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Act 4, Scene 1
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
Emilia sits alone, holding two portraits: one of Arcite and one of Palamon. She resolves to choose between the two cousins to stop them from killing each other. First, she looks at Arcite’s picture and praises his beautiful face. Emilia thinks that if Nature were a mortal woman, she would immediately fall in love with him. Next, Emilia likens Arcite to Ganymede, who possessed Jove to kidnap the beautiful boy and place him beside him on the constellation. Emilia compares Arcite’s brow to Juno’s as well. She proclaims that “Fame and Honor […] should clap their wings and sing / To all the under world the loves and fights / Of gods and such men near ’em.”
In Greek mythology, Ganymede was a beautiful mortal whom Zeus kidnapped to serve as the gods' cupbearer (a person who pours and serves drinks) in Olympus. In poetry, Ganymede came to be depicted as a younger, beautiful male who inspired homosexual desire. For Emilia to depict Ganymede in these terms might imply that she sees Arcite's objective beauty but isn't attracted to him sexually. This is further evidence of Emilia's possible homosexuality, though this interpretation is subject to debate. Another interpretation could be that Emilia sees Arcite as inspiring male-male love—much like the love he and Palamon used to enjoy, before their love for her turned them against each other. Again, this distances Emilia from Arcite and shows her lack of interest in him, since she can't even look at him without seeing the loss of friendship he incurs by loving her. Lastly, Emilia's praise of Arcite further establishes him as a noble, honorable character whose commitment to chivalry is so great that it’s immediately recognizable just by looking at him.
Themes
Literary Devices
Next, Emilia turns to Palamon’s picture and determines that he is Arcite’s foil: Palamon isn’t nearly as handsome as Arcite and has sad, expressive eyes. His smile lacks a “sharpness,” and he has a lifeless demeanor. However, Emilia wonders if such deficiencies actually might be assets: after all, Narcissus, too, was a gloomy boy. Emilia grows frustrated and questions what women find attractive about men in the first place. She declares herself a fool and claims she’s “lied so lewdly / That women ought to beat [her].”
In contrast to Arcite, whose primary feature is his noble character, Palamon is more accurately characterized by his passion: this is evident in his expressive eyes and gloomy demeanor. Emilia’s comment about having “lied so lewdly / That women ought to beat [her]” seems to refer to how she has tried to convince herself that she can choose one man over the other when, in fact, she cannot. She thinks women should beat her because, in her responsibility for sending one of these undeserving men to their death, she fails to live up to the merciful character she is supposed to possess as a woman.
Themes
Emilia drops to her knees and asks for forgiveness. She first addresses Palamon, whom she sees as the unique and beautiful cousin with the expressive eyes, and then Arcite, who is the embodiment of nobility. Emilia curses her inability to decide between the cousins. If Theseus were to ask her which cousin she prefers, she’d select Arcite; but if Hippolyta were to ask her, she’d be more inclined toward Palamon. And if Hippolyta and Theseus asked her together, she’d be lost entirely.
It is unclear if Emilia’s keen observations about the cousins indicate that she is warming to the idea of marriage (despite having rejected it in Act 1, Scene 3). However, she might have simply accepted that she has no choice but to marry, now that Theseus has settled on this new arrangement. Moreover, Emilia’s inability to choose one cousin over the other could also indicate her equal indifference to both of them.
Themes
A Gentleman enters Emilia’s room to inform her of the knights' arrival. Emilia laments her impossible predicament and invokes Diana for guidance.
Unable to choose between the cousins herself, Emilia looks to the divine guidance of Diana—a goddess associated with virginity and chastity—for help.
Themes
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Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, and their attendants enter. Theseus orders the attendants to send in Palamon, Arcite, and their assembled knights. Theseus tells Emilia she must love one of the cousins; Emilia wishes she didn’t have to choose so she could spare both men their lives. A Messenger enters, and Theseus asks him to describe the knights who have just arrived. The Messenger describes a knight who accompanies Arcite as having a dark complexion, a noble face, and stern, brave eyes.
True to their word, Arcite and Palamon have returned to Athens to fight each other. Although the men could have simply left Athens and not returned, they willingly choose to jeopardize their lives because they believe death is preferable to cowardice and dishonor.
Themes
Next, Pirithous and the Messenger describe Palamon’s knight. Like Arcite's knight, this man looks like a prince and bears the mark of greatness. He’s larger than the first knight, but he has a sweeter face and a ruddier complexion. One can tell that he firmly believes in what he's fighting for, and his face appears hopeful. He, too, can be angry, but his anger is calmer and less reactive than the first knight’s. His blonde hair is thick, curly, and looks like ivy. His hairless face makes him look like a militant girl. After battle, his lips will be “fit for ladies."
Arcite and Palamon’s knights are just as noble and virtuous as their lords. Their knights also mirror their respective lord’s dispositions: just as Arcite’s knight evokes Arcite’s noble aura, Palamon’s night evokes his passion and romantic sensibility.
Themes
Emilia asks if these men have to die, too. Pirithous interjects to note this second knight’s musical voice and ideal masculine features. The Messenger describes a third knight who is small but muscled. His eyes are grey and compassionate. He looks like a lover when he smiles and a soldier when he frows. Pirithous ensures Theseus that all these knights are “the sons of honor.”
These detailed descriptions of the knights pain Emilia because she realizes that these good men will die for her. Now, it’s not only the cousins whose lives are in her hands but also the lives of these additional innocent knights, all of them “sons of honor” who, unlike Emilia, are willing to accept death if it means defending their lord’s pride.
Themes
Hippolyta admits to being excited about seeing the brave knights fight, though she wishes love weren’t “so tyrannous.” She turns to Emilia and begs her not to cry. Theseus tells Emilia that she “ha[s] steeled ’em with [her] beauty" and orders Pirithous to ensure the battlefield is ready for the fight.
Hippolyta seems less affected by the moral aspect of the duel than Emilia. She thinks it's a shame that the cousins' lives must result in such "tyrannous" bloodshed, but she doesn't seem tortured by this tyranny like Emilia. Still, Hippolyta's glib criticism is more than most male characters have offered regarding the event.
Themes
Everyone exits but Emilia, who bemoans her impossible situation: “Poor wench, go weep, for whosoever wins / Loses a noble cousin for thy sins.”
Emilia’s lamentation conveys her depth of suffering. She is so wracked with guilt over her complicity in this bloodshed that she assumes her situation must be a punishment the gods are forcing her to incur for some unspecified, horrible sin—otherwise, she thinks, why would she be in this position? Emilia also criticizes the notion that there could ever be a true winner in the cousins’ duel, since whoever is the victor will ultimately lose “a noble cousin” as a direct consequence of the triumph.
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