Two Noble Kinsmen Plot Summary


Three mourning queens urge Theseus, Duke of Athens – at the celebration of marriage to Hippolyta – to attack Creon, King of Thebes, who slew their husbands; Theseus agrees, Palamon and Arcite, Creon’s nephews, two noble kinsmen, fight for Thebes, but Theseus captures and imprisons them. From the window of their prison they see Emilia, sister of Hippolyta, and both fall in love with her. Arcite, released but banished from Athens, goes disguised into Emilia’s service. The jailer’s daughter, passionately infatuated with Palamon, enables him to escape and later goes mad for his loss. The two kinsmen meet and fight with each other; sparing them on the intercession of Emilia (who cannot say whom she loves) and Hippolyta, Theseus orders them to return in a month and fight again; the winner will have Emilia, the loser will be executed. To restore the sanity of the jailer’s daughter, a wooer is advised to impersonate Palamon.


The month passes. Arcite prays to Mars and Palamon to Venus for success, and Emilia prays at Diana’s altar. Arcite wins the combat but later, falling from his horse, is mortally wounded. With his last breath he gives Emilia, and with her all the world’s joy, to Palamon (who is saved from execution). The jailer’s daughter has recovered and is about to marry.

The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare’s Plays by J C Trewin