Henry V Act 4, Scene 4 Summary

Read the full text of Henry V Act 4 Scene 4 with a side-by-side translation HERE.


  • Cut to the battlefield, where Pistol has encountered an unnamed French Soldier, who mistakes Pistol for a gentleman.
  • Pistol takes the soldier prisoner and demands a ransom, which the French soldier agrees to (after begging for his life, of course).
  • Since Pistol and the French Soldier don't understand each other, the Boy (who used to be Falstaff's page) has to translate everything.
  • The Boy complains to us that Pistol is nothing but a loudmouth braggart.
  • He then reveals to us that Nim has been hanged for stealing, just like Bardolph. (Dang. The rowdy Eastcheap characters are dropping like flies. Who's next?)
  • The Boy heads back to the English camp, where the rest of the young pages (boy servants) have to stay behind while the men duke it out on the battlefield. (Get your highlighters out because this will be important later on.)