The Two Noble Kinsmen · Chapter
Scene VI explained
Palamon and Arcite meet in the forest to duel for Emilia's love.
What happens
Palamon and Arcite meet in the forest to duel for Emilia's love. As they arm each other with courtesy, their fight is interrupted by Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, and Pirithous, who discover them. Palamon and Arcite defiantly confess their treason, and Theseus condemns both to death. Hippolyta, Emilia, and Pirithous kneel to beg for mercy, but Theseus struggles with his oath. Emilia argues that the oath was rash and reminds Theseus of his promise to grant her any reasonable request, pressing for mercy.
Themes in this chapter
Honor and Chivalry
Palamon and Arcite arm each other with courtesy and fight as noble enemies, valuing honor even in mortal combat.
Love and Madness
Both cousins are driven to defy the duke's edict and risk death for their love of Emilia, showing love's irrational power.
Justice and Mercy
Theseus's strict justice is challenged by the pleas for mercy from Hippolyta, Emilia, and Pirithous, creating a moral conflict.
Characters to notice
- Palamon
Defies Theseus, confesses his love for Emilia and his treason, and demands to fight Arcite.
- Arcite
Arms Palamon with courtesy, then fights him; boldly declares his love for Emilia and accepts death.
- Theseus
Discovers the duel, condemns both to death, but is moved by the pleas for mercy.
- Emilia
Kneels to beg mercy for the princes, arguing that Theseus's oath was rash and reminding him of his promise.
- Hippolyta
Kneels with Emilia and Pirithous, pleading for mercy on the princes.
- Pirithous
Kneels to beg mercy, appealing to their friendship and Theseus's noble soul.
Key passages
“If in love be treason, In service of so excellent a beauty, As I love most, and in that faith will perish, As I have brought my life here to confirm it, As I have serv'd her truest, worthiest, As I dare kill this cousin that denies it, So let me be most traitor, and ye please me.”
If loving such a beautiful lady is treason, then I am a traitor and proud of it; I will die for her, and I will kill my cousin if he denies my love.
Arcite defiantly justifies his love for Emilia as worth any accusation of treason.
“That oath was rashly made, and in your anger; Your reason will not hold it: if such vows Stand for express will, all the world must perish.”
You made that oath in anger without thinking; if every rash vow had to be kept, the world would be destroyed.
Emilia argues that Theseus's oath to kill the princes should not be upheld because it was made in haste and anger.