Henry IV Part 1 Rules and Order Quotes

When Hotspur reminds his father and uncle of their participation in the deposition of King Richard (which goes down in the preceding play, Richard II), the audience is reminded that King Henry was once a rebel who led an uprising against a monarch. King Henry, then, has paved the path for future acts of anarchy. Hmm. Sometimes it's so hard to tell the difference between a rebel and a monarch in this play.

We know Falstaff is full of bologna when he compares himself to a saint whose been "corrupted" by Prince Hal, but this is partly why we love Falstaff. It's pretty clear that Falstaff's the one whose been doing the corrupting (even though Hal is most definitely a willing participant in Falstaff's antics).

Here, Hotspur insists that overthrowing the king is a way for the Percy family to "redeem" their "banish'd honours." The play takes seriously the idea that rebellion can be honorable and even justifiable, don't you think? Hotspur's never portrayed as a mustache-twirling villain (even when he's being ridiculous) and, in fact, much of what he has to say about the king makes sense, especially in the play's early scenes. But, does the play sustain this indulgent attitude toward Hotspur and the rebellion throughout the play? What do you think?