Product Description

David Scott Kastan lucidly explores the remarkable richness and the ambitious design of King Henry IV Part 1 and shows how these complicate any easy sense of what kind of play it is. Conventionally regarded as a history play, much of it is in fact conspicuously invented fiction, and Kastan argues that the non-historical, comic plot does not simply parody the historical action but by its existence raises questions about the very nature of history. The full and engaging introduction devotes extensive discussion to the play's language, indicating how its insistent economic vocabulary provides texture for the social concerns of the play and focuses attention on the central relationship between value and political authority.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #229717 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 398 pages

Customer Reviews

An excellent edition of an excellent play
Henry IV Part One has been thoroughly enjoyable on each of the three times I have seen it before - even on the occasion that I saw the character of Hotspur played by one of the worst actors I have ever seen in a professional production! But that's one of the joys of the play, in Henry, Hal, Hotspur and Falstaff there are four main characters, each of which has the possibility of enchanting the audience. This would, I imagine, also make it a fascinating play to put on a production of.

But the main thing about the Arden versions, and this is no exception, is that they provide a very in-depth guide to understanding the words of the play (there are often as many notes on a page as there is text), and excellent and interesting introductions.

So I recommend this on two counts - it is amongst Shakespeare's most interesting and engaging plays, and this version will help you get the most out of the play!