Sickness Symbol in Henry IV Part 2

In Henry IV Part 2, sickness touches every character as the play uses the imagery and vocabulary of diseased bodies to symbolize diseased spirits. Thus, as King Henry IV’s body falls prey to mortal sickness, he constantly refers to his pained soul, both of which reflect the ailing spirit of England, war-torn and traitorous. “My poor kingdom,” he laments on his deathbed, “sick with civil blows!” The Archbishop of York, too, describes the English people as “all diseased” victims of “a burning fever…of which disease our late King Richard, being infected, died.” He compares the population to a sick dog who disgustingly eats its own vomit. Throughout, other characters’ myriad ailments—Falstaff’s venereal disease, Bullcalf’s cold—constantly remind the reader of illness eating away at the nation all around them.

Sickness Quotes in Henry IV Part 2

The Henry IV Part 2 quotes below all refer to the symbol of Sickness. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

In poison there is physic; and these news, 
Having been well, that would have made me sick, 
Being sick, have in some measure made me well: 
And as the wretch, whose fever-weaken'd joints, 
Like strengthless hinges, buckle under life,
 Impatient of his fit, breaks like a fire 
Out of his keeper's arms, even so my limbs, 
Weaken'd with grief, being now enraged with grief, 
Are thrice themselves. (13–22)

Related Characters: Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (speaker)

Related Symbols: Sickness

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 1.1.150-159

Explanation and Analysis:

Do you set down your name in the scroll of youth, that are written down old with all the characters of age? Have you not a moist eye? a dry hand? a yellow cheek? a white beard? a decreasing leg? an increasing belly? is not your voice broken? your wind short? your chin double? your wit single? and every part about you blasted with antiquity? and will you yet call yourself young? Fie, fie, fie, Sir John! (155-160)

Related Characters: The Lord Chief Justice (speaker), Sir John Falstaff

Related Symbols: Sickness

Page Number and Citation: 1.2.181-189

Explanation and Analysis:

A man  can no more separate age and covetousness than a' can part young limbs and lechery: but the gout  galls the one, and the pox pinches the other; and  so both the degrees prevent my curses. (198-200)

Related Characters: Sir John Falstaff (speaker)

Related Symbols: Sickness

Page Number and Citation: 1.2.234-238

Explanation and Analysis:

The commonwealth is sick of their own choice:
Their over-greedy love hath surfeited…
…Thou, beastly feeder, art so full of [King Henry IV]
That thou provokes thyself to cast him up.
So, so, thou common dog, didst thou disgorge
Thy glutton bosom of the royal Richard;
And now thou wouldst eat thy dead vomit up. (87-98)

Related Characters: The Archbishop of York (speaker), King Henry IV

Related Symbols: Sickness

Page Number and Citation: 1.3.91-103

Explanation and Analysis:

Then you perceive the body of our kingdom,
How foul it is, what rank diseases grow
And with what danger near the heart of it. (38-40)

Related Characters: King Henry IV (speaker)

Related Symbols: Sickness

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 3.1.38-40

Explanation and Analysis:

…we are all diseased,
And with our surfeiting and wanton hours
Have brought ourselves into a burning fever,
And we must bleed for it; of which disease
Our late king, Richard, being infected, died.
But, my most noble Lord of Westmoreland,
I take not on me here as a physician,
Nor do I as an enemy to peace
Troop in the throngs of military men;
But rather show awhile like fearful war,
To diet rank minds sick of happiness,
And purge the obstructions which begin to stop
Our very veins of life. (54-66)

Related Characters: The Archbishop of York (speaker), Earl of Westmoreland

Related Symbols: Sickness

Page Number and Citation: 4.1.57-69

Explanation and Analysis:

Sickness Symbol Timeline in Henry IV Part 2

The timeline below shows where the symbol Sickness appears in Henry IV Part 2. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...that he’s rumored this false news throughout the land, reaching Northumberland (Hotspur’s father) who is “crafty-sick.” “Rumor’s tongues,” Rumor concludes, “bring smooth comforts false, worse than true wrongs.” (full context)

...poison there is physic; and these news, having been well, that would have made me sick, being sick, have in some measure made me well.” He seethes that his “limbs, weakened... (full context)

...was healthy, but that the man who produced the urine must be infested with myriad diseases. (full context)

...to be concerned about the Chief Justice’s health, saying he'd heard the Chief Justice was sick. Continuing to try to distract the Chief Justice, Falstaff says he’s heard Prince Hal has... (full context)

...summoned him in the past and isn’t listening now (Falstaff concedes that he has the disease of not listening, then continues to ramble on). The Chief Justice reminds Falstaff that he... (full context)

...greed like youth comes with lechery, thus the old suffer from gout just as venereal diseases plague the young. He asks his page how much money he has and, hearing he... (full context)

...pain in his toe, which must be caused either by his gout or his venereal disease. It’s a good thing, he reflects, that he’s been to war, as he can claim... (full context)

The Archbishop determines that they should launch their rebellion. The English people, he says, are “sick of” King Henry IV. He then goes on to lambast the English for being a... (full context)

...Poins. When Poins chides Hal for chattering on so light-heartedly while King Henry IV lies sick, Hal replies that it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to air his grief while hanging... (full context)

...Quickly, and Falstaff enter completely drunk and Falstaff makes fun of the women for being diseased prostitutes while the women make fun of Falstaff for being fat and a thief. Pistol... (full context)

...them if they “perceive the body of our kingdom how foul it is, what rank diseases grow and with what danger near the heart of it.” Warwick tries to comfort him... (full context)

...Warwick begs him to get some rest, since his insomniac hours are only making his sick body sicker. The king agrees to go to bed, taking comfort in the idea of... (full context)

...contrive an excuse about why he can’t serve in the army. Bullcalf claims to be “diseased,” having caught a cold while celebrating the king’s coronation. Falstaff enlists them all, making fun... (full context)

The Archbishop, replies, “we are all diseased, and with our surfeiting and wanton hours have brought ourselves into a burning fever, and... (full context)

In the palace in London, King Henry IV lies sick in bed. He asks his son Humphrey Duke of Gloucester about Prince Hal and Humphrey... (full context)

...have been defeated too. King Henry IV wonders “wherefore should these good news make me sick?...I should rejoice now at this happy news” but “am much ill,” and faints. (full context)

...wild dog shall flesh his tooth on every innocent. O my poor kingdom,” Henry cries, “sick with civil blows!” (full context)

...servingman.” Falstaff reflects “that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of another. Therefore let men take heed of their company.” He thinks happily of... (full context)

...England are at my commandment.” He hurries to leave, sure that “the young King is sick for me.” (full context)

Henry IV Part 2

William Shakespeare

Sickness Symbol Analysis

Sickness Quotes in Henry IV Part 2

Sickness Symbol Timeline in Henry IV Part 2