Henry 1 Light And Dark Imagery Essay

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In Shakespeare’s Henry IV Pt. 1, there are many motifs and images presented. One of the most common is bright and dark imagery. A closer look at this imagery reveals that not all characters are as they appear at first glance, and that the play highlights these differences with dark and light imagery. The play breaks the general stereotypes and connotations associated with lightness (positive, very clear-cut) and darkness (negative, shady). The important characters all are associated with different levels of brightness, and these levels are very telling about their personalities. The first example of a character using an image of light that tells more about him comes in the very first scene of the play. King Henry (IV) attempts to divert the other nobles’ attention away from his own faults and towards a “noble crusade.” Henry compares England’s struggles to the “meteors of a troubled heaven” (A1S1 10). Henry conjures up the …show more content…
Hal plays a trick on his friend Falstaff by ambushing Falstaff after he robbed some travelers so that Hal could see Falstaff’s reaction. Falstaff, who is wise, albeit overweight and foolish, tells a tall tale to Hal about how he was attacked by eleven men (when actually it was just Hal and Poins). Falstaff reference that he couldn’t fight back because “it was so dark, Hal, that thou/ couldst not see thy hand” (A2S4 232-3). Falstaff uses the dark as an excuse for his failure to defend himself. However, later in the scene, Falstaff is seriously concerned about Hal’s future. Falstaff, who seems to be a shady character, is more of a father figure to Hal. Falstaff is concerned about Hal’s future and well-being, and not just about his own, as evidenced by him wanting Hal to be king not just for his own gain. Falstaff, who is generally portrayed as dark and shady, is more of a wise fatherly
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