be as tedious as work; (1.2.204) This statement implies that Falstaff is preventing Hal from maturing into the mature royalty that he inevitably must become. The “foul and ugly mists of vapors” refer to Falstaff, who is constantly surrounding Prince Hal. King Henry, attempting to transform his son into a son he can be proud of, censures his son for participating in "barren pleasures" (3.2.16) with his vulgar cohorts. At this point the King makes it clear that he is disgusted with his son and that the throne will go to Hal's younger, more responsible brother. What the prince earlier soliloquized about, he now communicates to his father. He assures his father that he has been underestimated and he will "redeem all this on Percy's head" (3.2.137). His greatest enemy is Hotspur, not the Northern rebels and Mortimer. The King, exceedingly pleased, places his son in command of the royal forces. Here, the transformation of Prince Hal takes place. He has shed his persona of Falstaff's "sweet wag" and developed into Henry, Prince of Wales. The Prince heads to Eastcheap Tavern to recruit the "hill of flesh" (3.3.104), Falstaff to lead foot soldiers in the conquest to smash Percy's rebellion. They all go and at the end of the Battle of Shrewsbury, Prince Henry has fulfills his promise of redeeming himself by killing Hotspur. Clearly, up until Hal first meets with his father, he and Falstaff are two derelicts that serve no purpose to their country. When battle approaches, these men take two different paths. Hal is willing to risk his life for his family and country as proved in challenging Hotspur to a one-on-one duel and by saving his father from regicide. On the other hand, Falstaff acts like a coward on the battlefield. He soliloquizes on the subject of honor and finds no profit in being a dead hero. Unlike his success in evading the bill at the tavern, he might wind up failing to e...
