Pursuit of Honor

The Pursuit of Honor In Shakespeare’s 1 Henry IV, both Hal and Falstaff reflect upon honor, which in this play is the appearance of nobility and it is a particular virtue that is valued: like bravery in men. Throughout the play Falstaff stays constant in his view that the pursuit of honor is a worthless and empty cause; while Hal’s view changes from one that expects honor to just come to him, to one …

…s blatantly honest soliloquy about the worthlessness of honor contrasts well with Hal’s pursuit of honor. The contrast between Hal and Falstaff on the issue of honor helps to show the tremendous change Hal has gone through. These speeches show that Falstaff has stayed constant on his views about honor, while Hal has made the realization that honor is important to him, and that he must take an active role in obtaining that honor.