The “Flesh” by Boar's-head Tavern, EastcheapAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “flesh” has numerous meanings depending on the context in which it is used. The main definition is “The soft substance made up of muscle and fat found between the skin and bones of an animal or human being” (Oxford). However, in Henry IV 2, Shakespeare uses “flesh” as an adjective to describe the prostitute Doll Tearsheet in the Boar's Head Tavern who is in love with Falstaff. Specifically, the use of the word "meat" in the tavern and the people in the scene create a negative, squalid, and sinful atmosphere of Boar's Head. The noun "meat" comes from the Germanic origin, Old English word, flaesc, meaning "flesh" or "flesh" and refers to the Dutch word "vlees" and the German word "fleisch". In Act 2, Scene 4, "flesh" is used by Falstaff to describe the prostitutes that Mistress Quickly admits into the Tavern. Today we often associate the word “meat” with the old English definition, a part of our body or the body of an animal. The word is often used as a synonym for “skin,” “flesh,” or “body” as it indicates that it is used to represent a human or animal. In a biblical reference, the word “flesh” often has a negative connotation, meaning it “refers to sexual behavior considered unnatural” (Oxford). This biblical explanation links to the popular phrase “sins of the flesh” which can be explained as acts of unchastity (Oxford). Each of the various meanings of the word "flesh" is relevant to Henry IV 2 because the play uses the word to suggest a sense of impurity and squalid sin that is represented and present in the Tavern. In Christianity, the word “flesh” is used in biblical passages to describe sexual behavior that is...... middle of paper ......ys that acts of prostitution are permitted in the Tavern using the word “flesh ” to represent prostitutes. In this case, Shakespeare uses the word “flesh” to represent Doll Tearsheet's sexually promiscuous, sinful, and unnatural acts in the Boar's Head Tavern. Furthermore, Hal in Henry IV 1 insults Falstaff and his huge body by using the adjective “flesh”. In both examples of each play, Shakespeare uses the word negatively; either he is portraying a sinful act of immoral ways or he is using the word as an insult in Falstaff's physicality. This differs from today's meaning because meat is often used not as an insult to someone but as a way to describe a part of a body. However, just as Shakespeare uses the word negatively, so do we; The word “meat” is usually not used to describe something in positive terms, but in negative and/or gruesome terms.