Prince Hal, the son of King Henry IV spends his time in idle pleasure with dissolute friends, among them the roguish Sir John Falstaff: But when the kingdom is threatened by rebellious forces, the prince must abandon his reckless ways. Taking arms against a heroic enemy, he begins a great and compelling transformation – from irresponsible reprobate to noble ruler of men. This book includes a general introduction to Shakespeares life and the Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Henry IV, Part One, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.