Henry IV, Part 2

Book excerpt: As England is in the middle of a civil war, King Henry IV becomes gravely ill. While the king’s enemies attempt to overthrow him, his son and heir Hal continues to raise hell in local taverns with his lowlife friends. With a looming rebellion Hal must get his life in order. Knowing that he will be responsible for taking the reins once his father dies Hal vows to change. With his bad reputation, legal troubles, questionable companions and his father’s low option to overcome, Hal must suppress the uprising. "Henry IV, Part 2" is the third historical play (the others being Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry V) known collectively as the "second tetralogy."These plays focus on major events of English history in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Considered the greatest dramatist of all time, he is widely regarded as the most influential English language writer. Shakespeare’s plays focus on the range of human emotion and conflict, and have been translated into more than 100 languages. Many including "Hamlet" "Macbeth" and "Romeo and Juliet" have been adapted for stage and screen.