 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
Table of Contents Act IV, Scene 2 The scene takes place on a plain in Warwickshire. Warwick and Oxford enter with French soldiers. Warwick sees Clarence and Somerset coming towards him and welcomes them and asks whether they are his friends or not. He is given a favorable reply and Warwick is very much pleased to see that Clarence has left his own brother. He offers his daughter to Clarence in marriage. Warwick observes that in the shade of the night, Edward's soldiers are lurking about in the towns, and he is attended only by a simple guard. He plans to knock off Edward's guard and seize Edward not to slaughter but to surprise him. He asks the others also to back him up in this attempt. Notes: The short scene reveals the shifting alliances that are occurring in the play. Warwick and Oxford plan to kidnap Edward and by doing so, Henry will reclaim the throne. Warwick and Clarence meet up and Warwick is so overjoyed that Clarence has left his own brother and come to him that he offers him his daughter. In his speech, he makes historical references. 'Our scouts have found the adventure very easy; That, as Ulysses and stout Diomede With sleight and manhood stole to Rhesus tents And brought from thence the Thracian fatal steeds.' The oracle had declared that Troy could not be taken if the horses of Rhesus drank from the Xanthus and grazed on the Trojan plains. The Greeks therefore sent Diomede and Ulyssus to intercept the Thracian Prince when he came to bring help to Priam (Prince of Troy). They killed him on the night of arrival and carried off the horses. The night is also referred to with a sad tone. 'So we, well covered with the night's black mantle.' Table of Contents | |
|
|
|||||||
