Today’s Totally Random
Lines
Yea; and you knew me, as you did when you
ran away by Gadshill: you knew I was at your back, and spoke it on purpose to
try my patience.
Prince Henry
King Henry the Fourth
Part II Act II,
Scene iv, Line 310
I guess there’s a bit of context needed here, and I’m just not sure I’m up to it. This is Hal talking to Falstaff and they’re at the Boar’s-Head Tavern. Well let’s just talk about Hal for a moment.
A major part of
the Henry IV plays revolves around Henry V. To clarify, Henry IV is Bolingbroke,
the guy who unseated Richard II. As such Bolingbroke/Henry IV has quite a major
role in King Richard the Second. But when we move into the Henry IV
plays (there’s two of them), we find ourselves spending more time with
Prince Henry (That’s Henry IV’s son, also known as Hal to Falstaff).
Conversely, when we get to King Henry the Fifth (there’s only one
Henry V play) that play is all about Henry V (formerly Prince Henry/Hal). Then, just to finish this thought off, when we move on to the Henry VI plays (there’s three of them, believe it or not), the only Henry
we deal with is Henry VI (Henrys IV and V are dead before the Henry VI plays start). Of course, in those plays there are lots of very
major players, but none of them are Henrys other than Henry VI.
I guess the
point is that whilst Bolingbroke/Henry IV has a pretty major role in King
Richard the Second, he doesn’t have that big a role in King Henry
the Fourth Parts One and Two. Those, as well as King Henry the
Fifth are dominated by Prince Henry/Hal/Henry V and, to a lesser degree, Falstaff. And a lot of their time together takes place at, you guessed it, the Boar's-Head Tavern.
Is that clear?
More to the point, does anybody care?
Honestly, Mr. Blagys, NO. I really don't give a rat's fanny about any of those Henry guys.
I’m much more concerned about this little princess right here, and -MORE TO THE POINT, as you would say- What is
she doing, Where is she taking me, and WHY AREN’T YOU STOPPING HER?!?
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