Class Notes (11/26/08)

Mourning Wives
- mourning wives dressed in black , awaited Theseus' return in hope for aid and pity.
- wives rich and noble women
- wives' husbands killed by Creon
- Theseus promised vengence for women towards Creon
- Theseus goes after him because he refuses to properly bury their husbands.
- Theseus travles to Thebes to fight Creon
- Theseus's wife Hippolyta and her sister Emily are sent to Athens

Fight At Thebes
- Theseus wins, takes over land, gives mourning wives' husbands bodies
- 2 royal Theban sons Palamon and Arcita survivors of battle, sent to Athens prison instead of being killed

Emily
- beautiful woman
- noticed by Palamon while in his jail chamber
- Palamon cries out his love
- Arcita falls in love with Emily too
- Palamon accuses Acrita of being a traitor
- Arcita claims he loves Emily as a woman and Palamon only worships her as a goddess
- Neither will get out of jail so both can love Emily

Arcita's Freedom
- Prithous noble lord, friend of Theseus and Arcita
- Pleads with Theseus for Arcitas release
- Arcita banished from Athens and will be put to death if he returns
- has freedom but can't see Emily, he is "dead without her"

Palamon's Lament
- Palamon feels Arcita has better life because he's free and will win Emily's love
- Palamon feels his own life is tortured

The Knights Question
WHO HAS IT WORSE?

Arcita's Vision
- sees god Mercury who tells him to seek out Emily and not worry about being killed
- Arcita looks different and for that he hopes he can sneak into Athens

Arcita Takes Action
- gets job working for Emily
- noticed by Theseus as a hard worker, promoted to squire
- Arcita becomes rich and becomes Theseus' best friend

Palamon Escapes
- 7 years in jail, gets away by drugging jailer
- flees to Thebes, finds friends to help him win Emily

Arcita/Palamon Face Off
- see eachother in Theseus' garden
- Palamon spies on Arcita, hears Arcita betrayed him
- try to fight to the death
- Theseus, Hippolyta, and Emily go hunting and find Palamon and Arcita battling
- Theseus realizes who they are and threatens to kill them, Hippolyta and Emily halt Theseus' decision


Theseus' Decision
- realizes what they've done is out of love
- offers them friendship, better ways to decide who marries Emily
- 50 weeks to prepare for battle for Emily's hand in marriage

The 50 Weeks
- Arcita and Palamon return
- Amphitheater built for the fight and dedicated to Venus and Mars
- Arcita and Palamon gather with army of 100 men

Lycurgus
- King of Thrace best warrior in Palamon's army


- Brianna Lee