Welsh Hero Owen Glendower

To appreciate why Owen Glendower has prominence in the literary history of Britain, it is important to understand that the action of 1 Henry IV deals with the self-conscious assertion of monarchical attitude and dignity in England by one of its founding royal families. But the assertion is made in the context of multiple rebellions. The subject of Richard II deals with the establishment of Henry IV's reign by rebellion; Bolingbroke becomes the Lancastrian/Plantagenet Henry IV when the vain and foolish Richard II abdicates. But in 1HIV, the new king is also a target of rebellion, both political and personal.

Political rebellion against Henry IV arises because of the complex interaction of three distinct areas: Scotland, Wales, and Northumberland, the last-named being controlled by the house of Percy. At the opening of the play, it appears that Northumberland, who assisted Bolingbroke in deposing Richard, has secured Henry's position once for all against Scotland via young Harry Percy's (Hotspur) military victory. But Hotspur refuses to hand over the Scots leaders to the king's jurisdiction, first because Henry's envoy had insulted Ho

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rom the beginning a generalized opposition of all non-English Britain against the new king. According to Holinshed, Glendower and company in Wales exploited Henry's move against Scotland, "doing what mischief they could devise unto their English neighbors" (Holinshed in Hosley 98), while also ignoring the summons from Henry to aid in the Scottish campaign. In the background of that movement, according to Holinshed, was the history of Glendower in England and what appears to have been the evolution of a personal animus between Henry and Glendower. Holinshed says that Glendower was "apprenticed" in law in England and served in Richard II's court and that, according to some, he may have served Henry IV. Lloyd does not take Holinshed's description at face value. Instead, citing the Annals of Henry IV, Lloyd suggests (19-20) that Glendower's law apprenticeship at Westminster would most probably have occurred during the reign of Edward III, whom Richard II succeeded. Citing a legal history of England by one Fortescue, Lloyd says that Glyn Dwr (Glendower) was probably not a serious law student but rather part of a group of upper-class young men admitted to the Inns of Court receiving "an education which was more social than professional
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3601
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)