Henry IV, Part 1 - Characters

Characters

Of the King's party

  • King Henry the Fourth – King of England; also known as "Bullingbrook" or "Bolingbroke", after his place of birth in Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire. He is also called "Lancaster" by Glendower, because he was Duke of Lancaster before becoming king
  • Henry, Prince of Wales – eldest son of Henry IV; nicknamed "Hal" or "Harry", and is sometimes called "Harry Monmouth" after his birthplace
  • John of Lancaster – represented in the play as the King's second son, although he was actually the third; called "John" by Hal but has "Lancaster" for a speech heading (confusingly, since Glendower refers to Henry IV as "Lancaster")
  • Earl of Westmorland
  • Sir Walter Blunt

Rebels

  • Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland
  • Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester – Northumberland's brother
  • Henry Percy – Northumberland's son, surnamed Hotspur
  • Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March – Hotspur's brother-in-law and Glendower's son-in-law
  • Owen Glendower – leader of the Welsh rebels
  • Archibald, Earl of Douglas – leader of the Scottish rebels
  • Sir Richard Vernon
  • Scroop, Archbishop of York
  • Sir Michael – a friend to the Archbishop of York
  • Lady Percy – Kate; Hotspur's wife and Mortimer's sister
  • Lady Mortimer – Glendower's daughter and Mortimer's wife

Eastcheap

  • Sir John Falstaff – a cowardly fat knight who befriends Prince Hal; a fictional character, he was originally called "Oldcastle" and distantly based on Sir John Oldcastle. King's Men actors who played the part of Falstaff included John Heminges, John Lowin, and Charles Hart.
  • Poins – also called Ned and Yedward
  • Bardolph
  • Peto
  • Mistress Quickly – hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern, where Hal and his friends congregate
  • Francis – tapster
  • Vintner – tavern keeper
  • Gadshill
  • Two Carriers
  • Ostler
  • Chamberlain
  • Sheriff
  • Travellers
  • Lords, Officers, Drawers, Messengers, and Attendants

Read more about this topic:  Henry IV, Part 1

Famous quotes containing the word characters:

    “The first glance at History convinces us that the actions of men proceed from their needs, their passions, their characters and talents; and impresses us with the belief that such needs, passions and interests are the sole spring of actions.”
    —Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)

    “There are characters which are continually creating collisions and nodes for themselves in dramas which nobody is prepared to act with them. Their susceptibilities will clash against objects that remain innocently quiet.”
    —George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)

    “There are as many characters in men
    As there are shapes in nature.”
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