During Shakespeare's lifetime, I Henry IV was his most popular play, and today, as in the 1590's, Sir John Falstaff towers above Shakespeare's other comic inventions. This edition of the play considers the work in the context of the various critical approaches which have been applied to it, offers a history of the play in performance from Shakespeare's time to our own, and provides useful information on the historical background of the play. Readers will also find detailed commentary on individual words and phrases, and selections from Shakespeare's sources.