The Two Noble Kinsmen

The Two Noble Kinsmen is Shakespeare’s final play written before his death in 1616. He collaborated on it with John Fletcher; later, Fletcher took over as playwright for the King’s Men. The plot derives from “The Knight’s Tale” in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Thebes and Athens are at war. The tyrant Creon of Thebes commands Arcite and Palamon to fight for him. After a battle against Theseus, they end up captured and imprisoned. From their cell window, they see a beautiful woman named Emilia. Arcite and Palamon’s friendship turns into rivalry when they challenge each other to a fight to the death—with the victor claiming Emilia.

This Standard Ebooks edition is based on the 1894 Royal Shakespeare edition.