Thoughts on Henry IV

Shakespeare's play, King Henry IV, was the most unique piece I've read yet. It's not so personal or as passionate as his other pieces like Hamlet or Macbeth. The level of depth in the text isn't as drawn out as it feels it should. There are few memorable soliquies and quotes though there are a fair amount of fat jokes and comical moments which makes the reading lighter despite the depth of a young man's journey, Hal, becoming a King and the road of character building and relational trauma. Personally, without the building war and the band of thieves and drunkards (The Pub crawlers) the play would have little popularity. Perhaps since the play is historical fiction, an interpretation of how Shakespeare thought the characters would act, the play is not as passionate, since the characters are based on real figures rather than a stereotype or character Shakespeare creates based on human nature. The ground is more condensed for Shakespeare as he has to work with historical events that atually happened rather than his own creation to express his views and deliver his eloquence. However, the play is good for a closer reading as the relationships in the play continue and build to a peak, foils vs. heroes.