Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 1 is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1597. It is the second part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II and followed by Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V. The play is set in England during the late Middle Ages and follows the story of King Henry IV, who is struggling to maintain his throne against a rebellion led by the powerful Percy family. The rebellion is led by Henry Percy, nicknamed "Hotspur," and his father, the Earl of Northumberland. Hotspur is joined by his uncle, the Earl of Worcester, and the Welshman Owen Glendower. The play follows the events leading up to the Battle of Shrewsbury, where the forces of King Henry IV and the rebels clash. The play also focuses on the relationship between Henry IV and his son, Prince Hal, who is more interested in carousing with his friend, the low-born Sir John Falstaff, than in assuming his royal duties. The play ends with the death of Hotspur in battle and the reconciliation of Henry IV and Prince Hal.
By William Shakespeare · First published 1597 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Comedy · 19 chapters · 28,530 words
First lines
Enter KING HENRY, LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER, the EARL of WESTMORELAND, SIR WALTER BLUNT, and others
KING HENRY IV / So shaken as we are, so wan with care, / Find we a time for frighted peace to pant, / And breathe short-winded accents of new broils / To be commenced in strands afar remote.
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Henry IV, Part 1 is listed on Textopian as a play by William Shakespeare, dated 1597 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: William Shakespeare
- Date: 1597 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Tragedy
- Length: 28,530 words
- Structure: 19 chapters, 1,098 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare
- The Tragedy Of Mcbeth by William Shakespeare
- The Tempest by William Shakespeare
- Henry V by William Shakespeare
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
- The Merchant Of Venice by William Shakespeare
Genres
- Historical Fiction — The play is based on the life of King Henry IV of England and is set in the late Middle Ages.
- Drama — The play is written in a dramatic style and follows the story of King Henry IV and his son, Prince Hal.
- Comedy — The play contains many comedic elements, such as the witty banter between characters and the humorous situations they find themselves in.
- Romance — The play contains a romantic subplot between the characters of Falstaff and Doll Tearsheet.
Tags
art · conflict · cousin · day · doth · douglas · earl · enter · exeunt · exit · faith · falstaff
Contents
- London. the Palace
- London. an Apartment of the Prince's
- London. the Palace
- Rochester. an Inn Yard
- The Highway, Near Gadshill
- Warkworth Castle
- The Boar's-head Tavern, Eastcheap
- Bangor. the Archdeacon's House
- London. the Palace
- Eastcheap. the Boar's-head Tavern
- The Rebel Camp Near Shrewsbury
- A Public Road Near Coventry
- The Rebel Camp Near Shrewsbury
- York. the Archbishop's Palace
- King Henry Iv's Camp Near Shrewsbury
- The Rebel Camp
- Plain Between the Camps
- Another Part of the Field
- Another Part of the Field