341
to get close to Emilia. Palamon
becomes the object of affection
for the jailer’s daughter, who plans
and executes his escape in hope
of winning his love.
Arcite enters a sporting contest
hosted by Theseus in which he
wins a wrestling match and is
rewarded by being made Emilia’s
servant and “master of the horse.”
On a May Day outing in the
Athenian woods, Arcite encounters
Palamon; an argument ensues
over Emilia, and the kinsmen
decide to duel for her. Their duel
is interrupted by Theseus whocondemns them both to death.
Pleading for their banishment
rather than death, Emilia is forced
by Theseus to choose one of the
cousins as her suitor. When Emilia
is unable to choose, Theseus
agrees to organize one final fight
between the cousins—the winner
will receive Emilia’s hand, the
loser will be executed.
Meanwhile, the jailer’s
daughter goes mad searching
for Palamon in the woods and is
treated by a doctor, whose cure
is to have a would-be-suitor pretend
to be Palamon and bed her. EmiliaTHE KING’S MAN
2.4
3.1 3.6 5.2
3.2 4.3 5.5
Hopelessly in love with
him, the jailer’s daughter
secretly arranges Palamon’s
escape from prison.
Palamon confronts
Arcite in the Athenian
woods, where they agree
to a duel over Emilia.Theseus condemns
the kinsmen to
death for fighting in
the woods, but
Emilia pleads for
their lives.Before fighting
over Emilia’s hand,
Palamon prays to
Venus for success
in love and Arcite
prays to Mars for
victory.The jailer’s
daughter loses
her mind out in
the Athenian
woods looking
for Palamon.A doctor suggests that
in order to “cure” the
jailer’s daughter of her
madness, a former
wooer should
pretend to be
Palamon.News arrives that
Arcite has won
Emilia’s hand and
Palamon is prepared
for execution.5.6
Arcite falls from his horse.
With his dying breath he
bestows Emilia to
Palamon, who is saved.Act 3 Act 4 Act 5
cannot bring herself to attend the
contest between Palamon and
Arcite and the progress of the fight
is reported back to her. She prays to
the Goddess Diana that whoever
loves her best should win. Arcite
is the winner and claims Emilia
for his own, regretful that his
friend must die.
News arrives, just as Palamon is
about to be executed, that Arcite
has fallen from his horse and is
fatally wounded. The kinsmen are
momentarily reunited in friendship,
and with his last breath Arcite
bestows Emilia to Palamon. ❯❯