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Act 2, Scene 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Two Noble Kinsmen, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Irrationality
Fate, Fortune, and Divine Providence
Chivalry, Honor, and Pride
Friendship
Gender and Power
Summary
Analysis
Arcite enters. He praises his good luck at being free while bemoaning his banishment, which inhibits him from seeing Emilia. In contrast, Palamon is lucky because he can look out the window and gaze upon Emilia each morning. He predicts that Palamon will soon speak to Emilia and win her over with his charm. Arcite resolves not to leave Athens since Thebes is in ruins and doing so might also ensure that Emilia would belong to Palamon. He vows to make things work in his favor, and if he can’t have Emilia, he’d prefer to die.
Arcite’s speculation about Palamon is a moment of dramatic irony. Contrary to what Arcite might imagine, the Jailer has barred Palamon from looking out the window, so he can no longer see Emilia. In no time, Arcite’s obsession with Emilia causes him to entertain the same irrational paranoia as Palamon about the threat each poses to the other’s ability to woo Emilia. Arcite, too, would rather die than suffer the wounded pride of seeing his cousin win the woman he loves.
Themes
Four Countrymen enter. One wears a garland. They happily discuss their plans to set aside the day’s ploughing to attend the May Day games. One man decides to go even though his wife will be upset with him, and the others joke that he can make it up to her in the bedroom. They discuss their plan to dance beneath the May tree to outperform the men from Athens and honor their town. The men wonder if the Schoolmaster will follow through with his promise to speak well of them to the Duke when they perform their dance for him in the forest.
Dating back to classical antiquity, May Day is a festival the ancients held to celebrate the arrival of spring. The garland (wreath) the countryman wears (traditionally made of flowers, leaves, or branches) symbolizes the growth and abundance of the new season. The dance the men discuss references the tradition of dancing beneath a Maypole to celebrate the arrival of spring. This scene depicts the importance of honor, as well: the purpose of the men’s dance is not only to celebrate spring but also to pay homage to their hometown and present themselves as just as noble as the city folk of Athens.
Themes
Just as the Four Countrymen are about to leave, Arcite emerges to ask them where they are going. The men regard Arcite suspiciously since everyone knows about the games. Arcite ensures them he’s from nearby, and the men tell him about today’s lineup games, including wrestling and running. They invite Arcite to accompany them, but he refuses. The men leave. Alone, Arcite concocts a plan to attend the games in disguise, win prizes, and, in so doing, prove himself an honorable suitor for Emilia.
The countrymen subplot primarily fulfills a practical function to create a reason to place Arcite near Emilia. However, this particular scene also illustrates Arcite’s cleverness. Arcite needs to conceal his true identity since he's supposed to be in exile, yet his commitment to chivalry prevents him from completely lying to the men. So instead, Arcite reaches an ethical compromise where he lies by omission: technically, he is from nearby, since he's just been released from a nearby prison. In reality, though, Arcite's strategic language allows him to conceal the truth that he is from Thebes, not Athens. Arcite’s cleverness allows him to maintain his honor while protecting his cover.
Themes
