along in the world.

Hotspur functions as a foil or contrast to Hal in that he is military leader who looks with rigid contempt on those who are not warriors. He sneers at courtiers and, in his knightly way, does not mix with the common herd. He is far too proud, and as his name implies, too hotheaded and quick to take offense. He jumps into battle too quickly and alienates the people around him too often. These characteristics set him apart from Hal as less wise and less level-headed.

Hal is the more sympathetic character. He may be too much of a partier at first, but he has the common touch and does not automatically feel he is superior to the rest of the world. A contemporary parallel would be the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who was much beloved of the common people because she reached out to them.

Foils appear in literary works as characters whose personality traits and/or behaviors contrast; as a result, each character's traits, as well as the effects of such traits on other characters and the plot, are enhanced and highlighted.

For example, in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I, Hotspur serves as a foil to Prince Hal. Hotspur's ambition and maturity manifest in his leadership of the rebellion against King Henry IV, while Prince Hal enjoys the good life with his friends and defies the expectations of figures in authority over him. The marked contrast between the two young men enhances the differences in their character traits. Hotspur's enthusiasm to lead spotlights Hal's resistance to being led.

Additionally, Hotspur's personality is rash and quick to action, as his nickname implies. In contrast, Prince Hal shows strategic sense when he reveals that his antics are purposeful; Hal hopes that the negative impressions he makes while acting out with his friends will make his eventual rehabilitation that much more impressive. Hotspur's genuineness enhances Hal's potential for manipulation, thanks to the contrasting effect of their personalities.

Whether one character is more sympathetic than another is a purely subjective matter. Some may find Hotspur's authenticity to be admirable, while others might find him rough and aggressive. At the same time, some might find Hal's ability to plan ahead a good indicator of leadership, while others might find his conniving off-putting.

Foil: Literally a "leaf" of bright metal placed under a jewel to increase its brilliance. (Holman & Harmon 198)

Traditionally, a foil is a minor character who, through comparison and contrast, serves to highlight the brilliance of the protagonist.

Shakespeare uses the valiant Hotspur to foil Hal in order to provide the Prince of Wales with a motivation that moves toward redemption.

So says, the online Shakespeare:

In a plea to his father, Hal vows that he will redeem his tarnished identity at the expense of Hotspur, saying "I will redeem all of this on Percy's head," (3.2.137). However, the act of redemption does not only occur as the result of realization and motivation. Redemption needs for these ideas to be put into action. At the end of Act 5.4, using his realization and motivation as a basis for his actions, Hal consummates his transformation, by physically saving his father from Douglas and defeating Hotspur in a single combat at the Battle of Shrewsbury. Thus, the Prince of Wales has performed, what he had originally promised to do in his opening soliloquy, to redeem his reputation.

Reputation is very important in Shakespeare; it is the mortal part of oneself--like one's soul.  In Othello, Cassio says, "I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial."  Hal is foiled not only by Hotspur but by Falstaff, showing the valiant (public) and entertaining (private) sides of Hal's character respectively.