Representations In King Henry IV

Representations are deliberate acts of manipulation to impose political agendas and ideologies upon individuals and society. Thus, composers position the audience to favour their political perspectives through the representation of personal ideas, values and beliefs. Shakespeare’s play King Henry IV: Part 1 offers insight into how representations are manipulative through the complexity of the humans as individuals seeks to further their own goals by influencing the perceptions of those around them. Through the understanding of representations, recognition that the duality of human nature, both good and bad, become more obvious as individuals perform acts of manipulations. This then leads to the revelation that motives are able to determine

Hal’s soliloquy is used to show the facade of a princely figure behind the personality of a rogue in order to stupify the nobles when Hal reveals his true character, “By so I shall falsify men’s hopes. And like bright metal on a sullen ground, My reformation, glitt’ring o’er my fault, Shall show more goodly, and attract more eyes.” This representation of Hal’s character serves as a basis to manipulate the people surrounding him into believing a falsified personality which Hal believes will ultimately provide him with more influence and power when he becomes king. Hal’s princely and rogue sides of his character proves that individuals innately have a dualistic nature that is often exploited through representations to manipulate other individuals and society into a position of favour that will greatly benefit, with the goal of power and

Thus representations are able to reveal that an individual’s motives have an impact on their values and beliefs. The friendship between Falstaff and Hal is symbolic, “I look to be either earl or duke, I can assure you,” of the adaptability of the human nature to benefit the individual’s motive. Falstaff exploits Hal’s position as prince and their relationship in an attempt to earn power, symbolic of the dual nature of humans that comes from Falstaff’s lust for power. Yet Falstaff does not always represent himself as power-hungry, most often he is seen wanting for attention and appreciation for his efforts, sadly the attention he gets is one that pushes him further down into his lust for power and control. His silly personality becomes a joke among many, and this begins Falstaff’s representation of his two natures that he uses to manipulate Hal into prestige, albeit he fails. Whilst both Hal and Falstaff each are representaive of the duality of human nature, it expands into the relationship itself. Hal the Prince and Falstaff the Rogue, both personifying the glorious and tragic natures of