Product Description

Like every other play in the Cambridge School Shakespeare series, King Henry IV Part 1 has been specially prepared to help all students in schools and colleges. This version aims to be different from other editions of the play. It invites you to bring the play to life in your classroom through enjoyable activities that will help increase your understanding. You are encourage to make up your own mind about the play, rather than have someone else's interpretation handed down to you. Whatever you do, remember that Shakespeare wrote his plays to be acted, watched and enjoyed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #479440 in Books
• Published on: 1998-12-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Written between 1596 and 1597, Henry IV Part One represents Shakespeare's increasingly mature talent in staging the history of the early Tudor monarchy. Midway in the cycle of Shakespeare's History Plays, which begin with Richard II and ultimately culminate in his last play, Henry VIII, Henry IV Part One tells the story of the troubled reign of Henry IV following his deposition of Richard II. The historical action revolves around the attempt by Henry Percy (known as Hotspur) to overthrow Henry at the Battle of Shrewsbury. However, over half the play deals with the transformation of Henry's profligate son, Prince Hal (the future King Henry V), from tavern joker to national icon.

The whole play is stolen from its kings and princes by Shakespeare's greatest comic creation, the "fat-kidneyed rascal" Sir John Falstaff, king of his own dominions--the taverns and brothels of London's Eastcheap district. The tavern scenes of the play are some of the most evocative accounts of 16th-century popular London life. They revolve around the comical but ultimately sinister relationship between Falstaff and his young apprentice Hal, who learns to "so offend to make offence a skill" as he learns the slippery ropes of realpolitik and kingship. The play is considered by many to be the liveliest and most profound of Shakespeare's History Plays, and remains one of its most popular examples. --Jerry Brotton

About the Author
David Bevington is Professor of English at the University of Chicago.

Customer Reviews

The Shakespeare Time Machine
I'm happy to say that all school texts are not the same! Shakespeare, being long dead and not demanding royalties is often seen as run of the mill topic. Not so with this text however! There are fabulous anotated pictures and study notes, which make teaching my class so very easy. The author has held nothing back and even explains the various parts of a sword; hilt, scabbard, pommel etc. What wonderful insight into the minds of today's young people, who are more familiar with light sabers and machine guns!

This book is a pleasure to read, a pleasure to teach from, and at times strangely suprising; for instance I learnt that by "monsterous watch" Bardolf meant a mob, and not, as I thought before, a stern look upon his face!

I cannot recommend this book enough, if you teach, you should be using this in your classroom. If you merely wish to draw your own private readings closer to shakespeare, there is no better way than to have Roma Gill whisper his secrets in your ear.

Slick edition
An excellent edition of this History play. The Oxford edition combines good notes on meaning and textual quibbles with excellent introductory material. It's very well suited to sixth-form students, who will find very useful material here for A05 in their public exams, as well as valuable elucidations of language. But it's a pleasingly produced volume which will satisfy other consumers just as well.