The Life of Sir John Falstaff

In Henry IV, Part 1, Falstaff is a boon companion to the young Prince Hal, a type of nonjudgmental father-substitute he calls that “reverend vice…that father ruffian, that vanity of years” (and, in Falstaff’s own imagination, that “kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant Jack Falstaff”), and throughout the play Falstaff comments on the political machinations with inglorious, reckless, egotistical good sense. CLICK IMAGE for link to book.