Reflections on Shakespeare's Henry IV

Reflections on Shakespeare's Henry IV [Book BBC Movie Empty Crown Season 2 Henry IV (I) and (II)]

Henry IV, helpless and dying, was cunning and eager to love his son. The cynical and unruly Prince Hal, deep in his heart, is brave and fearless.

The protagonist in Henry IV is actually Prince Hal (that is, the Prince of Wales, who was called Henry V after he ascended the throne). At this time, Henry IV, sick and turbulent, is no longer the glory of that year. Prince Hal is only in his twenties, when he is in high spirits, but he does not lose his shrewd strategy.

Prince Hal appeared as a prodigal son, which is implied at the end of Richard II. Henry IV asked his ministers who had seen his dissolute son. Count northumberland said he had seen the prince. "His answer is that he will go to a brothel, tear off a glove from the ugliest prostitute and put it on as a souvenir; Put on those gloves and he will dismount the bravest challenger. "

The young Prince Hal associates with thieves, calling the bartender a brother and doing nothing all day. He wandered the streets, accepting insulting words from ignorant villains to him and the country and responding with laughter. He even played father-son games with Falstaff, called each other Your Majesty, and made all kinds of jokes that insulted the kingship, like a buffoon.

But this is actually his disguise. He wears depravity as his coat and tolerates filth as his appearance. As soon as he takes office in the future, as long as he changes his way and overturns people's prejudice against him, he will make a blockbuster and shine brilliantly. He said: "I want to use my debauchery as a means to go against my old ways when people are unexpected."

What he did actually coincided with King Henry, but King Henry didn't know it. King Henry said he was hiding. "So he didn't move, and he moved like a comet to surprise everyone." He is really a father and son. His behavior really succeeded in deceiving the world. Henry iv said to him in a private conversation: "the whole court and royal family regard you as a passerby;" The hopes and expectations of the world for you have been destroyed, and everyone's heart is predicting your overthrow. " In the movie, when he saw Hal's glib face, King Henry slapped him angrily.

His low profile contrasts sharply with Hozbo's sharpness. Hozbo is good at fighting and has excellent martial arts. Henry IV praised his bravery when he was young, but at the same time he was afraid of this brave soldier who won many battles. He told Prince Hal privately that Hozbo now is just like himself who fought Richard II. The Pencey family had long rebelled because of King Henry's treachery, so Hozberg rebelled with Scotland and attacked England (the territory of Henry IV) through Mortimer's affair.

Hozbo has a reputation. When he was a courtier of Henry IV, the old nobles and bishops were willing to take part in the war under the leadership of such a young man. He defeated the powerful Douglas three times, "once caught him and let him go, and made friends with him". It can be said that if Hal can defeat Hozbo, it means winning the support of soldiers and the change of the people for him.

Before the war, Hozbo's father suddenly became seriously ill, but he optimistically regarded his father's absence as the driving force for progress, showing his youthful frivolous and fearless side. In front of everyone, he shouted "the end is here, die together, willingly", which made people excited. However, he is young and unwilling to accept any bad comments. First, he opposed the king and repeatedly offended his ally, his brother-in-law's father-in-law, Glendower. Even his uncle Worcester called him "rude, impatient, arrogant and stubborn". He didn't listen to people and began to attack without waiting for backup. He has always looked down on Prince Hal, and he contemptuously called Hal "the prince of Wales who is good at running wild."

Prince Hal is brave. When the civil war broke out, he went into battle in person, wearing several wounds and still fighting bravely. The battle between Hal and Hozbo is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful paragraphs. After saving his father, he and Hozbo met in a narrow way on the battlefield, and finally killed Hozbo after a fierce battle and won glory. Then Hotzbo's army was dispersed, because his army was "united with his iron will". When he died, everyone went their separate ways, and the soldiers fled everywhere like lost dogs.

Impulsive and irritable, brave and good at fighting, Hozbo who is gentle and considerate to his wife will fall.

Hal is good at camouflage, but he also has a weak side inside. When his father was seriously ill, he seemed indifferent and laughing, but secretly confided the truth to Boynes. When Boynes asked him how many filial young princes would chat with people like you at this time, he said, "I shouldn't be sad ... because there is nothing better, I have to treat you as a friend." He felt sad and had to put away all his sad looks, because if he shed tears, he would be called "the noblest hypocrite" by the world. Unfortunately, Boynes can't really understand him. Boynes is just a "dirty partner", just his fair-weather friend.

Speaking of Prince Hal's former friends, I have to mention Falstaff. Falstaff is an indispensable character in this play. He is a poor thief, a thief who doesn't respect the king and his laws. It is a great irony to let such a person have the title of "Mr." He has been slandering Prince Hal behind his back, saying that Hal is a "shallow and boring boy". He even said, "The young prince led me astray. He is my dog. " He took bribes when recruiting, and recruited a group of beggar-like cannon fodder to go to the battlefield in an attempt to steal Hal's exploits.

When Falstaff learned that Hal would become Henry V, he thought it was time for him to succeed, so he hurried to Westminster Abbey. They met again at the accession ceremony. At this time, Henry V wore a crown, and the scenery was infinite. He said, "I don't know you, old man." He called Falstaff a clown and thought the absurdity of his past association with gangsters was an abominable dream. He has completely abandoned himself and his companions in the past, and he will not allow Falstaff to appear within ten miles around him, otherwise he will be executed. This really proves the eternal truth that "the mouth of politicians deceives ghosts". In this regard, Count Alec saw through it. When Henry IV was alive, he said, "At that time, the prince will definitely abandon his people."

Of course, this is also the price Falstaff paid for his selfishness and greed. His humbleness sets off Hal's nobility. He is a stepping stone to Hal, an insignificant villain in Hal's heart, and an indispensable clown, because he is the epitome of thousands of small people in Qian Qian, Qian Qian, wandering in the lower classes, arrogant and shameless. Hal's old acquaintance finally failed to escape the punishment of the law and was jailed.

Hal makes good use of people's hearts, and he shows tolerance when appropriate. After the death of King Henry, the judge who once imprisoned Prince Hal was worried that he would be retaliated by the new king, but Hal patiently listened to him defend himself and forgave the judge who enforced the law impartially. Then he took this opportunity to show his determination to the courtiers, saying that he would "go against the expectations of the world and overthrow all expectations", and then he turned over a new leaf and let people's prejudice against him be swept away. Whether or not these behaviors are heartfelt, at least he shows them.

In this "Henry IV", Henry IV once again showed his hypocrisy. He said, "I am jealous that my Earl of northumberland (the father of Hotzburg) has such a good son" and asked Minister Hotzburg, "Is he too proud?" He wants all the prisoners, but he doesn't want to redeem his brother-in-law Mortimer for the meritorious minister Hozbo, because Mortimer is a blood relative of the deposed king Richard II.

But he loves Prince Hal deeply, there is no doubt about it. In the face of his fallen son, he was saddened. "Everyone is tired of seeing you, but I hope to see more of you." When he saw that Hal was fearless on the battlefield, he said with relief, "Although he is only a fledgling soldier ... that kind of perseverance far exceeded my expectations."

On his deathbed, King Henry was still bent on paving the way for Hal and making his other sons, especially the Duke of Lancaster (Prince John), respect Hal. After all, Prince John, who can defeat the rebels without a single soldier, is not an idle person. When Hal returned to the palace, he saw his father's deathbed lifeless and thought he was dead. With a heavy heart, he put on his crown and left, crying in the next room.

When King Henry woke up, he rebuked Hal for eagerly taking away the throne, and on his deathbed, he taught him how to govern the country, how to consolidate his rights, and how to sweep away those henchmen who coveted the throne. He knew that he was in the wrong position. He said, "God knows how I got this crown by treacherous means ... now you are the legal heir ... May you enjoy it in peace!" " "

Henry IV was ambitious. He went to the battlefield to kill the enemy, took the lead in civil strife, and finally pacified the war. He was wily and sat on the throne as a usurper, paving the way and removing obstacles for his favorite son before he died. He may not be the most perfect and ideal king, but he is undoubtedly a good king with outstanding talents and a good father with high hopes for success.

The era of Henry IV is an era of war, and it is an era of talented people and surging clouds. From Richard II to Henry IV, Shakespeare wrote a generation of wise kings from their rise to their decline, and a prince from his hiding to his face. It has formed a historical stage of ebb and flow, dynasty change, and a world from emperor to prince to drunkard and porter.

"I want to get drunk and become a knight. I don't envy others Wan Huhou."

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20 18. 12. 12

PS: 1。 In the movie Henry IV, the old Henry IV actually has more hair than the young Henry IV in Richard II. It's really strange to change actors.

I like Mr Zhu Shenghao's translation very much. I don't stick to English grammatical details, but follow Chinese idioms.

Zarens' ballad, "Why do you laugh a thousand times a year?" "If only I could be a knight in my hometown, I don't envy others Wan Huhou." It is really artistic and beautiful. Antique words are sung from the mouth of the British, but there is no sense of disobedience.

It's a pity that Mr Zhu Shenghao's translator died young at the age of 32. He translated 365,438+0 Shakespeare works, but six of them were not finished.