As William Shakespeare wrote As You Like It, "All the world's a stage,/ And all the men and women are merely players./ They have their exits and enter them;/ And a man in his day plays many parts." Shakespeare further adds to this philosophy by introducing the young Prince Hal in his play Henry IV, Part One. Hal adopts several personas ranging from “noble” to “degenerate” (Barber 54). He is able to consciously manage this range of personalities on his way to inheriting the throne through the manipulation of what he learns from observing King Richard II, his father King Henry IV, and his own political ploy. His ultimate wisdom - the knowledge that Hal "does" - is that the role of the king is little more than a performance for the audience, which therefore implies that the king himself is little more than an actor. Through King Henry IV's evaluation of Hal's actions in light of both Richard's rule and his own rule, Hal discovers that a king is an artist who must decide what kind of person he wants to reveal to the public. Furthermore, in light of his early associations with John Falstaff, Hal embodies the role of the “traditional prodigal son,” complete with degenerate, biblical friends to tempt him into making mistakes (Barber 54). Although both King Henry and Hal recognize that this current life of neglect and ill-repute does little to prepare him for the throne, Hal is an astute young man, worldly in his perception of the role of leader before his audience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay An actor need not be too intimate with his audience to establish himself and his actions as somehow separate from the commonplace, the banal. According to King Henry IV, Richard II's tragic flaw was that he "became a companion in the common ways, enfeoffing himself to popularity" (HIV1.III.ii.68-69). Too often he has appeared in the public eye, thus stripping himself of that mystery and respect that a king must demand from his audience. A king must be seen just enough to intrigue the audience, but leave enough enigmas to elicit a sense of wonder. Furthermore, an actor's performance is a combination of word and action. Therefore, the "pathos of the loss of meaning" and the position of king is emphasized in moments when "word and gesture, name and body no longer go together", as when the deposed Richard looks in the mirror to find the "meaning it has lost his face” losing his kingship (Barber 68). Although Richard played his role as king to the best of his ability with flair and ostentation, he neglected to earn the respect of his audience, thus leading to his downfall. Conversely, an actor must also establish a certain level of familiarity with the audience. to win their affections and establish a sense of connection. After witnessing the errors of Richard's reign, Henry was cautious about making his reign "rare but sumptuous" (HIV1.III.ii.58). Because of this concern, Henry never truly establishes a recognizable character with his audience, thus being shrouded in mystery. His anonymity is represented during the Battle of Shrewsbury in which he “survives because he has many marchers in his jackets, and during a political career in which…he manipulates the symbols of majesty” (Barber 63). Shakespeare's audience also has little respect for Henry because he pays so little attention to his son, except to admonish him for his misdeeds. Falstaff, the alcoholic but confidant fool, rather than Henry, often achieves a more paternal attitude towards Hal. Hal believes that a wiser ruler would be the one who is allo.