Henry IV Act 3

Scene 1 has Glyndwr, Hotspur, Worcest, and Mortimer are talking about going to war and discussing the plans for strategy. Glyndwr believes strongly in the pagan traditions of prophecies, omens, magic, and demons. He claims to be able to call spirits from hell, and he says that at his birth the earth shook and the sky was full of fire. Hotspur makes fun of the Glyndwr's claims of magical power. Despite his best efforts, Mortimer cannot get his tactless brother-in-law to shut up. Hotspur mocks Glyndwr’s claim to be able to command the devil; Glyndwr then asserts that he has repelled Henry’s invasions three times. By the time the four actually get down to discussing strategy, Glyndwr is none too pleased with his youngest guest. They then go and say goodbye to their wives in different forms, some affectionately and some mockingly. It is pretty humorous. 

Scene 2 is between King Henry and Prince Harry.Prince Harry is speaking with his father after a long absence. King Henry is both sad and angry and rebukes his son for his disgraceful behavior. He says he would like to be able to forgive Harry but he can't tolerate Harry’s recent behavior. Henry asserts that if Harry continues to hang around with commoners, he will never command the respect a king must have. Henry feels that only things that are rare are respected. When he himself was waging the war that made him a king, he adds, he didn't slum around London the way Harry does. Rather, when he made his occasional appearances, he was very courteous and regal. That way, the common people respected and loved him in a way that they do not respect or love Harry. Henry then tells Harry that he is behaving just like Richard II (the king whom Henry overthrew): the common people scorned and hated Richard, who spent too much time indulging in pleasures and who made friends and counselors out of fools. In Henry’s opinion, such dissolute behavior will make the people hate Harry too. Prince Henry says that he's going to try harder and be the person the king wishes to see however King Henry is wary of this, as he should be. He tells Harry that he can lead the upcoming war to prove himself. 

Scene 3 takes place in a tavern in London, where Falstaff complains to Bardolph about how thin and weak he has gotten of late. Then the hostess of the tavern, Mistress Quickly, appears and demands payment from Falstaff for the food and drink he has consumed, as well as for some clothing she has recently bought for him. Falstaff responds that his pocket was picked the previous night while he was asleep, and he accuses her of having done it. He claims to have had money and a valuable ring in the pocket. The hostess accuses Falstaff of trying to get out of paying his bill, but their argument is interrupted by the entrance of Prince Harry and Peto. Harry tells of the war that is at hand, and all must go off to fight. But first, the group must settle the matter of Falstaff’s picked pocket. After some teasing at the expense of the dumb hostess, Harry reveals that he himself emptied -Falstaff’s pockets the night before (Act II, scene v) and that he found nothing in them but tavern bills, receipts from whorehouses, and a handful of candy. Falstaff, with his usual quick--wittedness, promptly weasels out of admitting wrongdoing once again, tells the hostess that he forgives her, and orders breakfast. Harry informs Falstaff that he has bailed him out yet again: he has paid back the money that Falstaff and the others had stolen and lost the day before. He assigns the war commissions to his friends. He sends Bardolph off to deliver letters on horseback to King Henry’s troops and to Harry’s younger brother, John, Lord of Lancaster and another to the Earl of Westmoreland. He orders Peto to come on a different errand with him, and he tells Falstaff that he has put him in charge of a brigade of foot soldiers, commanding him to meet him the following afternoon to get the details of the commission.

All three of these scenes are quite different, but they do share war in common. All three scenes are the preparation for the upcoming war and everyone's responsibilities when it comes to the war. It's also setting up what's at stake for all the participants in the war. I mean Prince Harry has quite a bit to prove to his father if he ever wishes to be king. I just feel like Prince Harry's friends are going to screw something up like Falstaff since he is a coward and he's going to war. It'll be interesting to see how this supposed war is going to play out or if it even will play out.