The text, with few departures, is that of the First Quarto (1598) edition of the play.
Act and scene divisions are not indicated in the Quarto; those of the First Folio have been incorporated, with one exception: scene ii of Act V has been divided into two scenes, with the concluding scenes numbered accordingly. The Third Edition includes expanded annotations."Contexts and Sources" includes dueling arguments on the play€s completeness (one play or one half of a play?) and the naming of a central character (Falstaff or Oldcastle?).
"Criticism" includes twenty-four essays€•from E. M. W. Tillyard€s classic argument of an ordered Shakespearean universe to Graham Holderness€s rebuttal to Gus Van Sant€s interview regarding 1 Henry IV as the inspiration for his cult film, My Own Private Idaho€•nineteen of them new to the Third Edition.
The Selected Bibliography has been thoroughly updated.
