Henry IV: Redemption In Shakespeare's Henry IV, the character Hal, the Prince of Wales, undergoes a transformation that can be characterized as a redemption. Shakespeare introduces Hal, in the opening act as a renegade of the Court. His avoidance of all public responsibility and his affinity for the company of the Boar's Head Tavern, have caused serious concern for the King, because Hal is heir to the throne. The King realizes that to keep order, a ruler and his heir must prove to be both responsible and honorable; from the outset Hal possesses neither quality. The King even testifies to his own advi