Hal's Exploitation of Honor
Eric Brown
In his famous St. Crispin’s day speech, Henry V claims to be deeply committed to honor. He announces, “…if it be a sin to covet honour, / I am the most offending soul alive” (IV. iii. 310-321). His impassioned discussion of the infinite value of valor successfully motivates his captains. The Duke of York, sufficiently pumped up, asks, “My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg / the leading of the vanguard”ward“ (IV.iii.1363-1374). Henry has already proven himself to be a gifted orator, and this speech adds to that characterization. Should we, the readers, take this speech as an honest reflection of Henry’s attitude towards honor and valor, or is he simply saying what needs to be said in order to get what he wants? Through textual analysis, can we pinpoint Henry’s real opinions about honor and his underlying motivations in life?
One interpretation is that Henry does not actually buy into the honor system of his time; he exploits it for pragmatic gains. Early on in Henry IV Part 1, Henry, then known as Hal, offers a soliloquy about his life strategy. His plan is to descend into dishonorable, low-class territory in his youth, and when the time is right, he will emerge as an honorable, kingly hero. Hal ends up following this track perfectly, and his reputation thrives because of it. In the beginning of Henry V, two English churchmen, Cantebury and Ely, attest to the success of Henry’s plan. Cantebury describes how Henry IV’s death seemed to fundamentally change Hal, ridding him of his former “wildness…leaving his body as a paradise” (I.i.287-32-31). Here, Canterbury’s perception of the king fits perfectly into Hal’s stated scheme. He has effectively manipulated his citizens’ perception of him.
Hal does not seek honor for intrinsic benefit; he desires what comes along with honor, a favorable reputation. Consider the scene when Hal goes to court to speak with his father for the first time in the play. Henry IV berates his son for engaging in this disgraceful behavior, for pursuing “inordinate and low desires” (III.ii.132). This scene serves as Hal’s turning point. He promises to seek redemption, stating, “I shall hereafter, my thrice gracious lord, be more myself”(III.ii.94-952). Discussing this scene, scholar Norman Council writes, “They are speaking the language of honor,” but in pragmatic terms (52). Henry IV understands the necessity of manipulating public reputation, something that his predecessor, Richard II, failed to do. He thinks that because of Hal’s behavior, his son is aloof to this concept. But as we know, Hal’s behavior in his youth is a result of his being forward- thinking and highly skilled at controlling the public’s attitude towards him. Regarding Henry IV and Hal, then, Council asserts, “Shakespeare here keeps Henry IV from recognizing the fact, they share the same assumptions and aspirations” (51). Henry, perhaps like his father, is primarily a pragmatist. Achieving honor is simply one component of a greater, pragmatic scheme.
One interpretation is that Henry does not actually buy into the honor system of his time; he exploits it for pragmatic gains. Early on in Henry IV Part 1, Henry, then known as Hal, offers a soliloquy about his life strategy. His plan is to descend into dishonorable, low-class territory in his youth, and when the time is right, he will emerge as an honorable, kingly hero. Hal ends up following this track perfectly, and his reputation thrives because of it. In the beginning of Henry V, two English churchmen, Cantebury and Ely, attest to the success of Henry’s plan. Cantebury describes how Henry IV’s death seemed to fundamentally change Hal, ridding him of his former “wildness…leaving his body as a paradise” (I.i.287-32-31). Here, Canterbury’s perception of the king fits perfectly into Hal’s stated scheme. He has effectively manipulated his citizens’ perception of him.
Hal does not seek honor for intrinsic benefit; he desires what comes along with honor, a favorable reputation. Consider the scene when Hal goes to court to speak with his father for the first time in the play. Henry IV berates his son for engaging in this disgraceful behavior, for pursuing “inordinate and low desires” (III.ii.132). This scene serves as Hal’s turning point. He promises to seek redemption, stating, “I shall hereafter, my thrice gracious lord, be more myself”(III.ii.94-952). Discussing this scene, scholar Norman Council writes, “They are speaking the language of honor,” but in pragmatic terms (52). Henry IV understands the necessity of manipulating public reputation, something that his predecessor, Richard II, failed to do. He thinks that because of Hal’s behavior, his son is aloof to this concept. But as we know, Hal’s behavior in his youth is a result of his being forward- thinking and highly skilled at controlling the public’s attitude towards him. Regarding Henry IV and Hal, then, Council asserts, “Shakespeare here keeps Henry IV from recognizing the fact, they share the same assumptions and aspirations” (51). Henry, perhaps like his father, is primarily a pragmatist. Achieving honor is simply one component of a greater, pragmatic scheme.