Summary
Act 5. Scene 1. Palamede receives a message that he is meant to wed Melantha the next day. He complains, "But this is such an unreasonable thing, to impose upon me to be marri'd to morrow; 'tis hurrying a man to execution, without giving him time to say his pray'rs." The messenger reveals that Palamede's younger brother is next in line to wed Melantha and receive the family inheritance.
When the messenger leaves, Palamede bemoans the fact that he never got to have a proper affair with Doralice, saying, "if I had but once enjoy'd her, though I could not have satisfi'd my stomach, with the feast, at least I should have relish'd my mouth a little; but now—" Suddenly Philotis enters and tells him that Melantha and Rhodophil have gotten in a fight because he mispronounced a French word. When Palamede gives Philotis five pieces for putting in a good word for him, she tells him that Rhodophil once gave her 10 pieces. To make up for it, Palamede gives Philotis 20 pieces, and she gives him a list of French words with which to woo Melantha.
Palmyra and Artemis enter and look out for Leonidas, who has been imprisoned. Palmyra vows to stay waiting for him and follow him to death, when Melantha enters and approaches the princess in hopes of winning her favor. Palamede seeks to impress Melantha with his new French phrases, as she makes her way towards Palmyra.
Guards lead Leonidas onto the stage and Palmyra goes to him. She vows to follow him to death and follows him to his execution.
Melantha blames Palamede for losing her favor with Palmyra. Philotis defends Palamede and invites him to sing in French, which he does. His song impresses Melantha, and she tries to make some conditions for their marriage, but Palamede continues to sing. The song so woos her that she waives her conditions and agrees to marry him.
After she leaves, Palamede fans himself with his hat and complains that he "never thought before that wooing was so laborious an exercise." However, he admits that he is beginning to like Melantha.
Doralice enters and talks to Palamede about the fact that he is to wed Melantha the next day. When Palamede invites her into the next room to have one last hurrah before he is married, she refuses. She thinks that it is best for them not to have an affair. She advises him, "The onely way to keep us new to one another, is never to enjoy, as they keep grapes by hanging 'em upon a line, they must touch nothing if you would preserve 'em fresh." They then vow to fall in love with one another should they outlive their respective spouses; "I'll venture to be your second Wife, for all your threatnings," Doralice says.
Rhodophil enters and is angered by the intimacy he perceives between his wife and friend. Palamede and Rhodophil fire accusations at one another, with Rhodophil grabbing his sword. When Palamede grabs his, Doralice implores them not "to cut one another's throats for nothing."
She tells them that they cannot be jealous of someone they do not love. Rhodophil realizes that he is actually jealous, which is perhaps evidence of his love for Doralice. Palamede also realizes that his jealousy must indicate that he loves Melantha, and Doralice is excited to realize that Rhodophil is willing to fight for her.
Palamede and Rhodophil tell one another that neither of their beloveds has betrayed them. They agree to never fight again and to remain faithful to their wives.
Polydamas, Palmyra, Artemis, Argaleon, Eubulus, and Hermogenes all enter. Palmyra begs Polydamas to be merciful, but he refuses. When Leonidas is led on by guards, Argaleon suspects that he is the son of the former king, and instructs Polydamas to have him killed before he can discover this information. The guards gag Leonidas and lead him away, along with Hermogenes and Eubulua.
When Polydamas and Argaleon exit, Palmyra bemoans the fact that she wants to reveal Leonidas' identity, even though she knows it will bring on her father's ruin. When she swoons, Artemis calls for help, and the princess is carried away.
Suddenly, there is a sound of clashing swords and Amalthea runs on and reveals that Leonidas is the rightful king and has snatched a sword from one of the guards. Rhodophil and Palamede rush off to help Leonidas. They disarm Polydamas and Argaleon and lead them on.
Leonidas gives a speech in praise of Rhodophil and Palamede for their help. While it seems like he is going to send Polydamas and Argaleon to their deaths, Leonidas pardons Polydamas because he is his the father of his beloved Palmyra.
Palmyra and the others enter and Polydamas gives his blessing for Palmyra to marry Leonidas. Melantha goes to greet the king, but Palamede holds her back and promises to present her at a better time. Leonidas spares Argaleon as well, but advises her to keep an eye on him. Amalthea is destined to be unhappy in love, but decides to spend her life with Vestals, "the greatest part, in pray'rs for you; the rest/in mourning my unworthiness."
Leonidas leads Palmyra off to live happily ever after.
Analysis
A comic climax in the play occurs when Palamede decides to woo Melantha once and for all, for fear that he will lose his inheritance to his provincial younger brother. While he has been so repelled by Melantha throughout the play, he decides—with Philotis' help—that the only way to win over the aspirational Francophile is to affect the French-est performance he possibly can. As she protests his wooing, Palamede breaks into an elaborate performance of his love of French and French song.
Melantha, meanwhile, is trapped between her competing desires: to make connections at court and to bathe herself in everything French. At first she blames Palmyra's dismissiveness towards her on Palamede, and vows to never forgive him for ruining her chance at becoming better connected. However, as Palamede begins to sing a French song, she cannot resist him. She alternates between laughter and tears, eventually succumbing to his seduction.
In this final section of the play, the lusty Palamede comes to the realization that, even though marriage is something of a death sentence, it is best for him to remain true to his betrothed. He and his would-be-mistress Doralice philosophize about the fact that love is much freer and more satisfying when it is outside the bounds of marriage contracts. Nevertheless, Doralice advises him that they have followed their romantic impulse as far as it would still remain pleasurable, and they agree to no longer pursue an affair.
The play suggests that jealousy is what keeps married couples together, in that it adds an edge to a relationship gone stale. When Palamede and Rhodophil realize that they are jealous enough of one another to want to kill each other, this signals to them that they still carry affection for their respective partners. Additionally, Rhodophil's willingness to fight signals to Doralice that he is in love with her, and makes her feel special and wanted by her husband.
The end of the play is bittersweet. While most of the characters are united with their beloveds, and even the usurper of the crown, Polydamas, is granted pardon, Amalthea is left to live a life pondering her own "unworthiness" in love. Rather than end the play on an entirely comic or joyful note, Dryden wraps up his story with Leonidas recognizing the unrequited nature of Amalthea's affections. She resigns herself to unhappiness, even as the rest of the characters embark on a happy ending.
