Henry IV, Part 2 Monologues & Audition Scenes

Characters: Mistress Quickly, Lord Chief-Justice, Falstaff

Mistress Quickly attempts to have Falstaff arrested for his debts and his broken promise to marry her. The Lord Chief Justice intervenes, questioning Falstaff's character and his treatment of the widow.

Characters: Mowbray, Westmoreland

Lord Mowbray and the Earl of Westmoreland debate the legitimacy of the rebellion and the history of their fathers' conflicts. Westmoreland offers a parley on behalf of the Prince, while Mowbray remains skeptical of the King's motives.

Characters: FALSTAFF, LANCASTER

Sir John Falstaff arrives late to the battlefield, claiming to have captured a prisoner through sheer valor. He humorously defends his tardiness and demands recognition from Prince John of Lancaster, who remains unimpressed by Falstaff's excuses and physical girth.

Characters: KING HENRY IV, CLARENCE

An aging King Henry IV advises his son, Thomas of Clarence, on how to manage the volatile temperament of the future King Henry V (Prince Hal). The King expresses deep anxiety about the kingdom's future and Hal's association with low-life companions once he inherits the crown.

Characters: Falstaff

Falstaff reflects on the ridiculous nature of Justice Shallow and his servants, noting how they have mimicked each other's foolishness. He gleefully plans to use these observations to entertain Prince Hal with comedic tales.

Characters: KING HENRY IV

Newly crowned King Henry V (formerly Prince Hal) publicly rejects his old companion Falstaff, asserting his new authority and abandoning his former life of debauchery.

Characters: KING HENRY V, LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE

The newly crowned King Henry V confronts the Lord Chief Justice, who had previously imprisoned him when he was a wayward prince. The Justice defends his past actions as an impartial upholding of the law and the crown's dignity.

Characters: Morton

Morton delivers the devastating news of Hotspur's death and the defeat of the rebel forces at the Battle of Shrewsbury to the Earl of Northumberland.

Characters: Prince Henry

Prince Hal reflects on his unprincely association with commoners and his friend Poins, mocking the trivial details he knows about Poins' meager wardrobe while grappling with the guilt of his own low-brow reputation.

Characters: Rumour

Rumour, acting as the personification of gossip and misinformation, enters as a prologue to explain how false reports of the Battle of Shrewsbury are spreading to the Earl of Northumberland.

Characters: Northumberland, Morton

Northumberland confronts Morton, a messenger from the Battle of Shrewsbury. Sensing disaster, Northumberland correctly divines the death of his son, Hotspur, before Morton can even speak the words.

Characters: Lady Percy

Lady Percy implores her father-in-law, Northumberland, not to go to war. She bitterly reminds him how he failed to support his own son, Hotspur, leading to his death, and begs him not to show more loyalty to his current allies than he did to his own flesh and blood.

Characters: Northumberland, Lady Percy

Lady Percy implores her father-in-law, Northumberland, not to go to war, reminding him of how he failed her late husband, Hotspur, at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

Characters: King Henry IV

King Henry IV, suffering from insomnia and the weight of his responsibilities, reflects on the unfairness of sleep. He envies his poorest subjects and even a ship-boy on a storm-tossed mast for their ability to rest while he, a king, remains awake.

Characters: Shallow, Silence

Justice Shallow and Justice Silence reminisce about their youthful days in London and the wild antics of their past, reflecting on the passage of time and old acquaintances.

Characters: Prince Henry

Prince Hal watches over his dying father, King Henry IV. Believing the King has passed away, he reflects on the heavy burden of the crown before taking it for himself.

Characters: Archbishop of York

The Archbishop of York justifies his rebellion against King Henry IV, explaining that the state is diseased and that the rebels have been forced into arms by the King's refusal to hear their grievances.