Henry IV, Part Two (The Oxford Shakespeare) - Hardcover

Shakespeare, William

3.77

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9780198123644: Henry IV, Part Two (The Oxford Shakespeare)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198123647 ISBN 13: 9780198123644

Publisher: Clarendon Press, 1998

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This edition offers a fully modernized text of one of Shakespeare's most fascinating plays. Henry IV, Part 2 is the only play in the canon whose structure almost exactly mirrors that of its predecessor, and thereby affords unique perspectives on Shakespeares art and craft. Far from being the impoverished country cousin of an illustrious work, Part 2 introduces unforgettable new characters like Pistol and Shallow, and memorable minor players such as Doll Tearsheet and the reluctant Goucestershire recruits. Above all, it gives us more Falstaff. Although he is now politically distanced from Hal, he looms larger than ever as a mischievous figure who never ceases to fascinate with his unique blend of native wit, inventiveness, and corruption. Through a radical reconsideration of the play's text(s) and date, it is argued here for the first time that the character of Falstaff was called Oldcastle in Part 2 as well as in Part 1, and that it was the vetting of Part 2 for the 1596-7 Christmas performances at Court which led to the change of name in both plays. This edition moreover takes the view that the Folio-only passages in the play reflect the text of the original prompt-book.

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Review:

Written in 1598, hard on the heels of the massive popular success of Henry IV Part One, Henry IV Part Two takes up where the first part finished, and completes Shakespeare's portrayal of the troubled reign of Henry IV. Rebellion has apparently been quelled, but dissension still permeates the country, and Henry is disillusioned, sick and dying. After the pace and comedy of Part One., Part Two is a much more subdued and gloomy affair. The tone is set by the early appearance of Falstaff, who relishes the possibilities of easy picking in the face of more civil unrest with his sinister quip that "I will turn diseases to commodity".

The drama focuses on Henry IV's difficult relationship with his son Prince Hal, and the latter's gradual emergence as a charismatic sovereign. In the process he sheds his image as a prodigal wastrel dramatised in the first half of Part One, assuming the title of King Henry V in the closing scenes of Part Two. Perhaps the most poignant moment of the whole play remains Henry's cold-blooded rejection of Falstaff, his surrogate father for much of Part One. "I know thee not, old man" he tells the crushed Falstaff as he assumes the royal crown, preparing the audience for the type of monarch they will see in Shakeseare's subsequent dramatisation of English history, Henry V. --Jerry Brotton

Review:

enjoys the same high standards of design and production as its predecessors. The text pages clearly differentiate text, collation, and notes; the documentation is full but inconspicuous; and it has been well proof-read ... Dr Weis provides an economical but illuminating discussion of Shakespeare's sources ... The annotations throughout are lucid and economical, responsive to both levels of plot. ... Rene Weis's edition can be recommended as a thoughtful and sensitive response to the play, which ranks alongside the outstanding 1966 New Arden edition by R A Humphreys. (Brian Vickers, ROES, vol 50 no 200 (1999))

includes an extremely informative introduction which breathes new life into this often-neglected play. (Kevin Curran, Studies in English Literature 1500-1900)

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