show more content…

At one point during the play, he refers to the men who join Bolingbroke and betray Richard II and England. He states, “Snakes in my heart blood warmed that sting my heart/three Judases, each one thrice worse than Judas” (Richard II, scene 3, act 2, line 131-132). He compares the overthrowing of his thrown to the betrayal and death of Jesus. In act iv, scene 1, he talks about how people said “all hail” to him as the people had when Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Matthew 21:9 says, “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (NIV). Richard also compares himself to Jesus by saying that Jesus had only one betrayer in twelve of his followers, but he did not have one friend in …show more content…

Henry IV sent an order for Richard II to be killed at the end of the last play. The people of England saw this as a type of betrayal against the king and civil war had broken out. Henry IV’s son Hal is a wild and mischievous character. When Poins asks Hal where he has been he says, “With three or four loggerheads amongst three or fourscore hogsheads” (Henry IV part 1, act 2, scene 4). He hangs out with Falstaff and others in the bar and which is not pleasing to his father. King Henry IV saw this behavior as a betrayal to the throne and to the life of a prince. Mortimer who is Hotspur’s cousin betrays the king by marrying a Welsh nobleman’s daughter, which leads the king to not pay for his ransom. Henry IV says, “His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer/Who, on my soul, hath willfully betrayed/The lives of those that he did lead to fight…For I shall never hold that man my friend” (Henry IV part I, act 1, scene 3, lines 80-90). Hotspur is not happy with this so he, Northumberland, and Worcester decide that they need to overthrow Henry

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