Special Sub-Topic: Henry IV, Part 1 Click Here To Play: Henry IV, Part 1

Who are the three characters with the most lines?

Falstaff, Hotspur, Prince Hal. King Henry has the fourth-most lines, Worcester has the fifth-most, Poins is one of Hal's drinking buddies, and Northumberland is a bit part, only appearing in one scene.

How many characters are involved in swordfights?

Six. The six are Douglas, Blunt, King Henry, Prince Hal, Hotspur, and Falstaff (though he doesn't fight much).

Hotspur cares very much about honor.

t. In fact, he has many speeches along the lines of "We're going to die. Oh well, at least it's honorable."

Falstaff cares very much about honor.

f. Falstaff is about as close to Hotspur's polar opposite as you can get. He avoids battle through the whole play, and is really just a whole lot of comic relief.

How does Hotspur die?

Killed in battle by Prince Hal. Hotspur and Hal are sort of set against each other the whole play, so it's kind of fitting. If you picked "Brutally betrayed", I laugh at you.

What is Hotspur's last name?

Percy. He is one of four Percys in the play, the other three being his wife, father, and uncle. They are Lady Percy, Northumberland, and Worcester, respectively.

Historically, Prince Hal and Hotspur were about the same age.

f. In fact, Hotspur was three years older than King Henry, Prince Hal's father.

Which "drawer" (tavern waiter) do Prince Hal and Poins make fun of in act II, scene iv?

Francis. Tom and Dick were other drawers Prince Hal mentioned. Harry I just made up.

How many characters named Henry are in the play?

Four. King Henry and Prince Hal, obviously. Also, Northumberland and Hotspur are both named Henry Percy.

Which tavern bum said this? "Come, shelter, shelter: I have removed Falstaff's horse, and he frets like a gummed velvet."

Poins. Poins is Prince Hal's best friend, with whom he often plays jokes on other tavern folk.

Whom does the Earl of Douglas kill?

Sir Walter Blunt. He nearly kills King Henry, before being fought off by Prince Hal. Soon after, it appears that he has killed Falstaff; of course, Falstaff is merely playing dead.

What is Mortimer's first name?

Edmund. He is Glendower's son-in-law and one of the chief rebels.

Finish the quote from act 3, scene 1: Lady Percy: "Now God help thee!" What does Hotspur say?

"To the Welsh lady's bed.". It's Hotspur, making a bawdy joke about how he'd rather sleep with Lady Mortimer than hear her sing. Lucky for him Mortimer doesn't notice...

What does Prince Hal say Falstaff's ring is made of?

Copper. Falstaff insists that it's very valuable, but it's really copper.

Who has the longest speech in the play?

King Henry. It's 62 lines long, and he's not talking to himself! That's like monologuing for three minutes and expecting a response. Hal gives a speech back that's about 20-some lines shorter, but that's still pretty long!

Hotspur says what? "O gentlemen, the time of life is short! To spend that shortness basely were too _____"

Long. He's making an antithesis, which is a fancy literary word for "opposite."

How many of Prince Hal's brothers appear in this play?

One. John of Lancaster is the only one in this play. However, in part 2, Thomas of Clarence and Humphrey of Gloucester also appear.

How do you spell Owen Glendower's first name in Welsh?

Owain. He was, in real life, a great rebel leader who was captured only once, but broke free that time.

What is commonly believed to be Sir John Falstaff's original name?

Sir John Oldcastle. Falstaff is widely considered the greatest comedic character in all of literature.

Why did Shakespeare change the original character's name to Sir John Falstaff?

The relatives of the original got angry. John Oldcastle died a martyr, and the controversy was so strong that Shakespeare actually put a disclaimer in the epilogue of "Henry IV, Part 2"!

Which rebel greatly admires Hal?

Vernon. Vernon brings bad news to the rebels pretty much every time he appears.

How was Douglas captured?

He fell down a hill. I really hope you didn't pick magical sleep. "PRINCE. The noble Scot, Lord Douglas, when he saw The fortune of the day quite turn'd from him, The noble Percy slain, and all his men Upon the foot of fear, fled with the rest; And, falling from a hill, he was so bruised That the pursuers took him. At my tent The Douglas is."

Who has a red face and is constantly teased for it?

Bardolph. Bardolph doesn't seem to mind, though. He just insults Falstaff's paunch right back.

What does Falstaff, in act 2, scene 4, complain about there being in his sack (a kind of wine)?

Lime. "Yet a coward is worse than a cup of sack with lime in it, a villainous coward."

Who says that he can "call spirits from the vasty deep"?

Glendower & Owen Glendower. Hotspur replies: "Well, so can I, or so can any man, but do they come when you do call for them?"