The Shakespeare Book

343

with the entry of Emilia into their
lives. When imprisoned, the two
men take comfort from the fact that
they will be locked up together,
shut away from the world, “enjoying
of our griefs together” (2.2.60).
Rather than revolting against their
captivity, the cousins embrace the
opportunity to enjoy one another’s
company; the jailer’s daughter is
surprised to see that “they eat well,
look merrily, discourse of many
things, but nothing of their own
restraint and disasters” (2.1.37–39).
The chivalrous men look upon their
prison as a “holy sanctuary” (2.2.71)
that will help preserve them from
worldly vice and corruption: “We
are young, and yet desire the ways
of honour / That liberty and
common conversation, / The poison
of pure spirits, might, like women, /
Woo us to wander from” (2.2.73–76).

Friendship broken
Given occasion to reflect upon his
relationship with Arcite, Palamon
is moved to utter “I do not think it
possible our friendship / Shall ever
leave us” (2.2.114–115). Palamon’s

confident assertion is filled with

dramatic irony. The heightened

language of devotion will soon turn

into exclamations of contempt: “Why

should a friend be treacherous? If

that / Get him a wife so noble and

so fair, / Let honest man ne’er love

again” (2.2.233–235). Having

established the bond between the

men, the dramatists overturn their

courtly gentility within a few lines:

“Palamon: You love her then?

Arcite: Who would not?

Palamon: And desire her?

Arcite: Before my liberty.

Palamon: I saw her first.”

(2.2.159–163).

Palamon’s closing line, “I saw

her first,” which can be amusing in

performance, marks the beginning

of the rift between the two men.

Before the cousins part, Arcite

reprimands his rival for dealing “so

cunningly, / So strangely, so unlike

a noble kinsman” (2.2.193–194).

Although they become rivals for

Emilia’s affections, the men’s

respect for one another remains.

Their conflict is enacted in a courtly

fashion throughout, providing

great comic potential on stage.

As the cousins arm one another

for combat, their conversation

befits their gallant refinement:

“Arcite: Will you fight bare-armed?

THE KING’S MAN

Dear Palamon, dearer in

love than blood

Arcite

Act 1, Scene 2

Palamon: We shall be the nimbler.

Arcite: But use your gauntlets,

though—those are o’th’ least.

Prithee take mine, good cousin”

(3.6.63–65).

Arcite’s dying words express

his love for Palamon, which rivals,

if not supersedes his love for

Emilia: “Take Emilia, / And with

her all the world’s joy” (5.6.90–91).

Bonds between maids

While Palamon and Arcite doubt

that there is a record of “any two

that loved” (2.2.113) more than they,

audiences may disagree. Emilia’s

love for her childhood friend Flavina

rivals the intimate bond enjoyed

between the two noble kinsmen.

Remembering her dead friend,

Emilia speaks with a passion and

tenderness that she cannot muster

to describe her feelings for Palamon

or Arcite: “That the true love ’tween

maid and maid may be / More than

sex in sex dividual” (1.3.81–82).

At the close of the play, Emilia

and Palamon are bonded by the fact

that they have both endured the

“loss of dear love” (5.6.112). The

couple are thrown together leaving

Theseus to ruminate upon this

surprising turn of events: “O you

heavenly charmers, / What things

you make of us!” (5.6.131–132). ■

Is this winning? O all you

heavenly powers, where is

your mercy?

Emilia

Act 5, Scene 5

In Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale, Arcite
and Palamon joust in chivalric fashion
to win the hand of Emelye. Arcite wins
but then is fatally injured. Before he
dies he tells Emelye to marry Palamon.