Not having studied the plays, I looked through Will Durant's history and found this line regarding Shakespeare, "However, he is no surface realist; things do not happen, people do not speak, in life as in his plays; but in the sum we feel that through these improbabilities and extravagances we are nearing the core of human instinct and thought."Penelope wrote:
Quite wonderful. But one needs to look carefully for any social commentary, or am I mistaken.
So; No you are not likely mistaken in my opinion.
reading the plays as a script dialog with no stage direction, its is difficult for me as well to pick up on social commentary you speak of. but from what I'm gathering from various sources available to me, its not clear that was part of WS's intent.
Matthew Dimmock; in his introduction to the copy of the play I'm reading says about Hal that his" power is based upon a sophisticated ability to dissemble, a full awareness of the role he is expected to play, and an under standing of the language of his subjects-he can coerce while(and by) inspiring devotion,"Geo wrote;
Presumably, Falstaff comes from noble stock because he is a "Sir." But why does Hal hang out with him?
I haven't read of how or were they all met but Falstaff, Poins, Bardolph, and Peto are used by Hal for a larger purpose.