Prince Henry, Hotspur and Falstaff (Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part 1, Act 5, Scene 4) 1796

This print of an episode from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part One was made by Thomas Ryder the First, probably in England. It shows Prince Henry's victory over Hotspur, while the cowardly Falstaff pretends to be dead on the battlefield. Prints like this had a public role. England had a burgeoning theatre culture, and Shakespeare was its king. But plays only reached a limited audience. Prints, however, were affordable, and could be displayed in any home. In this way, the characters and narratives of Shakespeare became part of a broader cultural conversation. The print flattens the moral complexity of the play into a heroic narrative. The prince is virtuous, while Hotspur and Falstaff are clearly flawed. Studying the print in relation to the play, we might reflect on how art is shaped by social and institutional forces such as the London theatre scene, and the popular print market. These commercial interests determined which aspects of the play would be circulated, and to whom.