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Act 2, Scene 4
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
Cornets sound to mark the entrance of Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Emilia, and Arcite (who’s in disguise). Theseus compliments Arcite on his admirable wrestling, comparing him to Hercules. He asks Arcite where he’s from, and Arcite lies and says he was born in Theseus’s kingdom—but far away from Athens. When Theseus asks if Arcite is a gentleman, Arcite replies, “My father said so, / And to those gentle uses gave me life.” Theseus asks Arcite about the qualities that make him a gentleman. Arcite cites his many “noble qualities,” such as talents for hunting and horsemanship, as well as his history as a soldier. Everyone proclaims Arcite to be a very noble man. Emilia compliments Arcite’s beautiful face, which he must have inherited from his mother. Pirithous notes the way Arcite’s virtue shines through his shabby clothing.
Arcite’s plan was a success: he has demonstrated his nobility to Theseus by performing victoriously in a May Day athletic contest. Once more, Arcite demonstrates his cleverness by bending the truth to hide his identity while just being truthful enough to maintain his honor. When Theseus asks Arcite if he’s a gentleman, Arcite doesn’t respond in the affirmative exactly, offering, instead, the vague response that “[his] father said” he was a gentleman, and following this up with a list of his “noble qualities.” Thus, Arcite manages to conceal and deny his actual status as an exiled Theban nobleman. Pirithous’s casual remark about Arcite’s inner virtuousness shining through his shabby clothing is closer to the truth than Pirithous could imagine: Arcite really is concealing a position of nobility beneath his disguise of shabby clothes.
Themes
Theseus asks Arcite what brought him to Athens, and Arcite explains that he came here to make a name for himself and offer his services to Theseus, “For only in [Theseus’] court, of all the world, / Dwells fair-ey’d honor.” Theseus orders Pirithous to make sure Arcite is taken care of. Pirithous gives Arcite the “most noble” job of serving Emilia, who promises to treat Arcite better than his lowly rank deserves.
Arcite continues to be simultaneously truthful and deceptive: he really did return to make a name for himself, but he doesn’t admit to Theseus that the specific way he intends to do that is by wooing Emilia and defending his pride against Palamon. At any rate, Arcite’s charade pays off, and he gets what he came for: a position serving Emilia, which offers him the opportunity to grow closer to her.
Themes
Pirithous invites Arcite to ride with him later that afternoon. Arcite agrees. Theseus announces that the party will depart for the woods at sunrise tomorrow morning. He tells Arcite he has won the honor of leading the group. Theseus turns to Emilia and tells her she has a servant who “would be [Theseus’] master,” but tells Emilia she is “wise.” Emilia replies, “I hope too wise for that, sir.”
It's rather ironic for Theseus to decide that Arcite is worthy of the honor of leading the hunting party. Arcite has behaved decidedly dishonorably by not being completely upfront with Theseus, effectively betraying the man who has already been unduly merciful by sparing his life and granting him an early release from prison. On another note, Emilia's remark that she "hope[s]" to be "too wise for that" reaffirms her previous stance about not wanting to marry.
Themes
