0-6)Though Hal seems ignorant of his destiny and importance in the court, Shakespeare allows us to see that he intends to rise to his full potential. From this point on, Hal begins ridiculing his friends, and realizes that they are "contagious clouds" who "smother up his beauty". Harry Percy, a.k.a. Hotspur (Shakespeare never ceases to amuse me with his witty nicknames-- and this one is certainly derived from the Prince of Darkness himself), is introduced to us as the courtier of "Golden Mean". He is nearly everything a prince should be: he valiantly captures the prisoners King Henry desires (even though he will not give them over to the king), he is courageous, quick with words, and has a goal of honor. In I.iii, 201-8, he expresses how much importance he places on honor and how simple he thinks it is to obtain it:"By heavens, methinks it were an easy leapTo pluck bright honor from the pale-faced moon,Or dive into the bottom of the deep,Where fathom line could never touch the ground,And pluck up drowned honor by the locks,So he that doth redeem her thence might wearWithout corrival all her dignities;But out upon this half-faced fellowship!"But even within this speech one of his faults is uncovered. Towards the end of this tangent he is shaming the practice of sharing glory and honor with others. This reflects his egotistical intentions and his preoccupation with the obtaining the title of honor. In this scene we also learn of Hotspurs other downfalls: his exponential anger, his lack of temperance, stubbornness, and ignorance. He doesnt know his own history, he disregards letters warning him, and he is totally consumed with the idea of victory and honor; he even battles in his sleep.Scene II, act iv reflects Hals midway point. He has not yet risen to his full potential, but we know he intends to show his father that he is worthy of his title of the Prince of Wales. Hal and Falstaff put on a little play-within-a-play, in which Hal plays ...
