The Two Noble Kinsmen E-Book

William Shakespeare

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 129

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The Two Noble Kinsmen - William Shakespeare - The Two Noble Kinsmen is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed jointly to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which had already been dramatised at least twice before. This play is believed to have been William Shakespeare's final play before he retired to Stratford-Upon-Avon and died three years later. 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 since he is 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. The 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 for Palamon and Arcite to 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 and 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.

Leseprobe

William Shakespeare

The Two Noble Kinsmen

Persons Represented In The Play

Hymen,Theseus,Hippolita, Bride to TheseusEmelia, Sister to Theseus[Emelia's Woman],Nymphs,Three Queens,Three valiant Knights,Palamon, andArcite, The two Noble Kinsmen, in love with fair Emelia[Valerius],Perithous,[A Herald],[A Gentleman],[A Messenger],[A Servant],[Wooer],[Keeper],Jaylor,His Daughter, in love with Palamon[His brother],[A Doctor],[4] Countreymen,[2 Friends of the Jaylor],[3 Knights],[Nel, and other]Wenches,A Taborer,Gerrold, A Schoolmaster.)

ACT 1

Prologue

[Florish.]

New Playes, and Maydenheads, are neare a kin,Much follow'd both, for both much mony g'yn,If they stand sound, and well: And a good Play(Whose modest Sceanes blush on his marriage day,And shake to loose his honour) is like hirThat after holy Tye and first nights stirYet still is Modestie, and still retainesMore of the maid to sight, than Husbands paines;We pray our Play may be so; For I am sureIt has a noble Breeder, and a pure,A learned, and a Poet never wentMore famous yet twixt Po and silver Trent:Chaucer (of all admir'd) the Story gives,There constant to Eternity it lives.If we let fall the Noblenesse of this,And the first sound this child heare, be a hisse,How will it shake the bones of that good man,And make him cry from under ground, 'O fanFrom me the witles chaffe of such a wrighterThat blastes my Bayes, and my fam'd workes makes lighterThen Robin Hood!' This is the feare we bring;For to say Truth, it were an endlesse thing,And too ambitious, to aspire to him,Weake as we are, and almost breathlesse swimIn this deepe water. Do but you hold outYour helping hands, and we shall take about,And something doe to save us: You shall heareSceanes, though below his Art, may yet appeareWorth two houres travell. To his bones sweet sleepe:Content to you. If this play doe not keepeA little dull time from us, we perceaveOur losses fall so thicke, we must needs leave. [Florish.]

Actus Primus.

Scene 1

(Athens. Before a temple.)

[Enter Hymen with a Torch burning: a Boy, in a white Robe beforesinging, and strewing Flowres: After Hymen, a Nimph, encompastin her Tresses, bearing a wheaten Garland. Then Theseus betweene two other Nimphs with wheaten Chaplets on their heades. ThenHipolita the Bride, lead by Pirithous, and another holding aGarland over her head (her Tresses likewise hanging.) Afterher Emilia holding up her Traine. (Artesius and Attendants.)]

The Song, [Musike.]

Roses their sharpe spines being gon,Not royall in their smels alone,But in their hew.Maiden Pinckes, of odour faint,Dazies smel-lesse, yet most quaintAnd sweet Time true.

Prim-rose first borne child of Ver,Merry Spring times Herbinger,With her bels dimme.Oxlips, in their Cradles growing,Mary-golds, on death beds blowing,Larkes-heeles trymme.

All deere natures children sweete,Ly fore Bride and Bridegroomes feete, [Strew Flowers.]Blessing their sence.Not an angle of the aire,Bird melodious, or bird faire,Is absent hence.

The Crow, the slaundrous Cuckoe, norThe boding Raven, nor Chough horeNor chattring Pie,May on our Bridehouse pearch or sing,Or with them any discord bring,But from it fly.

[Enter 3. Queenes in Blacke, with vailes staind, with imperiallCrownes. The 1. Queene fals downe at the foote of Theseus; The2. fals downe at the foote of Hypolita. The 3. before Emilia.]

1. QUEEN.

For pitties sake and true gentilities,Heare, and respect me.

2. QUEEN.

For your Mothers sake,And as you wish your womb may thrive with faire ones,Heare and respect me.

3. QUEEN

Now for the love of him whom Iove hath markdThe honour of your Bed, and for the sakeOf cleere virginity, be AdvocateFor us, and our distresses. This good deedeShall raze you out o'th Booke of TrespassesAll you are set downe there.

THESEUS.

Sad Lady, rise.

HIPPOLITA.

Stand up.

EMILIA.

No knees to me.What woman I may steed that is distrest,Does bind me to her.

THESEUS.

What's your request? Deliver you for all.

1. QUEEN.

We are 3. Queenes, whose Soveraignes fel beforeThe wrath of cruell Creon; who enduredThe Beakes of Ravens, Tallents of the Kights,And pecks of Crowes, in the fowle feilds of Thebs.He will not suffer us to burne their bones,To urne their ashes, nor to take th' offenceOf mortall loathsomenes from the blest eyeOf holy Phoebus, but infects the windesWith stench of our slaine Lords. O pitty, Duke:Thou purger of the earth, draw thy feard SwordThat does good turnes to'th world; give us the BonesOf our dead Kings, that we may Chappell them;And of thy boundles goodnes take some noteThat for our crowned heades we have no roofe,Save this which is the Lyons, and the Beares,And vault to every thing.

THESEUS.

Pray you, kneele not:I was transported with your Speech, and suffer'dYour knees to wrong themselves; I have heard the fortunesOf your dead Lords, which gives me such lamentingAs wakes my vengeance, and revenge for'em,King Capaneus was your Lord: the dayThat he should marry you, at such a season,As now it is with me, I met your Groome,By Marsis Altar; you were that time faire,Not Iunos Mantle fairer then your Tresses,Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreatheWas then nor threashd, nor blasted; Fortune at youDimpled her Cheeke with smiles: Hercules our kinesman(Then weaker than your eies) laide by his Club,He tumbled downe upon his Nemean hideAnd swore his sinews thawd: O greife, and time,Fearefull consumers, you will all devoure.

1. QUEEN.

O, I hope some God,Some God hath put his mercy in your manhoodWhereto heel infuse powre, and presse you forthOur undertaker.

THESEUS.

O no knees, none, Widdow,Vnto the Helmeted Belona use them,And pray for me your Souldier.Troubled I am. [turnes away.]

2. QUEEN.

Honoured Hypolita,Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slaineThe Sith-tuskd Bore; that with thy Arme as strongAs it is white, wast neere to make the maleTo thy Sex captive, but that this thy Lord,Borne to uphold Creation in that honourFirst nature stilde it in, shrunke thee intoThe bownd thou wast ore-flowing, at once subduingThy force, and thy affection: SoldiresseThat equally canst poize sternenes with pitty,Whom now I know hast much more power on himThen ever he had on thee, who ow'st his strengthAnd his Love too, who is a Servant forThe Tenour of thy Speech: Deere Glasse of Ladies,Bid him that we, whom flaming war doth scortch,Vnder the shaddow of his Sword may coole us:Require him he advance it ore our heades;Speak't in a womans key: like such a womanAs any of us three; weepe ere you faile;Lend us a knee;But touch the ground for us no longer timeThen a Doves motion, when the head's pluckt off:Tell him if he i'th blood cizd field lay swolne,Showing the Sun his Teeth, grinning at the Moone,What you would doe.

HIPPOLITA.

Poore Lady, say no more:I had as leife trace this good action with youAs that whereto I am going, and never yetWent I so willing way. My Lord is takenHart deepe with your distresse: Let him consider:Ile speake anon.

3. QUEEN.

O my petition was [kneele to Emilia.]Set downe in yce, which by hot greefe uncandiedMelts into drops, so sorrow, wanting forme,Is prest with deeper matter.

EMILIA.

Pray stand up,Your greefe is written in your cheeke.

3. QUEEN.

O woe,You cannot reade it there, there through my teares—Like wrinckled peobles in a glassie streameYou may behold 'em. Lady, Lady, alacke,He that will all the Treasure know o'th earthMust know the Center too; he that will fishFor my least minnow, let him lead his lineTo catch one at my heart. O pardon me:Extremity, that sharpens sundry wits,Makes me a Foole.

EMILIA.

Pray you say nothing, pray you:Who cannot feele nor see the raine, being in't,Knowes neither wet nor dry: if that you wereThe ground-peece of some Painter, I would buy youT'instruct me gainst a Capitall greefe indeed—Such heart peirc'd demonstration; but, alas,Being a naturall Sifter of our SexYour sorrow beates so ardently upon me,That it shall make a counter reflect gainstMy Brothers heart, and warme it to some pitty,Though it were made of stone: pray, have good comfort.

THESEUS.

Forward to'th Temple, leave not out a IotO'th sacred Ceremony.

1. QUEEN.

O, This CelebrationWill long last, and be more costly thenYour Suppliants war: Remember that your FameKnowles in the eare o'th world: what you doe quicklyIs not done rashly; your first thought is moreThen others laboured meditance: your premeditatingMore then their actions: But, oh Iove! your actions,Soone as they mooves, as Asprayes doe the fish,Subdue before they touch: thinke, deere Duke, thinkeWhat beds our slaine Kings have.

2. QUEEN.

What greifes our beds,That our deere Lords have none.

3. QUEEN.

None fit for 'th dead:Those that with Cordes, Knives, drams precipitance,Weary of this worlds light, have to themselvesBeene deathes most horrid Agents, humaine graceAffords them dust and shaddow.

1. QUEEN.

But our LordsLy blistring fore the visitating Sunne,And were good Kings, when living.

THESEUS.

It is true, and I will give you comfort,To give your dead Lords graves: the which to doe,Must make some worke with Creon.

1. QUEEN.

And that worke presents it selfe to'th doing:Now twill take forme, the heates are gone to morrow.Then, booteles toyle must recompence it selfeWith it's owne sweat; Now he's secure,Not dreames we stand before your puissanceWrinching our holy begging in our eyesTo make petition cleere.

2. QUEEN.

Now you may take him, drunke with his victory.

3. QUEEN.

And his Army full of Bread, and sloth.

THESEUS.

Artesius, that best knowestHow to draw out fit to this enterpriseThe prim'st for this proceeding, and the numberTo carry such a businesse, forth and levyOur worthiest Instruments, whilst we despatchThis grand act of our life, this daring deedeOf Fate in wedlocke.

1. QUEEN.

Dowagers, take hands;Let us be Widdowes to our woes: delayCommends us to a famishing hope.

ALL.

Farewell.

2. QUEEN.

We come unseasonably: But when could greefeCull forth, as unpanged judgement can, fit'st timeFor best solicitation.

THESEUS.

Why, good Ladies,This is a service, whereto I am going,Greater then any was; it more imports meThen all the actions that I have foregone,Or futurely can cope.

1. QUEEN.

The more proclaimingOur suit shall be neglected: when her ArmesAble to locke Iove from a Synod, shallBy warranting Moone-light corslet thee, oh, whenHer twyning Cherries shall their sweetnes fallVpon thy tastefull lips, what wilt thou thinkeOf rotten Kings or blubberd Queenes, what careFor what thou feelst not? what thou feelst being ableTo make Mars spurne his Drom. O, if thou couchBut one night with her, every howre in't willTake hostage of thee for a hundred, andThou shalt remember nothing more then whatThat Banket bids thee too.

HIPPOLITA.

Though much unlike [Kneeling.]You should be so transported, as much sorryI should be such a Suitour; yet I thinke,Did I not by th'abstayning of my joy,Which breeds a deeper longing, cure their surfeitThat craves a present medcine, I should pluckeAll Ladies scandall on me. Therefore, Sir,As I shall here make tryall of my prayres,Either presuming them to have some force,Or sentencing for ay their vigour dombe:Prorogue this busines we are going about, and hangYour Sheild afore your Heart, about that neckeWhich is my ffee, and which I freely lendTo doe these poore Queenes service.

ALL QUEENS.

Oh helpe now,Our Cause cries for your knee.

EMILIA.

If you grant not [Kneeling.]My Sister her petition in that force,With that Celerity and nature, whichShee makes it in, from henceforth ile not dareTo aske you any thing, nor be so hardyEver to take a Husband.

THESEUS.

Pray stand up.I am entreating of my selfe to doeThat which you kneele to have me. Pyrithous,Leade on the Bride; get you and pray the GodsFor successe, and returne; omit not any thingIn the pretended Celebration. Queenes,Follow your Soldier. As before, hence you [to Artesius]And at the banckes of Aulis meete us withThe forces you can raise, where we shall findeThe moytie of a number, for a businesMore bigger look't. Since that our Theame is haste,I stamp this kisse upon thy currant lippe;Sweete, keepe it as my Token. Set you forward,For I will see you gone. [Exeunt towards the Temple.]Farewell, my beauteous Sister: Pyrithous,Keepe the feast full, bate not an howre on't.

PERITHOUS.

Sir,Ile follow you at heeles; The Feasts solempnityShall want till your returne.

THESEUS.

Cosen, I charge youBoudge not from Athens; We shall be returningEre you can end this Feast, of which, I pray you,Make no abatement; once more, farewell all.

1. QUEEN.

Thus do'st thou still make good the tongue o'th world.

2. QUEEN.

And earnst a Deity equal with Mars.

3. QUEEN.

If not above him, forThou being but mortall makest affections bendTo Godlike honours; they themselves, some say,Grone under such a Mastry.

THESEUS.

As we are men,Thus should we doe; being sensually subdude,We loose our humane tytle. Good cheere, Ladies. [Florish.]Now turne we towards your Comforts. [Exeunt.]

Scene 2

(Thebs).

[Enter Palamon, and Arcite.]

ARCITE.

Deere Palamon, deerer in love then BloodAnd our prime Cosen, yet unhardned inThe Crimes of nature; Let us leave the CittyThebs, and the temptings in't, before we furtherSully our glosse of youth:And here to keepe in abstinence we shameAs in Incontinence; for not to swimI'th aide o'th Current were almost to sincke,At least to frustrate striving, and to followThe common Streame, twold bring us to an EdyWhere we should turne or drowne; if labour through,Our gaine but life, and weakenes.

PALAMON.

Your adviceIs cride up with example: what strange ruinsSince first we went to Schoole, may we perceiveWalking in Thebs? Skars, and bare weedesThe gaine o'th Martialist, who did propoundTo his bold ends honour, and golden Ingots,Which though he won, he had not, and now flurtedBy peace for whom he fought: who then shall offerTo Marsis so scornd Altar? I doe bleedeWhen such I meete, and wish great Iuno wouldResume her ancient fit of IelouzieTo get the Soldier worke, that peace might purgeFor her repletion, and retaine anewHer charitable heart now hard, and harsherThen strife or war could be.