Tuesday, July 7, 2020


These letters come from your father.

-Messenger

King Henry The Fourth Part I          Act IV, scene i, line 14

Interesting; the letters come from his father. I guess I should read a little more. It should be pretty easy to get context here since it’s only line fourteen of the scene. Please hold.

Okay, here’s the deal. The messenger is talking to Hotspur, so that the letters are from Hotspur’s father, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. This father-son duo are the main guys involved in the uprising against Henry IV, and a battle is imminent. The letters tell Hotspur that his father is ill and won’t be showing up for the battle. That’s right, Dad’s calling in sick to the battle. Ain’t that a boot in the shorts! 

Ooof, hard to get happy after that, eh?

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