The character of Falstaff in Henry IV Part IIn Henry IV Part I, Shakespeare presents a collection of traditional heroes. Hotspur's laudable valor, King Henry's militaristic reign, and Hal's princely transformation echo the socially exalted values ​​of the Elizabethan male. Molding themselves according to social standards, these flat characters contrast with the rounded and lively personality of Sir John Falstaff. Through Falstaff's unorthodox behavior and flagrant disregard for cultural traditions, Shakespeare defends his own personal values ​​above those of society. Exalted as "the essence of Shakespeare's dramatic art" (Bloom 299) and ridiculed as the symbol of self-indulgence and vice, the character of Sir John Falstaff, a loquacious knight, raises a dichotomy within the Shakespearean critical community . This controversy originates in the interpretation of Shakespeare's intention in creating Sir John Falstaff. Literary critics such as John Dover Wilson and Edgar Stoll argue that Shakespeare created Falstaff to serve as Hal's "assistant spirit... symbolizing vanity in every sense of the word" (Wilson 17). These anti-Falstaff fanatics argue that the theme of Henry IV Part I, being a moral drama, is the "growth of a mad prince into the ideal king" (Wilson 22). If this were the case then Falstaff, "an infatuated and disgusting old wretch" (Shaw qtd. in Goddard 71), would represent an obstacle that Hal must overcome in order to transform himself into a regal king. Stating that Hal "associates Falstaff... with the devil" (Wilson 20), being the antithesis of heroism and virtue, Falstaff "symbolizes... the festivity and gaiety that Eastcheap strove for, and reflects... the changes, subterfuge and shady tricks that fallen gentlemen and soldiers would have been subjected to if they had... middle of paper... are rivals. Hal gives up any personal freedom he might have shown to follow in his father's footsteps. Falstaff survives , not only over the years, but also through the centuries. Falstaff overcomes death thanks to continuous literary criticism and interpretation will follow [the audience] out of the theater." Works Cited, William Hazlitt's Works 8 vols Shakespeare: A Selected ed. New York: Edwin Mellen, 1996BeckerBloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998BradleyDesaiMorgannShawStollWilsonGoddart