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Title: Two Noble Kinsmen
Series: ----------
Author: William Shakespeare
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Play, Tragic Comedy?
Pages: 246
Words: 71K
Series: ----------
Author: William Shakespeare
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Play, Tragic Comedy?
Pages: 246
Words: 71K
Synopsis:
|
From Wikipedia
A prologue informs the audience that
the play is based on a story from Chaucer.
Three queens come to plead
with Theseus and Hippolyta, rulers of Athens, to
avenge the deaths of their husbands by the hand of the
tyrant Creon of Thebes. Creon has killed the three
kings and refuses to allow them proper burial. Theseus agrees to wage
war on Creon.
In Thebes, Palamon and Arcite, cousins
and close friends, are bound by duty to fight for Creon, though they
are appalled by his tyranny. In a hard-fought battle Palamon and
Arcite enact prodigies of courage, but the Thebans are defeated by
Theseus. Palamon and Arcite are imprisoned, but philosophically
resign themselves to their fate. Their stoicism is instantly
destroyed when from their prison window they see Princess Emilia,
Hippolyta's sister. Both fall in love with her, and their friendship
turns to bitter rivalry. Arcite is released after a relative
intercedes on his behalf. He is banished from Athens, but he
disguises himself, wins a local wrestling match, and is appointed as
Emilia's bodyguard.
Meanwhile, the jailer's daughter has
fallen in love with Palamon and helps him escape. She follows him,
but he ignores her: still obsessed with Emilia. He lives in the
forest half-starved, where he meets Arcite. The two argue, but Arcite
offers to bring Palamon food, drink and armaments so that they can
meet in an equal fight over Emilia.
The jailer's daughter, forsaken, has
gone mad. She sings and babbles in the forest. She meets a troupe of
local countrymen who want to perform a Morris dance before
the king and queen. Local schoolmaster Gerald invites the mad
daughter to join the performance. Theseus and Hippolyta appear,
hunting. Gerald hails them, and they agree to watch the yokels
perform a bizarre act for them, with the jailer's mad daughter
dancing. The royal couple reward them.
Arcite returns with the food and
weapons. After a convivial dinner with reminiscences, the two fight.
Theseus and his entourage arrive on the scene. He orders that Palamon
and Arcite be arrested and executed. Hippolyta and Emilia intervene,
and so Theseus agrees to a public tournament between the two for
Emilia's hand. Each warrior will be allowed three companions to
assist them. The loser and his companion knights will be executed.
The jailer finds his daughter with the
help of friends. He tries to restore her mental health. On the advice
of a doctor, he encourages her former suitor to pretend to be Palamon
so that she will be gradually accustomed to see him as her true love.
His devotion slowly wins her over.
Before the tournament, Arcite prays to
Mars that he win the battle; Palamon prays to Venus that he marry
Emilia; Emilia prays to Diana that she be wed to the one who loves
her best. Each prayer is granted: Arcite wins the combat, but is then
thrown from his horse and dies, leaving Palamon to wed Emilia.
My
Thoughts:
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I did not enjoy this at all.
For one thing, there wasn't any comedy. I can see where you could
mine comedic gold from 2 cousins fighting over the princess of the
country they were just fighting against, but this was all serious
business.
Secondly, reading Shakespeare can be hard enough, but this time
around he used what is I'm guessing his equivalent of “old timey
language” to make it appear as if this was some old story. There
were times I simply could not comprehend what was being said or what
was trying to be conveyed.
Thirdly, in conjunction with that, the plot was almost opaque to me.
It wasn't until I read the Wiki synopsis that I felt like I had a
grasp of what I had actually read.
Really felt like I wasted my time and I simply tried to get through
this as fast as possible to get it over with. That is NOT how I like
to read my books nor do I recommend it to anyone. Poop.
★☆☆☆½
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