Forbidden Love

Forbidden Love

medieval Celtic tragedy in five acts

by Christian Lanciai (1999)

The characters (in order of appearance):

Blodolf

Osric

Cedric

Astolf

Morholt

Henric

Isolde

Bridget

Sheila an old man of the audience

Brangwayne

Tristan

King Marke of Cornwall

Herbert three guests at a tavern a old customer the host three bonfire leaders four lepers

Prince Rudolph of Burgundy Bertrand, his brother

Isolde the dark, their sister a duke a knight a dwarf an old alcoholic veteran

The action takes place in Ireland, England and France in unspecified medieval times.

Copyright ã Christian Lanciai 1999 Forbidden Love Act I scene 1.

Blodolf So you also dared to come here, Sir Osric?

Osric What wouldn’t you do for the pleasure of seeing old crooks hit the grass?

Blodolf Take care, you bloody devil!

Astolf Quiet, gentlemen! No fights before the tournament!

Osric Why not?

Blodolf Why not start at once? There are those who are asking for it.

Astolf The rules are, that whoever starts fighting before the tournament is immediately disqualified!

Blodolf Sir Morholt’s rules! Who cares? No one breaks them more than he!

Cedric Will you start fighting even before you get into your armours you bastards?

Osric Berserk rage can never start breaking out too early.

Blodolf You said it!

Astolf Quiet, gentlemen! Save your bloodthirst for your nail clubs and lances, and it will give better results!

Osric The sooner the blood flows, the better it will flow!

Cedric Your bloodthirst have no limits, Sir Osric

Osric There are dams to rivers, but nothing can regulate the blood of a real warrior!

Blodolf That is why we are here.

Osric With licence to kill each other.

Astolf In the saddle, but not here, I pray gentlemen! Bleed as much as you like in your armours, but out of sight of the ladies!

Osric But they are the worst gladiator audience of all.

Cedric If it weren’t for the ladies we would hardly bleed at all.

Blodolf You said it, Sir Cedric!

Astolf Attention! The boss is here!

Morholt (enters) What are you standing here loitering for, you crooked stiffs? Get on your horses, for Pete’s sake! You can go on babbling and arguing and bragging after the tournament, if you are still alive then, you miserable dogs.

Cedric Sir Morholt, you may be powerful and great and superior to most, but your harebrain doesn’t amount to much.

Morholt Try to say that again, when your own bird’s brain gets mixed up with your wasted bowels on the ground!

Blodolf Sir Morholt is not as stupid as he seems.

Cedric No, even more stupid, although that seems impossible.

Osric No stupidity is enough for Sir Morholt.

Astolf Have you ravished your girl yet, Sir Morholt?

Morholt Don’t you dare insult my wife!

Cedric (with a scornful laugh) His wife!

Osric (ironically) Surely you must know that Sir Morholt respects his ladies?

Blodolf Sir Morholt, if you don’t check yourself you might end up the ideal slipper hero.

Morholt Stop prattling now, you lousy baboons! Get on your horses, I said! The ladies are waiting for us and longing to see some blood!

Osric They want to see your blood, Sir Morholt, for you are the only knight here who they can’ find handsome.

Morholt (menacingly) I will remember those words, Sir Osric, when I meet you on the battle-ground.

Sir Henric (enters) Mount your horses, gentlemen! Save your powers for the battle, and save your spare quarrels for the tavern afterwards!

Astolf (seriously) Sir Henric is a wise man.

Henric Look, the public is arriving, and you just stand here arguing! Are you going to waste the tournament on just dallying?

Morholt Sir Henric is right. No refreshing fights before the battle, if I may ask, you blasted herrings.

Blodolf You may count on trouble both during and after the fight, Sir Morholt. Morholt And gladly forever, Sir Blodolf.

Henric Alas, here they go at each other again! Get on your horses, gentlemen, get your horses!

Astolf Well, let’s go then!

Cedric Yes, let’s go, and let us have the war over and done with.

Morholt Mo ve your arses, you slow motion bulldozers! Get the show on the road! We don’t have all day! The ladies want blood!

(The public is gathering and taking their seats on the platforms. Now Isolde enters, and Morholt spots her at once. Meanwhile the other knights disperse in different directions.)

My love, today you will see all hell breaking loose!

Isolde I really hope not, Sir Morholt.

Morholt It’s just for your sake that I will bludgeon every devil to death, my dearest dove.

Isolde Don’t imagine that I would like it. But if I didn’t come here I would be afraid that you would beat me to death.

Morholt My angel, sooner or later you will come to enjoy it. I just want to educate you and at the same time make myself worthy of you, by showing how brave I am.

Isolde Your victims are the bravest, Sir Morholt, when they suffer all the pains of hell afterwards as I bandage them.

Morholt No, Isolde, my ward and consort to be, I am bravest of all, and you will realize that one day!

Isolde Queen Guinevere was bravest of all when she tried to cancel all tournaments.

Morholt That cost her crown and her realm in the civil wars!

Isolde Thanks to you, Sir Morholt.

Morholt No, it was Sir Mordred’s fault.

Isolde Whom you supported.

Sir Henric (enters again) Are you still standing here loitering, you incompetent mollusc? Everyone is ready except you!

Morholt Let the slaughter begin! I will come at once!

(Morholt exits quickly. Only the public on the platforms is visible on stage.)

Bridget Look, there comes Sir Percival flying! Is there any more dashing knight than he?

Sheila He is just a rattling tin can like everyone else.

Bridget And there is Sir Frederic! No knight has charmed more ladies than he!

Sheila And there is that monster Sir Morholt.

An old man He rushes on like the reaper himself. It was different in king Arthur’s days. Then there was order and style at the tournaments! Now we have only barbaric gladiators games, and no rules of chivalry exist any more.

Bridget Don’t speak depreciatively of Sir Morholt, Sheila. Isolde could overhear it. He is her becoming husband, you know.

Sheila Against her will, as verily as I am a woman.

Bridget Hush!

Isolde It does not matter, Bridget. No one can say anything good about Sir Morholt.

Sheila That villain! I hope he will be struck off his saddle himself and get decently massacred!

Bridget Has he been at you as well?

Sheila If he has!

Brangwayne But who is that young groom over there?

Old man Never seen him before.

Brangwayne He is without armour and has no helmet, and his horse is capricious and tired, but he seems completely confident and fearless anyway.

Sheila A strawberry among the blueberries.

Old man An innocent among the thugs.

Brangwayne Who is he?

Isolde No one knows.

Old man He rides and fights with intelligence. He reminds me of the best days of Sir Lancelot. It is the same kind of wise elegance and graceful style.

Sheila There Sir Archibald was blasted down the drain.

Bridget Sheila, mind your language!

Sheila Look for yourself! There is just a shitbag of junk left of him.

Brangwayne No one beats the young farmer.

Isolde No, he seems born with a hood of victory.

Morholt (brawling outside the stage) Come on then, you impotent brass pants! Beat the hell out of all the idiots who can’t thrush each other decently!

Blodolf (outside) Brawl your guts out, you grotesque gorilla bastard! You haven’t struck us all out of our saddles yet! (alarum and crashes outside)

Old man They can’t stand a chance. Sir Morholt drives everyone over like a bolting steamroller.

Sheila Yes, he crashes on like a bulldozer.

Bridget What are you talking about?

Sheila The future, dear Bridget

Brangwayne But the farm boy overcomes them all.

Old man I have never seen anything like it! There he got Sir Rodney to hit the ground!

Sheila He also turned into junk.

Bridget I actually believe his arm was struck off his body. Old man No wonder! That boy knows how to feint!

Sheila How do Sir Morholt’s brutal methods manage against such an intelligence?

Isolde We shall see.

Brangwayne Who was it that disappeared over there in a smoke of dust among jangling ruins of armours?

Isolde I think it was Sir Roderick.

Sheila There are not many left now.

Bridget Sir Morholt will never be satisfied until everyone as usual has gone down crawling to him.

Brangwayne The farmer boy is not likely to do so.

Morholt (enters, to Isolde) My lovely! The day is mine! Once more all the tin splatter men have gone down for my lance!

Isolde And you have given me more to do than ever.

Sheila But you still haven’t beaten everyone, Sir Morholt!

Morholt (angered) That farmer boy! Just you wait! (exit)

Bridget Sir Morholt may be the worst thug in the world, but in all his grotesque ugliness and barbaric abominability he is still rather stupendous.

Isolde By that you have said everything good that could be said about him.

Morholt (outside) Come on, you creeps and bastards! Try proving that you are not just worthlless lice! I am slaughtering you like wing-clipped turkeys!

Brangwayne Who can do anything about Sir Morholt? Who can curb his tyranny?

Isolde (points out) That farm groom if anyone.

Brangwayne Do you know him?

Isolde No, my faithful Brangwayne, I don’t know him yet.

Morholt (outside) Who are you, ignoble flea?

Tristan (outside) What is it to you who I am?

Morholt You look like a discarded bastard and don’t even have proper weapons, and you horse is slacker than a donkey, but still you keep surviving!

Tristan The art of survival, Sir Morholt, is higher than that of brute force.

Morholt Are you asking for trouble, you vagabond thief?

Tristan If I am!

(Astolf, Blodolf, Cedric and Henric return, out of breath, manhandled, bloody and dirty, and demolished almost to irrecognizability)

Astolf Almost everyone is beaten except the groom.

Cedric Who is he? No one can manage him!

Henric In time we shall know.

Blodolf I bet he is the right man to beat the guts out of Sir Morholt!

Osric Alas, my dear, may your wishful dreams come true!

Morholt (enters) Out of the way, scarecrows! Get off the stage! You are all sorted out! Young man, come up here! (drives off the previous five) What do you really want, and who are you?

Tristan (enters, young and handsome, entirely without armour) Fight you, Sir Morholt!

Morholt Why, you greenhorn? Do you really want to die?

Tristan No, but I have a mission to accomplish.

Morholt Let’s hear it!

Tristan I am here on behalf of king Marke of Cornwall ask for the hand of the beautiful Isolde.

Morholt How dare you, you insolent blackguard?

Tristan I am just stating a fact.

Isolde Sir Morholt, I once saved king Marke’s life. He knows who I am. The matter is easily explained. This warrior is innocent.

Morholt (as if he didn’t hear her) Don’t you know, you abominable upstart, that the fair Isolde is ordained for me, as soon as she comes of age?

Tristan When she reaches that age, you will be even older, and who wants an old monstrous ruffian like you?

Morholt Go to hell, you lousy devil, who doesn’t know better than to provoke someone like me to the most unheard of rage!

Tristan That’s just the intention, you impotent buffer!

Morholt No, now the devil is loose for serious! (raises his immense sword against Tristan, who defends himself with a far lighter blade.)

Brangwayne (rises, agitated) They are fighting! They are fighting!

Sheila At last a reasonable fight with intelligence against violence!

Bridget Hit hard, young man, drive the sword through loins of that disgusting monster! (The audience is getting constantly more exited during the course of the fight.)

Brangwayne Get him! Get him!

Isolde Brangwayne, I don’t recognize you.

Brangwayne At last we get a chance, Isolde, of getting rid of that ogre!

Isolde He is still just a man.

Brangwayne Yes, but only if he dies.

Isolde (admonishing) Brangwayne!

Morholt (panting) Have you had enough, you little lubber, or do you want some more?

Tristan I’ll never get enough, Sir Morholt, but you seem completely out of breath for over-exertion.

Morholt I’ll give you the damn, you uneducated mouse shit! (attacks with uncontrolled rage. Tristan ducks and manages to thrust his sword between his legs.)

Morholt (in inexpressible agony and pain) Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! (can neither speak nor breathe in his pain)

Brangwayne There he gelded that creep!

Isolde (admonishing) Brangwayne!

Brangwayne What’s the matter? The violence is on the ground. There is no violence here.

Isolde But you are so coarse!

Brangwayne No, just realistic.

(Morholt lies writhing in pains. Enter Astolf and the others.)

Cedric Is he dead?

Henric No, not yet.

Astolf He is just lost.

Blodolf No one can survive such a wound. Young man, you are the victor of tournament!

Tristan Then I achieved my aim.

Morholt (dying) You poor peasant, who taught you such tricks?

Tristan No one. You just got what you deserved, you dirty old man. Now you don’t have to be despized by the ladies.

Morholt Who are you?

Tristan I am called Tristan.

Morholt Tristan! (dies)

Osric No one has gushed blood so copiously since old Sir Baloonpouch had a leak.

Blodolf I am afraid that no one will be able to sew him up again.

Brangwayne He got what he deserved. Isolde, my sweet mistress, you are free now!

Isolde Free from what?

Brangwayne From a fate worse than deathj.

Isolde I am rid of Sir Morholt. Who do I get instead?

Tristan A noble king of Cornwall, who has no lacks of good deserts.

Isolde And you serve as his procurer, Sir Tristan?

Tristan I am his foster son. He knew about your fate and wished to deliver you from it.

Isolde You have delivered e from it. Perhaps you could also deliver me from the next one?

Brangwayne Kung Marke is a good match, my mistress. He is a king of only noble qualities.

Isolde Perhaps, but he is still old.

Tristan Not too old, I warrant you, princess. I will vouch myself for that you will never be disappointed.

Isolde You will take me to him?

Tristan Yes, that is my task.

Isolde Brangwayne! Sir Morholt is dead! Proclaim peace and freedom across Ireland! Never again will coarse marauders and the roughest thugs set themselves cruelly upon us and order in Ireland. Violence is hereby banished and banished from our island forever! Love and peace may instead reign unrestricted forever on our emerald island!

Brangwayne Without you, my mistress? Aren’t you going to Cornwall?

Isolde I pledge peace as a pawn to leave behind. That will be my testament. I ask you: administer it, take care of it and enjoy it. Don’t waste it, for that is all you will have left of me, when I am gone.

Bridget We will follow you, Isolde, all the way to Cornwall and even further!

Isolde Do so, my dears. Be my followers and guardians in all my trials for the uncertain future of my marriage!

Brangwayne No evil will ever befall you, Isolde.

Isolde Believe it who can. I know better myself. – Tristan, I am yours. Take me to the ship.

Tristan My queen, it will be my honour to fulfill the mission entrusted me by king Marke as the most advanced mission of trust of my life. (leads Isolde out with the ladies)

Osric What will become of us now, when Morholt no longer will pay for the fiddles

Blodolf We will have to fight each other.

Astolf The queen just ´banished all violence from Ireland.

Cedric Do you think we could stand by the rules of ladies? Never in my life!

Henric No, never in all eternity.

Astolf Wes hall fight for the sport and its life!

Blodolf May any devil who wishes curse and damn it!

Henrik To your horses, gentlemen! To our horses! (they go out)

Act II scene 1. Cornwall.

Marke My son, welcome home!

Tristan And this is your queen Isolde. (presents her)

Marke How is it possible for such a beauty to exist at all? My son, you have truly surpassed yourself! What is your proud victory and your exploits against the horrible Morholt against the conquest of such an adorable beauty?

Tristan I only won her for you, dear father.

Marke For this I shall be more grateful than for all your good services so far.

Tristan Well, queen Isolde, could you accept your king and husband?

Isolde I expected something else. I did not expect such a noble, provident, cultured and high-minded husband. I guess I've been scorched by Morholt and prejudiced against all powerful men. King Marke, you have already cured me of all such prejudices.

Marke If Morholt gave you such painful wounds, it is my great pleasure to be something of a band-aid for dressing them.

Isolde The spiritual wounds can never be healed. I myself can fix all bodily injuries and sufferings, but the wounds of the soul are too deep to even be detected.

Tristan Are you suffering, my queen?

Isolde Do you know, Sir Tristan, what suffering is?

Tristan I regret to say that I am something of a virgin in that field.

Isolde Be grateful to your lucky star for that.

Marke Enough of sorrows and painful memories with other tribulations! Now we shall have a wedding! Now only happiness and fortune will await our entire company and our entire future! For queen Isolde shall crown our throne like a sun throughout the earth, and fill all the world with the fame of Cornwall, for having without comparison the fairest queen of our known world!

Isolde You boast indiscrimately, kung Marke.

Marke And may I not, when I for once am happy now and will have no one less than you for my queen?

Isolde I am not much to boast of. You only see my outward spotlessness but cannot guess what hells are burning inside me like in all women.

Marke I have been married before. I know all about women and their capriciousness. That taught me tolerance. You will find me the most ideal conceivable and credulous slipper hero.

Isolde You cannot imagine your own destiny then.

Marke Can you look into the future, lovely Isolde, with the same incredible skill with which you can cure any pain and damage?

Isolde I can't see anything for real, but I am oversensitive by my strange intuition.

Marke That shall be our roadsigns. Your antennae and my policy united with Tristan's fearless intrepidity will always lead us right through the world and the future.

Isolde Do you trust Tristan so implicitly?

Marke He is like a son of mine but only better.

Isolde Stand by your word, king Marke, whatever happens. You have no one besides Tristan

Marke I am aware of that.

Isolde So bring us to the wedding, Tristan. You will be our escort through all the trials of life like you have been heretofore.

Tristan It is my honour to remain so.

Isolde Please maintain that attitude.

Tristan Of course. Naturally.

Marke My love! Now the party and happiness and joy of paradise is waiting for us! My nothing ever darken our limitless happiness! Play up, musicians! Let's join the dance!

(Music. They go out.)

Scene 2. Isolde's chamber.

Bridget How does she seem?

Sheila Tell the truth, Brangwayne! Is she happy or the contrary?

Brangwayne Honestly, it is difficult to say.

Bridget What do you mean, Brangwayne? Is she then indifferent after her wedding night?

Brangwayne It is not about indifference. It is worse than that.

Sheila Brangwayne carries a secret, and that is Isolde’s secret.

Bridget Speak out, Brangwayne! What kind of symptom is it?

Brangwayne Honestly speaking…

Sheila That’s how lies and deceits always are introduced.

Bridget Do you want to fool us?

Brangwayne Not at all.

Bridget och Sheila What is it then?

Brangwayne My dears, Isolde is simply herself just like one big question mark.

Bridget What is that supposed to mean?

Sheila We seem to be facing another great marriage mystery.

Isolde (from the inside) Brangwayne!

Brangwayne My lady is calling.

Isolde Get rid of the wallflowers!

Brangwayne You hear.

Isolde No gossip among my own in the king’s house!

Brangwayne There you are. Away with you!

Isolde Are they gone? (Bridget and Sheila leave.)

Brangwayne Yes!

Isolde Are you sure the coast is clear?

(Bridget and Sheila close the door behind but stay behind it to listen by the keyhole.)

Brangwayne Yes!

Isolde And no ladybirds by the door!

Brangwayne God have mercy on them in that case! (Bridget and Sheila are appalled but stay on.)

Isolde (enters in a nightgown) I never want to live through such a night again

Brangwayne What did he do?

Isolde Like all the others. He was disappointed. When shall we ever be able to satisfy the men, Brangwayne?

Brangwayne Didn’t it go well?

Isolde It went perfectly well. But afterwards he went dark like a thundercloud threatening disaster.

Brangwayne Did anything go wrong?

Isolde Not at all. He satisfied himself well enough but still seemed like a bitter demon of discontent.

Brangwayne He maybe drove you too hard and got second thoughts. Most men get hangovers with less.

Isolde No, it wasn’t like that this time. I recognize that demon. That one is harmless and is only threatening himself. But this one was really fearsome, as if Marke could imperil the lives of us all.

Brangwayne But whatever went wrong than?

Isolde Nothing. That’s the terrible thing about it! No failure, no impotence, no scenes, no revelations, just the deepest menacing silence.

Brangwayne That sounds serious.

Isolde It is serious. What do you know about him, Brangwayne? What happened to his first wife?

Brangwayne She died without children.

Isolde Shall I then also die young and childless? Will that be my destiny?

(Marke has come up to Bridget and Sheila, signed to them with a finger on his mouth and started to listen himself, has then turned out the ladybirds and now breaks into the room.)

Marke Yes, you will Isolde, if you don’t explain yourself.

Isolde What is this, my husband? So angry and sour after the wedding night? Aren’t you satisfied?

Marke You are no virgin!

Isolde And what wife is after her wedding night?

Marke Don’t mock me, you slut! You were no virgin before our wedding night!

Isolde Most virgins aren’t, my lord.

Marke I feel deceived!

Isolde That is not my fault, my lord. I have not promised you anything but myself, which I have offered you without any reservations.

Marke Everything but virginity!

(Bridget and Sheila are again listening outside, expressing astonishment and fear to each other by mute means.)

Brangwayne (to herself) He is obsessed with virginity.

Isolde I promise that you would have got it, if I had owned it. Unfortunately I had none to give. I thought I was the one you loved and not my virginity.

Marke Who took it away from you?

Brangwayne My lord, she is your wife and deserves some respect.

Marke Shut up, you old nun!

Brangwayne I am neither old, nor any nun.

Marke Shut up! I am speaking with Isolde!

Brangwayne No, you are not speaking. You are standing there barking like a revolting wild dog on the loose.

Marke Drive your accomplice out, Isolde, before I resort to force on both of you.

Isolde My king, my friend is actually right. We are women, and as a king you should speak to us as women and not as incompetent soldiers.

Marke Have you ever heard anything like it? Are you then witches both of you?

Isolde We deny nothing but are innocent of everything.

Marke I just want to know who stole your virginity.

Isolde My husband, I wish you would show some more prudence and discretion. I am no harlot.

Marke (furious) Prove it!

Brangwayne (to herself) He is lost.

Isolde I’ll prove nothing, but my fidelity to my husband has been total ever since I married.

Marke You are dodging the issue! Was it Tristan?

Isolde Tristan?

Marke Mhy handsome foster son! You are like siblings, are you not? While I am old and something laughable, am not? What has Tristan told you about me? That I am an old and childless rotter?

Isolde (to herself) Why do lovers always have to seem eternally naked even though they are properly dressed?

Marke Have you laughed and giggled at me behind my back? Has he tried to make you believe I am impotent? Have you made plots? What have you said about me? Tell me!

Brangwayne King Marke, your queen is absolutely innocent of everything that you have imagined about her, as verily as I am her constant witness.

Marke And what do you know about the matter, you procuress? You are of course their accomplice, initiated from the beginning, aren’t you?`

Brangwayne Never in my life!

Isolde My husband, if you go on like this I could never divulge to whom I lost my virginity. But everybody knows that long before I knew you and your foster son, I had Sir Morholt for my constant protector, a man far more brutal than yourself.

Marke But he respected you! He waited for your maturity! He wished you no harm! He was not like the young and handsome Tristan!

Isolde O God, please put an end to this absurdly unbearable scene!

Brangwayne My king, your wife will soon faint unless you immediately leave her alone!

Marke Yes, you know how to faint, you witches, when you can’t abscond from your guilt in any other way!

Isolde I pray you, my husband, go and calm down. My maids are listening outside, and their news agency is worse than all the world’s!

Marke Wiches! Witches! You are all witches! Aaargh!

(ruhes furiously out, frighten Bridget and Sheila out of their wits who scream and rush away, chased by Marke.)

Marke (outside) Witches! Witches! Adulterous witches!

Brangwayne Now I understand your wedding night, my lady.

Isolde And now I understand my husband. All he wanted was my virginity, and unfortunately that was the only thing I could not give him, no matter how much I would have liked to.

Brangwayne It is too late now.

Isolde Alas, yes, and my husband is lost for me.

Brangwayne What will you do?

Isolde I have to talk with somebody. I have to talk with Tristan. Brangwayne That could make the problem worse.

Isolde It’s king Marke’s problem. If he wants to torture himself with it, I can’t stop him. And he's already fixed in his belief in the worst about me. I will never be able to prove innocence.

Brangwayne But Tristan could

Isolde That’s what I am hoping for. (starts combing herself) Come, Brangwayne. The day is long, and we haven’t even got started. Z At least I will have to dress. (Brangwayne willingly starts to assist her.)

Scene 3. Before the stage.

Marke Someone got before me. Everything points to Tristan. They are so beautiful together, they are as if created just for each other, while I myself am just an outlived old man with stinking breath, rotting teeth, pathetic pot belly, gloomy prostate problems and everything imaginable to deter young people for them to only laugh at with superior contempt. You can never cheat yourself again, old fool. You can never stay young again, not even with someone like sweet Isolde. My love is only a joke, and my

branch is withered. It no longer grows and does not sprout when I want to, but only when I miss. Isolde! You are my ruin, for your experience and your far too advanced knowledge of humanity are the most horrible reflection I have ever seen of my own horrible nakedness!

What should I do? I'm not lost yet. I have the right to safeguard my interests. And I will do that. Isolde is mine, no matter how ruined our marriage is. And will I watch my wife and my foster-son so closely that if I find the slightest basis for my reasonable suspicion, I will not spare them, but with all the right in the world strike and punish them for their too intolerable youth and beauty!

Control yourself, Marke. Rest on your cock, but don't shoot any more shots until you're sure you won’t miss.

Scen 4. Dito.

Tristan Herbert, we have problems.

Herbert What’s up?

Tristan You are my oldest friend and the only I have who I can trust. You alone I can entrust with eberything. It’s about Isolde.

Herbert Is she the problem?

Tristan No, king Marke has problems with her.

Herbert Is she frigid?

Tristan On the contrary.

Herbert Explain yourself.

Tristan The whole thing is actually rather silly. King Marke believed that Isolde was a virgin and looked forward to relieving her of it. That was his carrot. On the wedding night, she proved to be as experienced as everyone else. My father was so deeply concerned that now he can neither forgive me nor her.

Herbert Does he believe you have come together?

Tristan I couldn’t know she was not a virgin. I couldn’t know how many or what men she had had, if she had anyone. Consequently I said nothing about it to Marke, who blindly just moved on, led by his pious illusions.

Herbert How do you know all this?

Tristan Isolde has confided in me and asked me to testify for her.

Herbert That could hardly make things any better.

Tristan She thought Marke could be better convinced by me than by her. Instead it turned out the other way.

Herbert You must know that Marke always was prone to jealousy. That’s what broke down his first wife.

Tristan I never realized what jealousy was until now.

Herbert Then you are naïve too.

Tristan I know. And it was Isolde who thought I could help Marke.

Herbert What happens now?

Tristan I don’t know. All we cando, I think, is not to make matters worse. Perhaps Marke will get over his disappointment.

Herbert That could take some time.

Tristan And it could be incurable.

Herbert And in the meanwhile, Isolde will remain unblessed.

Tristan That’s what I fear most of all.

Herbert Why?

Tristan Do you wonder? Can’t you see?

Herbert What can’t I see?

Tristan That she and I are forced on a course of destiny which none of us can pull ourselves out from.

Herbert A formidable danger.

Tristan You see?

Herbert Yes.

Tristan What would you advise me?

Herbert (sighs) I can only say one thing: I will follow you, Tristan, whatever you do.

Tristan I knew I could rely on you.

Herbert If Marke lets you down after everything you have done for him, I will do the contrary. The greater his mistake, the greater my fidelity.

Tristan He thinks I have let him down.

Herbert If he refuses to be convinced by the truth, it’s his own fault. And in that case you have the right to let him down.

Tristan You advise me to misconduct?

Herbert I advise you to nothing. I just follow you in your destiny.

Tristan Thanks, good Herbert. (presses his hand and leaves.)

Herbert Tristan my friend, the melancholy of Isolde has already contaminated her husband and yourself. I just hope it will not grow into a disease involving all of us. (leaves)

Scene 5. The queen’s chamber.

Isolde I want you to remain here, Bridget and Sheila. Anything is better than your eavesdropping and spreading of rumours.

Sheila But we know nothing, my lady.

Isolde Still you spread rumours that only cause confusion all over the country.

Sheila Rumours arte never untrue.

Isolde But they never stick to the truth.

Brangwayne That’s what I would call an ambiguous truth.

Isolde Quiet, Brangwayne! I want to keep no secrets from the king or from the world. Everything we do is public.

Sheila We promise to keep quiet, no matter what we may witness.

Isolde (smiling) I know what your keeping quiet will mean. Your silence screams in the megaphones, and all your silence leads only to scandals.

Bridget We are court ladies, madam.

Isolde And the worst imaginable.

Sheila Here he comes! (Tristan is heard coming.)

Isolde Just keep cool and hold your tongues. You will witness nothing exraordinary or unusual.

Tristan (enters, kneels to Isolde, reverently bowing) My queen, you called for me.

Isolde I suppose you understand why.

Tristan For me to deny all rumours.

Isolde Among other things.

Tristan What more can I do?

Isolde If you can’t work miracles we are lost.

Tristan What miracles would you ask of me?

Isolde Look into my eyes, Tristan! Raise your neck! You are not my subject but my warrior and equal.

Tristan You are my father the king’s wife.

Isolde He is not your father.

Tristan My foster-father is more sacred to me than a father.

Isolde Whatever he does?

Tristan Yes, for he is a king.

Isolde May a king tarnish his queen and drag her in the mud?

Tristan That’s what the rumours do, not he.

Isolde He refuses to deny the rumours. He lets the whole country understand that I am a whore.

Tristan (can’t look into her eyes, bends his neck again and remains on his knees.)

My queen, there is only one way to deny the rumours. You have to tell the truth.

Isolde How Morholt ravished me as a child? How he mistreated me and kept me bound and guarded? How he raped me just to prevent anyone else from reaching my virginity?

(Bridget and Sheila are shocked, Brandwayne remains composed, Tristan refuses to show how shocked he is, keeps his neck bent.)

Tristan My queen…

Isolde You are blushing. You can’t bear to see your queen further scandalized. Tristan I am paralysed by horror and can’t speak.

Isolde Not even to your father the king about my tribulations?

Tristan (sighs) I realize it is impossible. Nothing is more sacred than a woman’s honour as long as she is loved.

Brangwayne My lady, this conversation is not appropriate for the ears of young maids. I beg your leave for us to remove ourselves, before Bridget and Sheila will have to hear even more improper matters.

Isolde Do you dare to leave me alone with him?

Brangwayne My lady, they have heard enough to be able to trust your innocence unto death.

Isolde And you trust Tristan?

Sheila and Bridget (look at each other, and nod at each other) Yes.

Isolde So leave then.

(All three maids retire and vanish: no eavesdropping.)

My friend, do you realize the full extent of our dilemma?

Tristan Do you?

Isolde No

Tristan Neither do I.

Isolde You know me better than Marke does. Only you can judge me.

Tristan No one can judge you and me least of all.

Isolde Marke has has already condemned me.

Tristan To what?

Isolde The worst possible for a woman: constant lack of love.

Tristan What are you really asking of me?

Isolde You just said: Nothing is more sacred than a woman’s honour as long as she is loved. What did you mean by that?

Tristan I have fought for you before and could do so forever.

Isolde What do you mean by that?

Tristan If Marke condemns you out of prejudice I must do the contrary.

Isolde What does that mean?

Tristan I am prepared to always defend your honour.

Isolde Then you know it contrary to Marke, who rejects it.

Tristan Yes, I know it.

Isolde Then I know you.

Tristan We understand each other too well.

Isolde If we only had realized it before you turned me over to Marke?

Tristan I had promised to do so. I could do nothing else.

Isolde We are like siblings.

Tristan No, siblings may not love each other.

Isolde But we do.

Tristan Inevitably.

(Isolde closes her eyes and stretches out her arms towards him. He embraces her passionately.)

Isolde So it is true.

Tristan Hopelessly.

Isolde Love me! Give me children! Make me happy! No one else can!

Tristan And Marke?

Isolde He caused this situation. He only has himself to blame. His jealousy drove me off from him to you. It didn’t have to happen, but he did it himself.

Tristan My love! Our happiness will be our misfortune!

Isolde Rather that than just misfortune.

Tristan We don’t know what we are doing.

Isolde That’s exactly what we know, and therefore we are doing it.

Tristan But it is hopeless! It is impossible! It is doomed!

Isolde Exactly! (They kiss for the first time: a long dangerous kiss.) (Right then it appears that Marke is standing peeping at them.)

Marke (beaks in) So it was true!

Isolde Marke!

Tristan My father!

Marke You damned fallen angels, how could you fall for such a folly?

Isolde Don’t jump to conclusions!

Marke How dare you, strumpet and adulteress?

Tristan Father, I alone am guilty. Don’t violate your queen!

Marke (collects himself) I hoped to the last moment that I could be wrong. There remained a small hope that my jealousy was only a lying suspicion. But the reality was all too true. (Both Isolde and Tristan want to interrupt him.) Silent! Not a word! Even if this first kiss of yours never happened, the glances you have for each other tell us the most forbidden of truths with terrible blatancy. I have long seen in your eye, Tristan, and in Isolde's enchanting gaze, light which you warmly give to each other, and which you understand, but which you never give to others, and which my own wife never gave to me! This alone is worse than the kiss, but the kiss seals your judgment! You look at each

other with love with which you have never looked at your king! Tristan! Disappear from my country and never come back!

Tristan But…

Marke Get lost on your way before I out of pure jealousy take your life, which in spite of all I would bitterly regret for the rest of my life!

Isolde My husband, he is your only son and heir, and you are never likely to get anyone more of me after this.

Marke Don’t make matters worse! Whatever you say now it will only be like pouring oil on the fire! It will only end by my murdering both of you!

Tristan My fathr, you will never see me an y more. I obey. Your Tristan is dead.

(gives quick bow and departs.)

Isolde You have milled your son!

Marke You have killed my love!

Isolde Your love was only furious jealousy amounting to diseased hate!

Marke Could love then go so sick that it only becomes destructive?

Isolde Not love, but its contrary: envy of the love of others! You never loved, king Marke. You only felt your desire and your physical urge.

Marke My queen must not be scandalised.

Isolde The only scandal is yours.

en enda skandalen är din!

Marke Enough of this horrid scene. We already destroyed more than enough, and Tristan is lost to us. I leave, poor beautiful despairing wife, but I will be back when we will have calmed down. (leaves, or rather runs off.)

Isolde Such a storm can never be calmed. When love is awakened, it only demands with annihilating ruthlessness its fulfillment, against which demand the whole world with all its order is nothing but faked settings and crap. Tristan loves me! Nothing else matters more to me, and may the whole world perish for our love. For if I know one thing for sure, which is that for a true love like this, nothing is impossible.

Brangwayne (enters) My lady, the castle is in uproar. Tristan has been seen leaving in haste. King Marke brawls and goes berserk. What has happened?

Isolde Nothing. Tristan will be back.

Brangwayne Just a storm in a teacup?

Isolde No, my friend, not even that. Just an unheard sigh from my heart. Brangwayne (understands) So Tristan gave you his love?

Isolde (lays her hands on her shoulders) We own each other, Brangwayne. And nothing can separate us. It´s more than a marriage. (embraces her) Love is never more sacred than when it is forbidden.

Brangwayne Has it gone that far?

Isolde (looks at her) And it will constantly go further Brangwayne I own my fidelity to no one but you, my lady. Isolde I will always be grateful for that. Go now. Leave me to dream of my love and grow my prince of dreams with beatifying wishful thinking without limits. (Brangwayne curtseys, bows and leaves.)

We couldn’t control it. It is controlling us. For us it’s just to follow suit. The goal? The most unknown of goals. But we live. That’s the main thing. And it’s thinking of each other that alone keeps us alive. We both know it, for I feel it, and I feel that also he is feeling it.

Act III scene 1. A tavern. Several years later.

1 Sad times, aren’t they, Sid?

2 Dreadfully sad. No scandals, no wars, no crises, no nothing.

3 It was different in king Arthur’s days, when tournaments and brigandry was the order of the day.

2 Then the scandal frequency was high, then every night went to bed with his best friend’s wife, then there was constantly a war on, and there was action every day.

1 What do we have now? A bitter king of meanness without guts, who is only good for bewailing growing older, and a stiff statue of a queen, who never will come out alive since her only joy was chased out of the country.

2 By a prostate melancholy cuckold of a pathetic phoney king.

1 And the world’s most beautiful statue was never allowed any life.

3 She is only sleeping but waiting with patience to be awakened.

2 How do you know?

3 I know by her chamber maid, that Tristan never lost contact.

1 Where is he?

3 Who knows? Somewhere on the continent.

2 Lost beyond the horizon of our island.

3 Isolated from us somewhere on the continent.

1 The risk about cutting your umbilical cord is that you can never get it back.

3 Oh well, sometime he will find it again.

2 Perhaps that’s what keeps the queen alive.

1 Perhaps.

2 Mud in your eyes, brothers! Bottoms up!

3 To better days!

1 To the hope for better days!

2 Pessimist!

1 No, realist. (They drink. Enter Tristan and Herbert, Tristan disguised as beggar, Herbert as a pilgrim.)

Tristan I am tired, Herbert. Get me something to drink.

Herbert Wait here (Tristan gets down by a table. Herbert approaches the bar.)

Do you have anything to eat?

1 This is a tavern. We only drink here.

2 New in the country?

Herbert On our way north from the Holy Land.

1 How holy is it nowadays? Are things going as bad there as here?

3 Give our pilgrim something to drink. He must have something interesting to tell.

Herbert How are things here in the country?

2 Thanks for the asking. Evberything is dead.

Herbert The king and queen as well?

3 No, they are just dying as usual.

Herbert So they are still alive.

1 Do you know them?

Herbert Badly.

3 Do you know anything about Sir Tristan, since you come from the continent?

Herbert He appears to have been fighting many wars, as if he voluntarily looked for death.

1 So he is still alive.

Herbert As far as I know.

2 Where did you last see him?

Herbert I haven’t said that I saw him.

3 What is the last thing you heard about him?

Herbert That he was alive.

3 That’s plenty enough. He isn’t even dying. (An old man suddenly enters the inn. He finds himself in front of Tristan and immediately recognizes him.)

Old man Who are you, pitiable pauper? If I don’t recognize you I was not born of a woman.

Tristan If you so easily recognize me as a fool you are a fool yourself.

Old man Don’t I recognize you? I travelled with you away from England. Have you forgotten your most experienced and knowledgeable pilot?

Tristan Old man, forget me. I am just a beggar.

Old man You haven’t always been.

Tristan That’s what I am now full time.

Old man That you would sink so deep!

Herbert (at the bar) Who is the old man?

1 A regular customer, well known as the most professional drunkard, a sailor, experienced as such and still used as a trusted pilot.

2 Who is your poor friend with the sad complexion?

Herbert A deplorable beggar who followed me from France.

3 Are you going across to Ireland?

Herbert That is our destination.

Tristan Old man, leave me alone. I suffer from sorrows that could be worse than yours.

Old man But you still have some hope, if you reach home. I am old and hopeless. Tristan And still I envy you for that, standing far closer to death than I. Old man Could I help you in any way? Do something for you?

Tristan Yes. You could get me a drink.

Old man Poor fellow! (reaches the bar)

3 Do you know him?

old man We travelled together once. He needs a drink. (to Herbert) Are you staying long in the country?

Herbert Not longer than necessary.

Old man Of course you wish to see the king and queen.

Herbert Only if possible.

Old man The king is no fun. But perhaps I could arrange something with the queen. Herbert If you can make it we will immediately leave the country afterwards.

Old man Our queen will surely be interested in such wayward guests as you. (carries drink over to Tristan)

2 Who are you?

Herbert I am a nameless pilgrim. My friend has never mentioned his name to me.

1 He is no leper?

Herbert Not as far as I know.

1 Beware! People bring all kinds of weird malaises from the continent.

Old man (carries the drink up to Tristan) Here you are, old boy Get drunk now. That’s what you need.

Tristan You are wiser than a doctor.

Old man You shall meet our queen.

Tristan Can you arrange it?

Old man It will happen by itself. She has been expecting you.

Tristan No risks!

Old man Of course. (leaves)

Tristan It's too easy. I fear such success. A tailwind leads only to hell, ruin, bankruptcy, and catastrophe. Resistance can be relied upon, for it compels you to exert yourself and overcome all dangers. But if all doors are opened to you, you may expect ambushes, accidents and trapdoors.

2 Your buddy seems rather sad.

Herbert Yes, he is burdened by a deep sorrow.

1 We had better take care of him. See you later.

Herbert Thanks, brothers, for your comfort.

3 (intimately) And good luck with the queen!

Herbert (frightened, but controlled) Thanks, we'll need it!

(The three guests leave. The third one gives Herbert a friendly tap.)

Herbert (to Tristan) My friend, we have come along way for this. Let us get it over with. Tristan I can't wait any longer and neither can the queen. Herbert She is expecting us. We must not keep her waiting. (They urgently break it up.)

host All is not dead in this country yet. Hope always returns, no matter how far it sometimes is driven into exile. I alone recognized our Tristan and his Herbert, but I say nothing. I just know. (cleans up after the guests.)

Scene 2. Before the stage.

Marke What happened to our joy? Where did all my love go? Why did my most honest love become my life's worst blunder? The love ended as soon as it dared to start breathing, and the worst part is that it was no one's fault. And if I weren't allowed to love, how could I let Tristan love in my place and get my wife instead of me, his father and her husband? Admit it, you witnesses, that it was quite unthinkable. Instead, we got the world's biggest boredom, and Isolde is completely frozen, while I just fret and brood over a deep cancer in my gloomy soul. And there is only one thing for which we still live on. I know the queen will thaw, but only by Tristan. Therefore we wait for Tristan, because we all know that he must come. And that is our only suspense: what will he do, when he does come back?

Meanwhile, I watch like a greedy dragon over the queen, and she can't take a step without my knowledge, and I follow. So come, my Tristan, my lost outcast son, and let's end the drama. Let our destiny play us out however it will, as long as it only gives us life and something to live for, however tragic it may be.

Scene 3. A park scene.

Isolde So at last he came back. He is welcome. Welcome, love, even if your name is death. Rather love and death than life without love. Let me love, o life, so that I may die just for my love and for the joy of feeling alive, even If It only will be by mortal love.

(Tristan is suddenly there, a beggar hooded. He turns it back and shows his face.)

Tristan!

Tristan Yes, Isolde, nothing could keep me away any longer from my only love.

Isolde Our life is death because of your coming here.

Tristan I know. That is why I came - to live at last by death.

Isolde Come then, my love, and take me away at last from myself.

Tristan Take my life, my sweetest love, but don't bereave me of your blessing, the only one in all the world.

Isolde Take me away from here!

Tristan I would indeed, if I could. It might be possible, but not now.

Isolde We are living now. Tomorrow it might already be too late.

Tristan I know. That's the risk we'll have to take. But love for the moment is enough for an eternity.

Isolde It seldom happens that two lovers have the same love for each other. It is usually unhappy, one-sided or dominated by one part, but we are like created for each other.

Tristan Yes, we are like one, although we never were united yet in one flesh. We are just a being and a thought, and we think the same thoughts and are more like a brother and sister than like lovers.

Isolde Still we are just lovers and nothing more, and that is quite enough.

Tristan Yes (They embrace and kiss thoroughly.)

Isolde Three years have passed, our separation was three years long, but nothing has changed, and you are the same.

Tristan But you are just the more beautiful.

Isolde You don't know me as queen, the frigid infamous snow queen, who never smiles. Only the thoughts of you kept me alive and prevented me from dying of my own cold. And you came, and I completely thawed immediately. Behold, I am a waterfall of tears! I've never cried before!

Tristan To cry is the warmest thing you can do. Nothing is more wholesome. A man who can't cry is a danger to all humanity, for there is no clearer symptom of pure Inhumanity.

Isolde My love, I was suich a one before you arrived. I was an inhuman frigid whitewashed coldness of only stiffness. Look now how I cry. Only you turned me into a woman. All the others only violated me.

Tristan And still I have never known you.

Isolde You are the only one who knows me, for you have never seen me naked.

Tristan It is miraculous how we may meet, speak with each other and be completely natural together, like two young siblings.

Isolde Continue like this, my love, forever.

Tristan If only it were possible.

Isolde Why would it then be so impossible? It is not fair!

Tristan I haven't said it was an impossibility. We just have to find that possibility.

Isolde The most important conditions are already fulfilled. We are here together.

Tristan But we lack liberty. You have the king and your duties, and I am outlawed.

Isolde I would rather be outlawed and with you than queen of all the world.

Tristan No one doubts your love, least of all myself.

Isolde I am so glad that you have come and that you exist.

Tristan Do you know what the limitation of love is?

Isolde No?

Tristan That it is dependent on the body. The two of us have mostly made love telepathically by thoughts and our spirits only. The body makes other demands. It requires that you have the other one's body next to you, but that body is a death trap.

The spirit is more at liberty. That way we can love each other tenderly forever and ever, if we were unbound by our bodies, that only enforces geographical synchronism.

Isolde That’s what we have now! Our opportunity is here!

Tristan But we must have continuity! We can’t just meet to immediately separate! That ruins all balance, all physical balance, security, synchronism and all harmony in all our universe!

Isolde Love me, my darling. That is all I ask for.

Tristan I want nothing more myself. (They embrace again.)

Herbert (enters) Brother, Marke is in the garden.

Tristan Let him come. I am quite busy. Not even he can disturb me.

Herbert He will do so unless you disappear.

Tristan My love, did you hear?

Isolde Yes.

Tristan We found each other but lost each other again at once. Ghat seems to be our trouble and our destiny.

Isolde Don’t give up!

Tristan Never!

Isolde Hurry! Get away! I feel Marke’s vibrations.

Tristan I obey, my darling. Just one more kiss… (They kiss.)

Marke (out of sight) Halt! Stop the intruder!

Herbert Too late! (He and Tristan disappear.)

Isolde (alone) My king! I am here!

Marke (appears) My queen, you are caught red-handed. Tristan himself has been here.

Isolde He is in exile driven away by yourself.

Marke Do you deny your incest, your perpetual adultery, your double standard and your falsity?

Isolde Is my own husband and king my prosecutor?

Tristan (at a distance) Isolde! We are one forever!

Marke (mercilessly) Yes, I am. You are guilty, and I am your judge. There is only one possible sentence for a queen’s adultery. She has to be burned at the stake.

Isolde You are driven mad by your jealousy, king Marke.

Marke Your love belongs to Tristan. That I cannot accept.

Isolde (falls on her knees) Thus jealousy drives you to lunatic intolerance!

Marke My jealousy comes only of you. Only you are responsible for your own folly.

Isolde You violator! You are naught else!

Marke I was your lover once, but you never let me have you.

Isolde And for that reason you want to kill me!

Marke I regret it. It’s the law – not me.

Isolde Then you are just sadly a coward. You yourself are the law, and you yourself deny it just to take the life of a love you don’t understand.

Marke I have to.

Isolde Nothing is more stupid than duty, when it doesn’t realize that the conscience is above the law.

Marke What is my conscience to you?

Isolde I am your wife!

Marke No, you were. Guard! Here! (enter guards.)

Imprison this wicked adulteress! She already had her sentence, for she pleaded guilty herself! She will never see daylight again before she climbs to the stake!

Isolde My king! I am a queen and your wife!

Marke Were! Take out the miserable slut!

Isolde I am just a woman!

Marke As if that could make the matter any better. As if that was some defence! Bring her out! She is lost! (The guards take her out by force.)

One queen less. If you lose a woman a thousand will stand in wait. If you lose a queen you are free to choose between millions. Who cares? A king is a king, but a woman is just a woman. (goes out after the soldiers.)

Scene 4. The market

Three workers enter to prepare the pyre.

1 Who the devil could believe such a thing?

2 Nothing new under the sun. Anyone could be reported as a witch, but only the guilty ones can be burned at the stake.

3 And what if she is innocent?

2 In that case the king has even better reasons to burn her at the stake.

1 What the devil do you mean? Would you claim, that if you are innocent of what you are sentenced for, that is even greater reasons for being executed?

2 Of course! – sentence has already been passed. If a judge goes back on his sentence, he is no judge.

3 It reminds me of the difference between a fine lady and a slut.

1 There is no difference.

3 Oh, yes, there is, just you wait and listen! If a fine lady says no she means maybe. If she says maybe she means yes. But if she says yes she is no fine lady.

1 So she is a slut.

3 But if the slut says yes she means maybe. If she says maybe she means no. But if she says no she is no slut.

1 If she is a real slut she would say, ”Money first!” You are apparently fresh in the field, you greenhorn. You know nothing about ladies. They are all sluts.

3 Except our queen if she is innocent.

2 Doesn’t she love Tristan? Were they not caught red-handed in the park?

3 It was the king’s faults who eavesdropped and spied on them. They could get no further than to the first kiss.

2 So they are innocents! The greater reason for executing them!

3 But Tristan got away. He might save her.

1 From the stake? You must know, that a burnt child dreads the fire.

2 He will never come here, for he knows that a burnt cjild smells.

3

Attention! Here comes the most perfect execution audience!

(Enter the lepers, a group in black hoods and invisible faces. They walk with chiming bells.)

Leper 1 Alms, please! Have mercy on the lepers!

1 You are just in time to bring a guest down with you in hell.

leper 1 How come? Will there be another execution?

2 Better still! A damned witch is to be burned for the sake of her cursed soul.

Leper 1 Is it anyone we know?

1 No, it’s just the queen.

leper 1 Wow! What a unique occasion for one doomed to see another become even more doomed!

Leper 2 Is it true? Will the queen be burnt at the stake?

2 Yes, burnt alive.

leper 2 We don’t see that every day. Did you hear that, brothers? They are going to burn their queen at the stake.

leper 3 Why? She isn’t a leper, is she?

Leper 2 They think she is in her soul.

Leper 4 (with black glasses) What kind of freaks are ruling the world? It would be much better ruled if we had the power, for we have nothing to lose anyway. But the servants of power only ruin the whole world since they think they could lose power, which they do anyway, and for that very reason.

Leper 3 How true, how true.

Leper 5 Give the power to the lepers! We are wiser than the whole world, for we stand outside it!

L,eper 3 How true, how true.

a soldier Calm down, you monsters. Or else we shall ride you down. If you make any trouble there will be no spectacle for you, but you will become the spectacle. You will be dressed naked and shot all of you if you don’t stay out!

Leper 3 Listen to him! He thinks he is funny!

leper 5 We have no skin left, you joker. We are just empty skeletons. Would you like to see? (stretches out a horribly mutilated arm.)

soldier Keep away, for hell’s sake! Leave us ordinary mortals alone! We don’t want to become like you!

Leper 5 (ironically) Why not, since we now are immortal?

Leper 2 Come away, brother! Don’t provoke the fools! Then their folly could turn serious!

Leper 3 Yes, let them stay and keep us calm, so that we may see the show.

Herbert (appears as a pilgrim) Poor lepers! What pleasure do you think you could get out of a bloody spectacle?

Leper 5 To see someone more beautiful than we get a worse fate than ours.

Herbert And why would that give you pleasure?

Leper 4 Don’t listen to my desperate brothers. They mean no harm, but their illness has driven them oput of their minds. Give us some alms instead.

Herbert You at least are an honest leper. (contributes a coin)

Leper 4 And you are a noble giver.

Herbert Poor fellow, it’s just tro make such as you well again that I go to Jerusalem.

Leper 4 Holy pilgrims are rare. Few know what Jerusalem is.

Herbert You must have been some scholar once. You can hear it from your speech.

Leper 4 What’s the hurry, pilgrim? Don’t you want to talk with me, or do you just loathe my illness?

Herbert I would love to kiss a leper if that would cure him.

Leper 2 You know it wouldn’t. So you don’t have to kiss him. That should make you happy.

Leper 4 (without bothering about the previous one) Or are you afraid of something? Maybe you are afraid of saying too much? Maybe you have something to hide?

Herbert Your curse has made you clairvoyant.

Leper 4 Don’t be afraid of me. If you are wise you are also clairvoyant. I am innocent but still know everything. If you are wise you could save the queen’s life for the lepers.

Herbert Now I recognize you.

Leper 4 Don’t reveal me, so that Isolde may live.

Herbert I am on.

1 worker on the pyre The pyre is ready. Only the fried meat is missing.

2 Here it comes on the hangman’s cart.

(The hangman’s cart is rolled in. Isolde is alone on it with pinioned hands.)

3 Now you will burn for having dared to love, sweet virgin.

Isolde I will gladly burn for it, for I stand for it, but none of you dare to stand for your love of your queen, or else you don’t have any, for else you would save her.

1 It doesn’t matter what you say, queen, for you will get burned anyway.

2 And you should be glad of it. For there are worse punishments than death. Marke (has entered) What are you standing here prattling for? No bickering with the queen! Her case is clear, and her sentence stands fast. Just execute, without squabbling.

1 He really wants to execute his own wife.

3 Just for the sake of a trivial kiss!

2 It is not fair!

Isolde So do something about it then, you hangmen and gravediggers!

2 We only do our jobs, and that’s what we are paid for.

Isolde Your consciences will pay you for taking money for your job!

Leper 1 Don’t listen to her! She is a witch!

Marke The leper is right! Take her to the stake!

2 Come along now, little girl, to your own spectacular execution! (She is brought from the cart up to the platform of the stake.)

Leper 2 Nothing can compete with your high position for all attention!

Leper 3 You will be a living spectacle for all times!

Leper 5 Rather say dead, for she will hardly survive her apotheosis.

Marke What are you waiting for, you maggots? Set the torch to the pyre and let’s have it over and done with!

l.eper 1 First she has the right of a curse.

Leper 2 Yes, she has the right to damn all humanity first.

Leper 3 Let’s hear her damnation!

Isolde (pinioned on the pyre) I only love. Therefore I cannot curse. I forgive you who willed my death and brought it about, for I died only for my love, and it was worth it. Think of it, all of you who never loved, and you, King Marke, who murder your wife because she dared to be in love.

Marke Enough! Set the pyre on fire!

Isolde Hear me first, King Marke! I loved you also, but you only gave me hatred for it. I wanted to give you life, but you only gave me death as a reward for it. You could

have had children with me if you wanted to, but you chose to abort all the unconceived ones. I am sorry for you, king Marke, for you will never be able to live.

Marke Enough!

Leper 5 Let the witch finish!

Isolde I curse no one. I only bless you all. And I also bless you, Marke, for I really did love you.

Marke She only wants to raise evil blood and rebellion!

Leper 1 No, she only wants to live.

Herbert One moment, gentlemen! My king! To be sure, you are worthy of all honour and glory for wanting to execute the queen for her unacceptable crimes, for everyone is in total agreement that adulterers deserve the severest possible punishment there is, since there is no betrayal worse. But then I must ask the question: isn’t burning at the stake a punishment rather mild? Is she not worth a harsher punishment?

Marke Noble pilgrim, if you know of any crueler punishment, then sing out.

Herbert If there is any punishment worse than death, we all see it in front of us right now. Here among us is a group of lepers. How would it be to give her over to them and thus give them a most suitable companion for life? Let her live with them forever in dishonour, humiliation, torture and misery without comparison. Let them degrade and defile her, as that’s what she has earned by abusing her own marriage. Let them abuse her in unrestrained freedom, just as she has abused her good name and position. Let the harlot be the serf-slave of these lepers, until she dies of their own sickness, the most horrible of all ailments. Is it not fair, king Marke, to allow the unjust beauty of the whore to be discoloured by a gradually devastating creeping external disease?

Marke Your wisdom, you holy pilgrim, is marvellous and impressive, to say the least. May your word come true immediately! Take her, leper freaks! Insult her, you most miserable of all men, and make her more miserable than you! Let me never see her beauty and bright grace again! Shave her hair off and keep her bald constantly! Let the scabies and corrosive disease gradually kill the false seductress! Never again do I want to see that pernicious pest! Give the infidel over to the wretched freaks! Hold her constantly on a rope, and watch every step she takes, for otherwise she may be as unfaithful to you as she has been to me. Waste that tart with your health! hangman (releases Isolde) Be grateful, my queen. You were allowed to keep your life.

Leper 1 Which one of us shall have the reponsibility for her? She is too beautiful for any of us.

Leper 2 Let the blind one hold the leash!

Leper 3 Yes, that is fair enough. Give her to the upstart. He can give her no eyes anyway.

Leper 5 You are hereby given the highest responsibility here, to keep Isolde on a leash. She belongs to all of us, but if you take any liberties with her you are lost.

(The fourth leper is given the rope tied to Isolde. He is brought up to her.)

4 spetälsk Frukta inte, beklagansvärda kvinna. Jag skall skydda dig med mitt liv. Ingen skall få röra dig mera.

Isolde You seem to be honest, you blind leper, in contrast to the entire world.

Leper 4 You owe thanks to my disease for that.

Marke Get away now, you miserable, and never show yourself again with that disaster! Abuse her and ravish her to death with the limbs you still have got left if any, which haven’t withered away entirely yet.

Leper 1 We will manage your queen better than your kingdom did.

Marke That’s enough! Get off!

Herbert May I show you the way to the city of Jerusalem?

Leper 4 Only you could show us the way to lighter worlds than this one.

Leper 2 Come with us, thou holy pilgrim, if you aren’t afraid of our disease.

Herbert I will be your caretaker.

Isolde Do you also know the way to paradise happiness?

Herbert The blind one has the key.

Isolde Who is he?

Herbert You’ll see when he opens the windows.

Isolde To the eyes of his soul?

Herbert Have you not suspected his secret?

Isolde Yes, but it was too wonderful to be any more than just dreamed about.

Leper 4 Stay put, you slut! You are now one of us for good.

Isolde I was never more willing to confide in a man than you, poor blind and leperous wretch!

Leper 4 I will protect you against the others.

Isolde And the pilgrim will protect us against the whole world.

Herbert So let us now go before the king changes his mind. Come, dear leper! Follow me now, and I will guide you well, and my pilgrim's staff will show the way to happiness and peace in that far-off holy land, where all is but love and bliss.

Leper 1 Don’t lie to yourself, pilgrim. We know our world much better than you do. And contrary to yours, it needs no illusions.

(The lepers go away with Isolde and Herbert.)

Marke Is she thus out of my gloomy life? Is only this pathetic lonely bachelor now left of the great happy marriage of the splendid court which I was once mad enough to hope for? All is lost, and only the shadow of this ruin of myself remains. Yet I know: she will come back one day. I can feel that. Fate does not so easily let go of the one she has once chosen for her perpetual torture. (leaves)

1 worker So all our work was in vain anyway.

2 No funeral pyre this time either.

3 It’s just to take it all down and start again from the beginning.

2 Until next time.

1 Whenever it will be.

3 Make speed now, boys! I want my lunch today! (they start dismantling the pyre)

(The stage shifts apart and shows the lepers again, Herbert and Isolde.)

Leper 1 So you are now one of us. Welcome to freedom!

Isolde They promised me you would behave like gentlemen.

2 Lepers make no promises and need to keep them even less.

4 Mind you! She is mine! I am blind! You gave her to me!

3 Yes, let the blind one handle her in peace. He doesn’t have to see that she is hunchbacked, one-eyed and full of blisters.

5

The main thing is that she will be compensated by our real disease!

(The lepers laugh with horrible roughness.)

Herbert End of the show! The market is empty, and the king has left! Of with your hoods!

(All the lepers remove their hoods. They are all healthy young good-looking men. Finally also the fourth leper removes his glasses and hood. It is Tristan.)

Isolde It is Tristan’s own men!

Herbert Pardon the masquerade, my queen, but your life depended on it.

Isolde And Tristan!

Tristan (takes her in his arms) My love! Can you forgive me such a nasty practical joke?

Isolde I could only forgive you for such manners. (throws herself in his arms.)

Herbert No time to waste! We must get away from here at once! Away! Out to our freedom!

all To the freedom beyond society and the law!

(All leave in good let alone enthusiastic moods, Tristan and Isolde with their arms around each other.)

(Appropriate place for an intermission in the performance.)

Act IV scene 1. Pastoral idyll in the forest with a hut.

Tristan The theatre is something absolutely wonderful. Everything that the masters of the world make impossible for us by restricting freedom of movement and dreary laws becomes the freest of possibilities if you just act a role in the universal theatre. There the imagination is the only law, and there are no walls or horizons that limit or degrade the freedom of movement of free thought, which by necessity must be free forever. Man is stuck in his laws, he himself has buried himself alive and lives suicidal and self-destructive only to unsoundly limit his own possibilities. But no human law controls nature. It is eternally free and alive like thought. Therefore, it is man's only right home. There are no alternatives that are not morbid and fatal.

Isolde (comes out of the hut) My friend, you seem to have slept well.

Tristan Who could do anything else? We are free. Love is ours. What more can we ask for?

Isolde I have still not become a mother.

Tristan Patience. Nature will take care of it.

Isolde I still cannot understand how you could carry out the coup by the lepra masquerade.

Tristan It was easier than expected. We needed just to be consistent in our parts.

Isolde No one suspected anything, king Marke least of all.

Tristan He is probably mourning his fallen queen now, whom he scrapped himself and who now tortures his conscience.

Isolde He would be even more miserable if he knew the truth.

Tristan He shall never know it, as little as myself.

Isolde What do you mean?

Tristan I don't know who I am. I never knew it. I am a foundling. They gave me the name of Tristan, which means Child of Mourning. No one knows anything about my ancestry. Therefore king Marke took me to himself and adopted me as his own son.

Isolde We share the same fate then. I don't know either who my father was.

Tristan Who was your mother then?

Isolde Morgan le Fay, the black witch of Scotland.

Tristan But you are blonde!

Isolde Yes, my father must have been something of my mother's contrary.

Tristan And Brangwayne doesn't know anything either?

Isolde I suppose she has her inklings. She thinks I am king Arthur's daughter and that the druid Merlin was my grandfather.

Tristan Would then your mother have seduced king Arthur?

Isolde Yes. She gave birth to twins. My twin brother was as dark as I am fair.

Tristan Who was he?

Isolde The most ambitious of king Arthur's knights. He built his career on the presumption that he was a bastard son of king Arthur.

Tristan Was it then Sir Mordred?

Isolde Yes.

Tristan We have a visitor.

(A monk approaches slowly.)

Isolde Who is he?

Tristan I have no idea. I have never seen him before.

Isolde He looks honest enough.

monk My lord Sir Tristan?

Tristan Yes

monk I heard a rumour that you were living here as an outlaw in the free forest. I have a message for you, if I may deliver it in private.

Tristan Who is it from?

monk From Winchester and Glastonbury.

Tristan And what is it about?

monk Affairs of state.

Tristan I have nothing to do with society.

monk You will still have to get it.

Isolde I leave, my dearest. You may speak with the monk alone.

Tristan It is probably nothing to bother about. (Isolde leaves.)

Well, my friend, what is it all about?

monk My mission is difficult. Ever since the death of king Arthur the country has been in disorder. It is torn asunder by civil war and anarchy, each one is his own lord, and no one has been able to give the country peace and take on the burden of king Arthur.

Tristan It's great luck then that you exist, who within the monastic sanctuarium could carry on the civilisation.

monk But we have never given up. King Arthur left a son.

Tristan I never heard anything about that.

monk A true son with queen Guinevere.

Tristan Sir Mordred was another son but a bastard, if he was a son at all.

monk And twin with Isolde. Yes, we know all about Morgan le Fay, how she seduced king Arthur and gave life to a twin brother and a sister. But Sir Mordred is dead now once and for all.

Tristan So that story is true?

monk I am afraid so.

Tristan Why are you afraid?

monk Because we now have found king Arthur's true son. He was lost as a boy, when he followed visiting Phoenicians to the south. But eventually he returned and was of great service to king Marke in Cornwall.

Tristan Monk, what are you trying to tell me?

monk King Arthur gave his son a melancholy name, for by the Lancelot affair his relationship with the queen turned into a sad story. The boy' s name - I think you can guess it.

Tristan Say it, horrible messenger from hell!

monk I am only doing my duty. I have visited you to ask you to visit the priests at Winchester to possibly accept the throne of England by them…

Tristan (totters, like thunderstruck) It is too much!

monk ...as Tristan, king Arthur's only son.

Tristan I thought I was happy. Now I have lost everything!

monk You are thinking of Isolde?

Tristan You have completely ruined our marriage and substituted it with incest!

monk No. You have lost your wife, but instead you have won a sister. And by the way: she is only your half-sister.

Tristan It is still incest nonetheless!

monk My son, I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this. But I beg of you: consider rhe welfare of the country. It must have a king. You are the only candidate.

Tristan I will come down to Winchester and speak with your order. But I cannot promise to accept your offer.

monk You are the only one who could do it. There is no one else.

Tristan You give me a crown but bereave me of my happiness. It is not a good deal. And you have not acted honestly about it. You have already ruthlessly bereft me of my happiness. Only for that it is possible that I will refuse to accept such a crown on an unjust deal.

monk You will have all the time you need to think about it.

Tristan I will come with you on one condition: Isolde must never know about it. She must never learn that she made love with her own brother.

monk You did it unawares. She will be spared such a knowledge.

Tristan At any price!

monk At any price.

Tristan Then I will come with you. I am at your service and belong to you. Do with me what you please. Let me just give Herbert some instructions. (blows a horn)

monk Your word, Tristan, is our law. Everything will be according to your wish.

Herbert (enters) What is the matter, Tristan?

Tristan Herbert, something utterly horrible has happened.

Herbert Who is he?

Tristan A monk. He is innocent. Only destiny is to blame for all our sufferings. I have to separate from Isolde.

Herbert What is this?

Tristan It has appeared that we are siblings. But she must never learn it, Herbert. Herbert Brother and sister?

Tristan Yes.

Herbert Of whom?

Tristan King Arthur. This monk has come to offer me king Arthur’s throne and sceptre.

Herbert But that is wonderful!

Tristan No, Herbert, not for Isolde. Least of all for myself. But she must never know about it. Only that can save her.

Herbert What do you want me to do?

Tristan Tell her that I have left England to receive a royal crown abroad. Tell her that I return her life and position. Give her back to king Marke. Tell him the whole truth privately. Then he will understand. And then he’ll also understand to keep quiet to Isolde.

Herbert And where are you going?

Tristan I go away never to return. The rest of my life will be a pilgrimage to nowhere, at best away from myself.

Herbert A bitter destiny, Tristan. May I follow you?

Tristan Yes, but not yet. First restore Isolde.

Herbert Yes, my friend. Everything shall be as you wish.

Tristan I knew I could trust you. (to the monk) It is time. The sooner we get it over with, the better.

monk You really are king Arthur’s son, my prince.

Tristan And it will be my death. Farewell, my friend. You will hear from me from Winchester.

Herbert You can always trust me with anything. Farewell.

Tristan Farewell. (Tristan and the monk leave.)

Herbert Off went a broken heart. That we never realized they were siblings! That explains everything. Now it’s just for us to keep the mask. If Isolde would comprehend the context her heart would break.

Isolde (enters) Herbert? Alone?

Herbert Yes, regretfully.

Isolde Where is Tristan?

Herbert Isolde, he has been called away on a different course of destiny. Isolde What do you mean? He is mine!

Herbert Not any more.

Isolde (beside herself, but controlled) What is this supposed to mean? Has Tristan left us?

With that sanctimonious monk?

Herbert His mission was to anoint Tristan king in Winchester.

Isolde Without me?

Herbert Until further. It will be a later issue.

Isolde (doesn’t believe her ears) I can’t understand it. Does a monk come here to offer Tristan power and money, and Tristan falls for it? It is impossibly absurd!

Herbert He might come back.

Isolde Never try to lie to a woman, Herbert. Woimen may lie to men, for if they see through it, they are too delicate to talk about it. But men can never lie to women, for we immediately mercilessly look it through.

Herbert Isolde, forgive me, but I don’t quite understand myself what has happened. Isolde You are withholding something.

Herbert No.

Isolde More lies! Can’t you speak any more without letting out disgusting toads in the form of pitiable lies? Have you become corrupt, Herbert?

Herbert No.

Isolde This time I believe you. It is something else. But Tristan has let me down. For what? What except power could cheat a man out of his love?

Herbert It’s not as you think, Isolde.

Isolde (furious) Then tell me how it is!

Brangwayne (rushes in) Isolde! My mistress! It is my fault!

Isolde What is now your fault, Brangwayne?

Brangwayne King Marke! I didn’t know he was spying on me! He has discovered you! (noise outside)

Isolde How could this secluded place way out in the freedom of the wilderness of nature suddenly happen to all the world’s political violations?

Brangwayne Save yourself, my lady! He is raving mad!

Marke (bursts in with his warriors) Here she is! Our chase is over! This time we will not let our prey get away! Your infernal duplicity has fooled us for the last time, Isolde! Your hellish deceitfulness has reached a dead end!

Herbert Sheathe your sword, king Marke, and swallow the froth of your madness! It’s not as you think. Tristan is not here.

A brutish soldier (who with the others already have pinioned Isolde) What shall we do with her?

Marke Burn her at the stake, but not here! Break her on the wheel, but first let her run the gauntlet home between all pimps of England! Ravish her to death! Do whatever you want with her, if you just deliver me from her for ever!

Herbert My king, a word in private.

Marke Sing it out aloud, you accursed accomplice to the world’s most infamous promiscuity!

Herbert Not in front of Isolde.

Marke What could be too strong for her, who set horns to all the world?

Herbert The truth, king Marke.

Marke What do you know that I don’t know?

Herbert (indicates Isolde)

Marke Very well! Bring her out of hearing!

(Isolde is brought out, still pinioned. Brangwayne follows her in despair.)

Brangwayne Everything is my fault, my lady! I did not know I was followed!

Isolde No one is guilty of my own destiny, Brangwayne. You learn from your victimization. That is all. (They go out.)

Marke Well, Herbert, I am waiting. Whatever you say you can’t defend them.

Herbert They are brother and sister and did not know about it themselves.

Marke (astonished) What are you saying?

Herbert They are innocent of their ignorance about their family relationship. When Tristan learned about it, he left Isolde immediately. I promised him that Isolde would never learn about it.

Marke What a tragic revelation in the middle of my most uncontrolled ire! Brother asnd sister! Of course! That explains everything! They were like siblings! That’s why they were so alike! That I couldn’t see it! Who was their father then? Who is the son whom I brought up as my own?

Herbert He is the lost son of king Arthur himself.

Marke This is indeed mighty strange what you reveal. Yes, I heard the story of the misfortunate disappearance of the crown prince. It was queen Guinevere’s fault. She was so careless. They thought Phoenician merchants had taken him. Was that the case?

Herbert He returned here in search of his identity. He never found it. But he found his sister.

Marke Whom he generously gave to me for my wife, as if he unconsciously understood her to be his own sister. So also Isolde is a royal daughter?

Herbert Yes, by another mother: Morgan le Fay.

Marke The most famous of witches. From her Isolde got her formidable art of healing. But she detached herself from her mother to instead practice healing. That was her destiny. She was too good both for her mother and for her husband. Tristan, her brother, alone was of the same quality. (cries) I am devastated! What have I done!

Herbert Everything could still work out well. Tristan gave me a recipe. Take care of our Isolde. Exonerate her completely as your queen. Tristan makes no further demands on her.

Marke Still they are only half siblings, and they have made love to each other. They are not likely to forget that. And Isolde does not know they are siblings. She is unaware of her incest. She could like to have Tristan back. Only he has loved her.

Herbert King Marke, don’t relapse into your destructive paranoia! They have suffered enough!

Marke You are right. But they must never meet again. That’s my only condition. Isolde and Tristan must never see each other again.

Herbert If I know Tristan correctly he will not accept Arthur’s crown but leave England. You are safe, king Marke. He is too well aware of his incest.

Marke Yes, I believe you, Herbert. He always had a tendency to overscrupulousness. I don’t think either he will ever come back again. We have probably lost him. (calls to his men) My men! Liberate Isolde! She is innocent!

(The men return with Isolde and Brangwayne. Isolde is set free.)

Isolde Have I had such a brilliant lawyer?

Marke Isolde, you are still my queen. Could you forgive me all trespasses and injustices?

Isolde I don’t believe my ears. Everything has happened to day that never could have happened. I am the one, my king, who have deceived you.

Marke You did not know what you were doing. Neither did I know what I was doing. But you only made yourself guilty of youthful love. My crimes were worse: violence and violation, humiliation and suppression and tyranny! Forgive me, my beloved Isolde! (embraces her tenderly and crying)

Isolde You are then the biggest of all children! Of course I forgive you.

Marke So follow me back home then, to the court, to our parties and joy! For now you shall never again suffer anything evil! You are now raised for life above every imaginable suspicion! Now you are mine, our world’s most adorable queen, and I will protect you more faithfully than the most self-effacing dog!

Isolde And Tristan?

Marke (darkly) He has left you.

Isolde I know. That’s the most inexplainable and strange of all. Do you know why?

Marke He had a better offer.

Isolde That’s what they tell me. But I don’t believe it. There is a mystery here, which only you men are aware of, and which we women were not granted access to.

Marke You are better off in your light ignorance.

Isolde Brangwayne, let us follow the whims of men and bide our time. After all the harm they have done to us, they seem to just wish us well. In time, we will find out what they are hiding from us. We have our cunning and always the last word. Lead me out, king Marke, to your court, to the feasts and the joy. We will handsomely embrace all the good things of life. But never believe again, my lord, that you could in any way lack respect for a woman. She is much more than anyone could think.

Marke You are my mistress, now and forever. Always remain my superior, you infallible woman, and lead me right, so that I never again may commit any foolish mistakes.

Isolde I actually believe you are beginning to amuse me, king Marke. (They go out, Isolde and Marke leading each other, Herbert and Brangwayne eagerly discussing.)

Scene 2. A garden in front of a palace with a balcony above. (Enter Herbert and Brangwayne from opposite directions. They meet and take each other’s hands.)

Herbert I am glad you could come.

Brangwayne Some time I could come here, and perhaps you some time could come to Cornwall.

Herbert How is Isolde?

Brangwayne I don’t know.

Herbert What do you mean?

Brangwayne I don’t know her any more. She has turned into a statue, as if her soul had frozen into a lump of ice. She is more beautiful than ever, but only a shadow of herself, a lifeless image, as if she were content to play the part of our country's figurehead and nothing more.

Herbert Does she never speak about Tristan any more?

Brangwayne She has not forgotten her lover. She can’t forget him, not understand him and not forgive him.

Herbert So she does not suspect the truth. She never must.

Brangwayne I understand that completely. But how about Tristan?

Herbert (sighs) He is completely gone, a lost soul gone astray, who has completely lost control over his destiny and himself, his life and equilibirium. He is chronically desperate and despairing out of his mind.

Brangwayne Was that why you didn’t want to see me in his company?

Herbert Yes, for that and other reasons. And I didn’t want to make his unblessedness worse and increase his pain by showing we stand in touch with you.

Brangwayne How is his unrest manifested?

Herbert In every possible way. He throws himself blindly into dire wars ignoring caution and care, as if he lived only for taking risks. He has no moderation and is more and more often getting drunk. And his sleep is bad. Often I hear him rage blindly at night, when he gets up and screams out the despair of his loneliness.... (Tristan shows on the balcony in the light of the full moon.)

Tristan Why may only wolves howl? Why are only dogs privileged to bay at the bleak spookiness of the poor moon?

Herbert (lowers his voice) Mind you, there he is! This is just one of his really bad and insufferable nights.

Tristan Why wasn't I allowed to live, love and have fun, indulge in superficiality and the delightful vanity of happiness like everyone else? There was only one I could love, only one was good enough for me, I found only one that I could trust, and fate gave us incest for its reward. How can such a fate exist if it is so unfair?

Brangwayne He suffers worse than Isolde.

Tristan We were just siblings! Not even that: we were no more than half-siblings! But so natural did all our love feel, and so genuine it was, we were so well suited for each other, that the cruelest of fates must put an end to our union forever with a cruelty worse than that of the enraged king Marke! Why were we allowed to love at all, why were we allowed to get to know and go so deep into each other's souls and hearts, if only because the cruelest of fates had to put a stop to it?

Brangwayne Is it like this every night?

Herbert Yes, almost.

Tristan I only lived for you, in you, with you, Isolde! Without you, I am more miserable than a corpse, than the Nile in a parched state, than the sea without water, than a body without a soul. I cannot live without you, Isolde. I only sigh, rage and despair. Without you, I'm lost, and I can only throw away my life. (turns to go back inside)

Herbert (calling cautiously) Tristan!

Tristan Is it Herbert? What are you doing down there in the garden? Eavesdropping my unblessedness?

Herbert You are not alone.

Tristan (suspects something but dares not believe it) Who is there with you?

Brangwayne (appears in the moonlight) I am your lifeline to Isolde, Tristan.

Tristan Brangwayne! Is Isolde as unblessed as I?

Brangwayne Yes, but in a different way.

Tristan Tell me!

Brangwayne She is frozen to the soul.

Tristan So she suspects nothing?

Brangwayne She knows nothing about your secret.

Tristan Let it thus remain. Let me perish with the truth. We go south tomorrow, Herbert. Burgundy needs allies against Lothringia. They are at a disadvantage. There at last we could have the chance of perishing with honour.

Brangwayne Tristan, you are only half-siblings! You have the right to live for your love both of you!

Tristan We only live when we meet, and we may never meet.

Brangwayne Nothing is ever impossible.

Tristan Fool children with your illusions, vain Brangwayne. I can have no more illusions, for I have loved more than was good for me or anyone.

Brangwayne Never give up your love, Tristan!

Tristan No, it dies with me. Drive off the poor chamber maid, Herbert. She is of no use. She only tears my heart asunder to make it bleed more copiously with greater pain.

Herbert This is what I feared. Come in, Brangwayne. You have to return to Isolde, but tell her nothing. Your obligation of silence to Isolde is total concerning Tristan’s fate.

Brangwayne Yes. I am deeply grieved to have caused more harm than good.

Herbert It is not your fault. Love is like that.

Brangwayne I can’t remain. Farewell.

Herbert Farewell, you loyal heart. (Brangwayne leaves.)

Tristan Life is of no use to us who have been deprived of it. I persist in my decision. Tomorrow we go to war.

Herbert Tristan, you are just escaping from destiny which only gets you more stuck in it.

Tristan So let it kill me, and I will be rid of it.

Herbert I will follow you, Tristan, and protect you whatever you do, for I don’t think you are meant to die.

Tristan Then I will only die the more certainly. We all do. Sleep now, if you can, my friend. For myself I can never find sleep again. (turns in)

Herbert Unfortunate deplorable prince! Nevertheless, I believe that his fate may still give him surprises in a favorable direction. For that’s what our destiny is, its innermost nature, what it is for. Fate alone can sort out and solve what we humans are too selfcentered to deal with for our own good. Maybe even the war may offer Tristan something? We'll see. (enters)

Scen 3.

1 soldier Victory is ours! We have taken the city! Just thirty warriors succeeded in eliminating the well established villains and their abominable tyrant!

2 It was brave but foolhardy, and we didn't get the town for nothing.

3 Thanks to the wounded Tristan we still caused its downfall.

2 Is he dying?

3 Almost. The lance he got in his side was viciously sharpened.

2 Can he make it?

1 We'll see. But he is not the one who gives up. Look! Here they come carrying him.

(Tristan is carried in on a stretcher, bleeding heavily.)

Rudolph Hold out, my dear Tristan! You are not dying. The victory was hard but the best of victories.

Bertrand Our sister is here. There is no one who can tend wounded knights better than she.

Tristan There is only one who can cure me, and she is not here.

sister Where is the warrior who gave his life for our freedom and for the liberation of the city?

Rudolf Here he is, sister. He is waiting for you. He is badly hurt.

sister Yes, I can see. (gets down on her knees by his stretcher to examine him) He has had a deep wound which is very serious, but his case is not hopeless.

Tristan I feel, my friend, that you have hands to work miracles.

sister It's my life's gift.

Tristan But still I know someone much better than you, and she is the only one who could cure me completely.

sister There is no wound that cannot be healed.

Tristan Yes, wounds in the soul. Even if you can stop my bleeding, you can't stop my soul from bleeding to death.

sister No one can cure such pains.

Tristan There is actually one. She is blond and comes from Ireland.

sister You will have to do with me for the time being, for there is no one else. Bandages! I need bandages! (She is served, and she cleans the wound.)

Tristan Pity I couldn't die when I was really at it.

sister No one dies according to his wish. You die when you are not prepared and have everything to live for, or you die too late when you already have outlived yourself.

Tristan You are as wise as my beloved.

sister Do you have a consort?

Tristan No, we were not allowed to love each other. Can you imagine anything more cruel? Never did two beings love each other as much as we, but we were separated by life and not by death but more definitely and fatally than by death itself.

sister Who was she?

Tristan My sister Isolde.

sister (checks herself) So you have a love who you could not get whose name is Isolde?

Tristan Yes.

sister My name is also Isolde.

Tristan Your name is Isolde?

sister I am called Isolde with the white hands.

Tristan Then you can cure me, if your name really is the same as my love's.

sister I am your nursing sister, and I will cure you. Trust me.

Tristan You are dark, but you have good and gentle hands. I can trust you.

sister Give yourself over to my care, and everything will be well. You are overstrained and need to sleep. What your body needs is rest.

Tristan Your gentle massage is like balsam to the soul.

sister I know my art. Forget your pain s and close your eyes. You have to get some sleep.

Tristan So come then, blessed rest, and rid me of my anguish! Come, sleep, and liberate me from the dire responsibility of my life! Let me just sleep and forget and pass out… (falls asleep exhausted)

sister He sleeps.

Rudolf Can you cure him?

sister Yes, but I need time.

Bertrand You have all the time in the world. He can't run away from you as long as he is wounded.

Rudolph We would like to have him for a brother-in-law. Do you think you could make it?

sister It will be entirely up to him.

Rudolph Of course. But your chances are good. You have the same name as his beloved, whom he never can get.

sister Who is she?

Bertrand Queen Isolde, king Marke's queen of Cornwall.

sister Trust me. I will manage him. He has no one else.

Rudolf We thought so, sister. He is all yours. (They leave.)

sister A strange destiny brought you in my way. You did not get your Isolde, but you got another Isolde instead, who could do everything for you. For she already loves you. (caresses his face) . Like my white hands remove the curls from your face, so may I always remove any danger to your life. You are safe with me, Tristan, as long as you live.

(She sits down to watch by his side.)

Scene 4. A hall of solemnity.

Rudolf This is the highest moment of celebration for all of us. Not only has our dear friend from beyond the sea chivalrously freed us from the most horrible oppression and given us and the whole of Burgundy a respite for a considerable future, but he has now chosen to remain with us and create a future for himself here as our Isolde's own husband! Welcome, dearest bride and groom, to your own formal dinner and the most wonderful banquet and highlight of our lifetime!

(Tristan and Isolde enter as newly wed bride and bridegroom.)

Tristan Dear brothers, brothers-in-law, friends and comrades, this is truly something memorable forever. I came here miserable and despairing, without hope and mostly prepared to die. I wanted to sacrifice my life for some good cause and then found your city besieged and your kingdom threatened. I gladly gave for your freedom and your future my wasted life. But fate wanted otherwise. I was condemned to life, I was not allowed to die, but I had to survive, albeit with fatal injuries that I could not cure myself. But then this angel appeared at my side from above, this lovely healer, who led me through hell and out to the light and back to a new life. It is therefore only right that she and I have now become one.

(embraces her. All cheer.)

Bertrand This is a lovely day for all humanity. Freedom is here and has now been crowned by love, the highest power in all the universe.

Isolde Take it easy, my dear. Your convalescence has only started. Your wounds may open again at any time, and you must not ride for half a year.

Tristan May I love you?

Isolde You may, if you desist from bleeding.

Rudolf All the world rejoices at this marriage! May it just hold on for long in its glory and grace the annals of France forever as a beginning of a new and better age! Bertrand Let now the banquet commence! (All are seated, Tristan and Isolde together on the places of honour.)

Rudolph A toast for the bridal couple!

Bertrand May they have a long life together! all Cheers! Hurray! (All toast, drink and cheer.)

Herbert (next to Tristan) So happy was never Isolde’s wedding.

Tristan Any news from Cornwall?

Herbert Yes. Brangwayne was here. King Marke’s quen keeps well informed about everything happening here. She knows about your wedding, but she keeps quiet. She has accepted the role as the snow queen of Cornwall without life and without hope. Brangwayne went home yesterday and did not want to see you.

Tristan Will she be back?

Herbert Never again, as long as you are happy.

Tristan Do you imagine then that I am happy? Herbert, this marriage is but a vain escape from reality. There is no one for me but the queen of Cornwall. I forsook my throne and future only because I could not have her. I never found anyone else. This darker Isolde is a melancholy substitute.

Herbert But you are married to her.

Tristan She only wants to control me and keep me in bed. Dear wife, (turns to Isolde) you must let me ride out tomorrow. I need freedom and fresh air.

Isolde My love, you must consider your health. I am to rule over your body now, for I am responsible for it, since I save its life Your convalescence has only started. Tristan And it will last all life, if you may decide.

Isolde If you don’t follow my advice, you will never get well.

Tristan (to Herbert) You hear. She thinks she is in command over me. I could never be free with her. Rather the most outrageous pain of the most unhappy love for all eternity with the hope of the one I love, the one who is the only one, than that I should become healthy and self-righteous like another harmless fool in the chain of the welfare of materialism as an ideal slipper hero condemned to eternal slavery to hypocrisy! Herbert! I can't live without the one I love. Follow me on my journey to Cornwall. (rises suddenly) Isolde (shocked) Tristan!

Tristan (clasps his side in sudden pain) It hurts. I have to go to bed. (shows a bloody hand) My wound has suddenly started bleeding. I apologize. Go on with your party in peace, but without me. Isolde, I am sorry, but I am bleeding. I can’t love you tonight. (walks out, supported by Herbert)

Rudolph You heard what he said! Go on feasting! Keep the party going! It is his own wedding feast of the whole country! The bride remains, and she is happy! Cheers, my good sister!

Bertrand Just be patient. Our Tristan is getting better. He only needs time. Isolde (remains calmly seated, holding her face) I know. I already know him. He needs attendance, for his wound is deeper than the soul. (rises) I apologise, but I have to look after my husband. (leaves) Just go on with the party. The night is long, and you will have to wait for any daybreak. (walks out.)

Rudolph You heard what she said! Carry on the party!

Bertrand Tristan’ toast! all Tristan’s toast!

(The party continues.)

Scene 5. A desolate beach.

Tristan We can’t come home in this way, Herbert. We can no longer be ourselves. I am banished, and you must not be seen in my company, for your own sake. We have to find separate ways.

Herbert What will you do?

Tristan Put on the pilgrimage outfit again. It is accepted by all. The pilgrim is the only honest traveller, for he never travels from anything but always to his sacred goals. But I am just a fugitive, condemned to run away forever towards nowhere, and doomed to be forced to constantly return to the light that is my only life and which consumes me.

Herbert Now you are melodramatic again.

Tristan What else can I be? I am just a lover and nothing else! Love knows no limits, it has no laws, everything is permitted, and no limit can be transgressed, for there is no bottom. You just throw yourself out and fall forever. The more you make a fool of yourself, the more you love. I've been an outcast, I've been a leper, no humiliation is

enough for me. I can always sink deeper. See here! (throws himself on the ground and rolls around, pours dust over himself, dirties himself.) Now I'm like a pig but worse! Like a harmless fool and as an idiot, I will appear for my beloved in all the humility that love demands, for love cannot exist without requiring sacrifice!

Herbert Don’t exaggerate though, Tristan.

Tristan Love can never be exaggerated. It is true and real, or it is not at all. Every inhibition and limitation is threat to love, a mortal threat to life itself and an unjust unreasonable blasphemy! There is nothing more sacred than true love, and against it everything else is just base and ugly.

Herbert Take no risks though, Tristan.

Tristan You must not take any risks, for you must survive me. So leave me for my destination and find one of your own which is better.

Herbert If you fall I will fall with you.

Tristan You don’t know what you are talking about. Rather say with all the wisdom of the world: let everyone save himself who can! There is no more certain doom than to join one who has chosen to follow the perdition of love in defiance of the whole order of the world. Follow me if you can, but you will see that you cannot, for a true love burns and despairs only in solitude. Its fate is the most hopeless self-destruction, and it is a lonely downhill course that can only end in disaster.

Herbert So I leave you alone. You have chosen the perfect disguise: the pious idiot, and no one will be able to discern any Tristan in it any more. But I am known as a pilgrim, and mostly to protect you I should not be seen with you.

Tristan You know me, my friend. We’ll see each other again when my mission is over.

Herbert Just mind that you don’t start bleeding. Your wounds must not open again. Tristan They may open when I shall die, bit I still have my Isolde to be able to see at least one more time.

Herbert I will piously retreat into the background of your theatre.

Tristan Do so. See you after the show.

(The depart in different directions.)

Scene 6. King Marke’s court.

Marke And would I then let others gain a footing in our free Celtic land and give over our freedom and independence to barbarous strangers?

People (outside) A madman! A madman!

Marke What noise is that?

A duke My king, it’s some poor obsessed devil with whom the people amuse themselves.

Marke The whole world politics is only a charade, but none of the jesters in this mad masquerade is in the least funny, for they are so crazy that they take themselves seriously. Then simpler people have more sensibility, who laugh at jesters who are so funny that they are not infrequently wiser than the whole world.

duke This is some drooling pauper which the entire village the whole morning has enjoyed making fun of in malicious joy.

Marke No one must be mobbed in Cornwall. This is a free country, as long as the Celts are ruling it.

A knight We can’t keep the irresistible Angles out of the country forever. They are too bellicose and aggressive, and we are too kind and civilized.

Marke (to Isolde) Your island is better off. It is isolated.

Isolde (cold) So is every man who is himself.

Marke Could you counsel us in our problem with the English militarism?

Isolde Don’t resist the evil, but embrace it with love, and it will turn out good.

Marke Yes, that is very Christian and humble, but it demands sacrifice.

Isolde But sacrifice for love is never in vain.

Marke Shall we then open our country to the villains and say ”Welcome”?

(The gate is opened, and some scoundrels push the drooling idiot Tristan inside, who has his skull shaved leaving just a cross of hairgrowth left. He looks crazy enough.)

Sscoundrel 1 (Herbert) Get him in!

2 Let him preach to the court!

3 Show now what you are good for, you blighter!

4 Try to amuse the king and queen with your ridiculous somersaults! (They kick him in to court, mocking him with laughter.)

Tristan (irrecognizable, rolls in, stretches out his arms to the court and calls, as if to embrace them all) Dear friends, here I am!

Marke (rises, indignant) What kind of foolery is this? A dancing bear?

knight It’s just a clown and idiot. Let the poor devil amuse us. We could need a break in the sad affairs of state.

Marke He seems more pitiable than funny. We don’t want any beggars around here. Why do my people send such a miserable and pathetic freak in to our court? Is there an uprising?

A servant He is just a rascal and odd pauper who was found out in the street. People got so much fun out of him that they had the audacity to chase him in here to cheer the court up.

duke There is no ill will. Just an innocent prank.

Marke Who are you, miserable wretch?

Tristan (bows and stretches out his arms) I am your son or the queen’s brother. Choose whatever you would like to have me for. (The court laughs.)

Marke (appalled) Drive the cursed fool out!

Tristan Alas, don’t chase me away! For ten years I lived in exile without a home! Let me stay here inside! It is raining outside!

Knight (to the king) He means no harm. Let’s have some fun with him. (to Tristan) Where do you come from then?

Tristan Fom the icecold south, where you are always freezing in contrast to here, where it is always nice and warm, for here you are at home, but in the south there are only foreigners. (People laugh.)

duke That fool is what we need. A good laugh is better than all politics.

Marke (to himself) This fool sees more than I can bear. Don’t I have enough of all the troubles of the world? Then someone coming here telling me the truth is the drop, which the replenished cup of my sufferings no longer can endure.

knight My friend, that is no answer to my question, though your answer is true and fitting enough. Are you really at home in Cornwall?

Tristan Your queen must surely know who I am and from where I originally came, for she is as alien a bird in Cornwall and the world as I am.

duke Are you from Ireland?

Tristan I wish I were.

duke Why?

Tristan There are no adders there who mortally bite innocents in their foot when they walk in the rose garden of love in pious one-sided consgtructivity.

knights And what snakes do you then find in England?

Tristan The poisonous snakes of slander, power and envy.

Knight (to Marke) That fool knows more than he knows what he is talking about.

Marke Do you mean that he doesn’t know what he is saying?

duke He speaks symbolically in riddles like a minstrel or dreamer or prophet.

knight And how did you come to the country? How did you travel here?

Tristan If I said that I came here riding on a camel, you would not believe me. Nor would you take my word for it if I said that I came riding here on a horse or a donkey, for that would be too simple. Madmen are not that rational. Therefore I will tell the truth. I came here flying.

knight Flying? How?

Tristan Yes, I flew here on the wings of the soul.

knight Do you mean your arms?

Tristan No, don’t make fun of me. Are you so feeble-minded that you cannot grasp an allegory? The two wings that I flew here on were of course the wings of love! A dwarf That maniac is in love! (roars with laughter)

Brangwayne (as a fine lady) Is it true? Are you in love?

Tristan Yes, more than anyone else.

Brangwayne And who is then the victim of your misfortunate love?

Tristan An icecold and dead poor snow queen.

An old alcoholic veteran Yes, this is the right country for withered old maids frozen in snows and wooden dummies!

Brangwayne And who is then this icy snow queen?

Marke (to himself) This is most interesting.

Tristan She was not always frozen. She lived once and was human. But by destiny she was transformed into a sad and lonely and quite forlorn and tired poor statue of snow. As a snow queen she is still as beautiful though as she was as human. The snow woman's beauty is frozen but thereby so well preserved.

Marke Who was this snow queen?

Tristan You know that better than I, lord clown, for that is what you must be wearing both cap and bells! (indicates the crown and sceptre. All laugh.)

Marke Fool, your impertinence could cost you your life! Are you then completely blind to the limits imposed by common decency?

Tristan And you dare to speak of decency, who has all the power in the country and is responsible for its downfall? Don't you know, mighty fool, that there are no limits to the common folly of man?

Brangwayne I wish to hear more about your poor snow queen. What more do you know about her?

Tristan My mission here was to try to bring the snow statue back to life. I wanted to awaken the frozen one to life, but it hasn't succeeded. And consequently I will leave here, satisfied with having seen the frozen one as lovely as in those days, when I was not yet mad. (turns around to leave.)

Isolde (rises) O fool, remain for yet a moment. I would also want to ask you something. Is it true that you married again, although you already belonged to the snow woman?

Tristan Yes, I married again, for my marriage with the one I loved and who froze to death was later proved illegal beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Isolde Whom did you then marry again?

Tristan A queen with the same name as the white frozen one. But this wife of mine is a corpse, and I prefer living ice statues to a corpse.

Isolde So you have not betrayed the tragically frozen one?

Tristan And I never will, for as little I shall betray her as I ever will be able to love my beloved again. Let me now pose a question to my mistress…

Marke Why do you call her your mistress?

Tristan Because she is my sister in captivity. Listen now, my mistress and sister in folly, who wears a fool's cap like your funny unwedded husband…

Marke Listen now, why am I her unwedded husband?

Tristan You know that better than myself, as the only man she has had with horns!

Marke No now…

duke Calm down, my king. Let the people have fun with him. You can see for yourself: the court has not had so much fun since the dwarf at the altar tied the bishop's shoelaces together!

Tristan Now I ask this fool's mistress, who is my sister in folly and the highest hen in the chicken farm next to the rooster who seems to get knocked off at any moment…

Marke This is going too far! Impertinent immigrant, idiot and freak! Get lost!

Tristan You can't be both idiot and freak. That is a tautology.

Marke You are then wise enough to even be able to argue about grammar and logic?

Tristan There is no limit to my folly.

Marke Then tell me explicitly who you really are. Leave all riddles and roundabout sophistries aside.

Tristan O thou highest of fools, you speak as if you knew more of that matter than myself. I then ask you to tell me yourself who I am.

Marke Then I suggest that you are Tristan, my foster son, the queen's lover. (The entitre court explodes in laughter. All laugh their sides off except Isolde and Marke, and they can't stop laughing. Even Isolde smiles.)

Tristan Dwarf, your reply.

dwarf (bows politely) My dear king, it is now my obligation to announce that you today have won the prize for explicit foolery. Congratulations, and welcome! offers his cap and bells)

Marke (pale) I don't get it.

Duke Don't take it seriously, my king. It is just so funny that you yourself can believe that this most wretched, dirty, vile lunatic could have been Sir Tristan, the most dashing of all knights. Tristan, as everyone knows, sleeps safely down in Burgundy with his new queen Isolde with the white hands, who loves him better than you did.

Marke So it was all just a joke?

Duke But a good one, wasn't it, your majesty?

Marke (collects himsel) No, it was not good but very unpleasant and painful. Drive off this madman now, so that we don't have to embarrass ourselves any more of his extremely inappropriate and indecent nonsense talk!

Tristan Yes, I could actually leave here now with a clear conscience, for I succeeded in making the snow woman somewhat more alive.

Marke Then at least tell me, fool, who this snowwoman is?

Tristan (more serious) So let me tell you, father and king in our folly, that this snowwoman was this court, this state, this pious establishment, this castle, this country, this city, this people, this society, all you self-righteous victims of stagnation, you and your wife. You were all frozen in your heart and have been so ever since you broke up with a beautiful and wonderful love story between a young man and a certain young girl who was blonde. Since the good beginning of love was misled and banished, nothing more has been any fun on this unfortunate island. But today you have laughed, for this very love has again been faintly glimpsed, if only for a moment, and therefore the sluggish cold ice of the North has begun to melt. And thus my task is accomplished. I have seen that my snow queen is still as captivating as she will always remain for eternity, and that she can be made to melt at any time. The madman has fulfilled his duty and can take his leave.

(bows deep to the king and all the court. Leaves.)

Isolde Brangwayne, I am content for today. Once more I have had a real theatre performance. So let us now retire.

(leaves with Brangwayne)

Marke (to the knight and the duke) I suggest that we ajourn the important political issues of today to another day.

knight We agree. It is enough for today.

duke You would gladly forget all about the world for good if you just could devote yourself to more important matters like today’s theatre play.

(leaves. The court is dissolved.)

Herbert But why didn’t you stay any longer? You could have been with the queen for some while more.

Tristan My friend, if I had stayed, I would really have risked a scandal. The king was not in the mood for any humour and not set for any friendliness. He could easily have killed me just out of rage and without having recognized me. I reached my goal. My Isolde got to see that I still loved her. Without anyone being offended by what we said, and without anyone understanding it, we understood that we both still only loved each other.

Herbert Yes, no one found anything offensive in your sapient conversation.

Tristan I want to thank you for your contributions. If you hadn’t been on the spot as my worst maligner and tormentor, I would probably never had found my way into the castle. You kicked me in, and I am eternally grateful for that.

Herbert Bosh, that was nothing. It was just a pleasure to support a veritable comedy.

Tristan Which had such a cruel tragedy though for a background.

Herbert Every true comedy has. There is no real comedy which isn’t a tragi-comedy, like there is no real tragedy which isn’t sprinkled with humour and a vital self-irony.

Scene 7.

Tristan You have seen many fool’s plays.

Herbert But no greater actor than yourself.

Tristan Just wait until the play is over. Then you may applaud. voices There they are!

another We’ve got them!

(Suddenly Tristan and Herbert are surprised by knights, who surround them. Enter king Marke.)

Marke So it was you after all, Tristan, who in violation of your promise never to see Isolde again came here for an infamous visit.

Tristan Only I am guilty. My friend here is innocent.

Marke Yes, you alone are accountable. You had me ridiculed to my court today, and people will never forget it. As a fool you turned me into a fool. guilty. That I cannot forgive.

Tristan So kill me then. I deserve it according to your law.

Marke No, I cannot kill you, for I have brought you up as my son. I have kept my promise to you not to reveal to the one we love that she is your sister. But you have not kept your promise to abstain from her, and do not intend to keep your promise in the future either! Rip off his clothes! (The Jacks do so. Marke discovers his bandage for the wound in his side.)

So this is your famous stigmata. Like another savior, you walk with holes in your side. Let the world know about it. (tears up the bandage. The deep wound immediately begins to bleed profusely. Tristan's pain becomes unbearable.)

Pilgrim, take care of your sick man, and keep him at home in bed. If he comes back to England one more time, he is dead, and no longer my son.

Herbert He almost died of this wound already once. Now you yourself have made it worse.

Marke Really? And don’t you think it was intentional? Leave your country with the human wreck! Abuse it with your own health!

(leaves angry with his men)

Tristan (bleeding to death, on the ground on his knees) This is the end.

Herbert We have to get to France. The ship is waiting.

Tristan Death waits for me in France.

Herbert No, you have another Isolde there.

Tristan A mere shadow whom I cannot love.

Herbert My friend, don’t be childish and sentimental now! As long as we live we have to live, and in order to live at all we have to exceptionlessly cooperate. (Takes Tristan on his shoulders) Come along now, and don’t pass out until we find a bed.

(They totter out together.)

Act V scene 1.

A room in a castle with a big open window in front, where you see the sea. Tristan ill in bed in a fever. Isolde the dark by his side.

Isolde My love, you have to relax and give yourself over to rest. Or else you will never have peace.

Tristan Dear Isolde, your care is the best in the world, but no even you could cure the wound in my heart.

Isolde Yes, if you allow me.

Tristan Although I would let you, you would never succeed, for my wound is deeper than anyone can imagine.

Isolde If only you would give yourself up to my care and allow me to cure you, nothing could impede your convalescence.

Tristan Nothing is impeding it, and yet it is impossible, and the wound in my soul is deeper than the deep cut in my side. All the world’s art of medicine is impossible in my case, Isolde, for my wound is both my love and my guilt.

Isolde Love is always innocent if it is true.

Tristan Not in my case, Isolde.

Isolde You speak in riddles.

Tristan There is only one way to cure me.

Isolde Tell me about it, and I will cure you at once.

Tristan Only Isolde the blonde could cure me.

Isolde We have gone through this before. King Marke will not allow her to go.

Tristan He tore up my wound. Would you like to see me dead like he would do?

Isolde Never in my life.

Tristan Then get me Isolde the blonde, or I will die.

(enter Herbert with Brangwayne)

Herbert Queen Isolde and Tristan, Brangwayne has just returned from Cornwall.

Tristan (hopeful) Any word from Isolde?

Herbert She thinks she could get Isolde the blonde here, if she is escorted by king Marke himself

Tristan I have nothing againstg him. He had every right to punish me for having broken my promise.

Brangwayne My queen has heard that you are lying on your death bed, prince Tristan. She has also heard that you believe that only she could save you. That has placated king Marke. It is not impossible to get her here.

Tristan That could save my life.

Isolde the dark Get her here then, and let’s see what she is good for. Perhaps she could teach me something.

Brangwayne It is not certain that king Marke would allow her to go, but if he himself would follows I can see no impediment. We would just have to make him temporarily let go of his power and responsibility.

Tristan The most deadly disease is the one associated with power. Its responsibility makes its slave imagine that he is indispensable, and that if he let go of his responsibility, his vain illusion of power, the whole world would perish. But the world has never ended whoever died. No one is indispensable, not even Jesus Christ, who died without anything significant happening. King Marke will come. I am his foster son, I am dying, and only the one we love can save me. If he understands that, he will come. Brangwayne I believe that as well.

Herbert I will go with the loyal Brangwayne, and I will not come back unless I bring both Isolde and king Marke with me.

Tristan I believe you, my most faithful Herbert. But come back in any case, even if you don't get any of them with you. If you make them follow, your ship will carry the

whitest sails. But if King Marke will let me die without giving me a chance to see my own sister again, then your ship will carry the blackest sails. My watchwoman here, as faithful as you, will watch over the blue horizon every day until you come. And if one day she sees your ship with a black sail, I will know at last that I will die. But if she sees your ship with a white sail, I know that it is the signal that life may begin anew.

Herbert We will be back with just the whitest sails and both your father and sister.

Tristan You almost make me believe you.

Herbert Come, faithful Brangwayne. We must not lose one day.

Brangwayne Yes, I know. Also my mistress Isolde is impatient in this case and wants to see me back at the soonest

Herbert We will sail at once with the tide, Tristan.

Tristan At least I will live, Herbert, until your ship returns.

Herbert (to Isolde) Take good care of the patient. He is on your responsibility.

Isolde Trust me. (sits down by Tristan)

Brangwayne I think everything could end well, if we just could get the whole family reunited.

Tristan I am the weakest link, but I will not break until someone else does.

Herbert Live well, Tristan, until we return. (leaves with Bfrangwayne)

Isolde Now it’s only you and me.

Tristan My dear guardian.

Isolde I am your wife.

Tristan The strange thing is, Isolde, that although you are my wife and not at all related with me in any other way, you are more like a sister top me than Isolde the blonde, who although she is my sister still remains the only one I could really love.

Isolde So your nurse and wife could never have your love?

Tristan It doesn’t look like it. Death will take me by love before you will have time to get me.

Isolde As your wife I will still always be faithful to you and do my duty.

Tristan I believe you. You have the best will in the world. But what is it against the providence of death and love, the greatest power of all?

Isolde Sleep, Tristan, and forget your pains and sufferings.

Tristan Only they keep us alive. But I am in your care.

(Tristan seems to fall asleep. Isolde watches, but when Tristan is asleep she goes over to the window to watch the sea.)

Isolde What will I do if the other one comes? We love him both and can’t exist in the same room. It is fifty meters down to the rocks and the beach, and it would be easy to throw oneself out. That would be an exit if she comes, for if she comes I will no longer be needed.

(remains by the window.)

Scene 2. The court of king Marke.

Marke What the devil do I care if Tristan is mortally ill? He only has himself to blame! What did he come here for if not to look for death? Let him find it, if he is so eager about it! I have nothing to do with his fate.

Brangwayne King Marke, he is your only son.

Marke My only bastard son! I know neither who his mother nor who his father was! It could be a bluff that he was of royal descent, as those Christian deceivers tried to make us believe! The devil knows why I took care of him at all!

Brangwayne But you brought him up to be your heir You have no one else. This is perhaps your last chance to see him again alive.

Herbert This is a chance of reconciliation for the while family. You can’t afford to miss it.

Isolde I will go to France with or without my king’s permission, but I would rather that he followed me home to his dying son.

Brangwayne Forget your vanity, my king. Your humanity is more important.

Marke So you think my and Isolde’s visit could save his life?

Herbert We know it.

Brangwayne No one can save his life except her miraculous healing powers, which even you once were saved by. Do you want to grudge your son and heir the life you yourself were granted as a gift?

Marke (rises in an ger) He is not my son!

Brangwayne But you are responsible for his life, especially if he dies.

Marke Very well, I will follow. Let’s see if we could have an end to this eternal conflict. Its intolerable weight has been grating on my nerves for too many long years. You will have it your way, Isolde. You may save his life, like you saved mine from the dragon in Ireland, and I will follow as your husband and as his father.

Isolde Your humility, my king, is far greater than all the power in the world.

Herbert Let’s go. Let’s not lose any more day. I almost have the feeling that our timeglass no longer has any margin to offer.

Tristan Isn’t the ship coming soon, Isolde?

Isolde I can’t see it.

Tristan Yes, you said that now for an eternity of waiting. “I can’t see it.” Is that all you can say?

Isolde Yes, what do you want me to say except the truth?

Tristan Say then for God’s sake that she is coming, that the white sail is showing on Herbert’s own ship, that the saviour, my beloved, is here, and that I will have a reason to live!

Isolde And what would it help even if I lied to you? She wouldn’t come even in that case.

Tristan Everything you say is but cold showers, as if you wanted to take my idealism and optimism away from me with everything that could save me from death.

Isolde I am just realistic.

Tristan No, Isolde, you use realism for a reason to shrink my life and force my soul down into your narrow frames.

Isolde You are sick, my beloved. You are just delirious.

Tristan Such are all women. It is their sport to strip the man of more than just his clothes until they have drunk up his soul. Then he becomes maneuverable, so that they can control him and rule him. Their male ideal is the slipper hero, the man without soul

Scene 3. Like scene 1.

and freedom. You are only a woman, dearest Isolde, a case too narrow for the man. No matter how hard you try, you can't force me into it.

Isolde Still you love the other one, she the blonde one, who is just a woman like me.

Tristan No, Isolde, she is different, for she loves me and knows me. You never did. She is my sister, and we are united by destiny and the strange mechanisms of its enigmatic providence. Her soul and mine belong together by bonds that only can be understood and interpreted by the stars.

Isolde (to herself) There he goes wandering again, going lost in his mind. He is constantly getting more and more sore on my nerves. Where do I get all my patience from?

(discovers something at the horizon)

But what sight is that afflicting me? It must be Herbert’ ship with white sails. Now the crisis is here. Now my world is destroyed, and all hope is gone. Time is running out of my hands for the sake of this other woman, who now will force herself upon me to destroy me by confirming, that I loved my husband in vain.

Tristan What are you seeing, my dear nurse? Your look has focussed on something arriving by the horizon.

Isolde Yes, it is a ship.

Tristan What does its sails look like?

Isolde I can’t see. It is still too far away.

Tristan Tell me quickly whether its sails are black or white!

Isolde It is difficult to see.

Tristan You must be able to see it!

Isolde You can ’t command my vision to see what it cannot see.

Tristan Then you are blind!

Isolde I am doing as well as I can.

Tristan You are hiding something from me! Why won’t you tell me the truth, that the sails are black?

Isolde I can’t see. It’s so foggy this day. Sometimes the ship is entirely lost in its mists.

Tristan Then tell me at least what you think the colour of the sail is! What do you think?

Isolde It looks kind of gray.

Tristan Neither black nor white then! Perhaps it isn’t even Herbert’s ship!

Isolde I can’t see clearly, but it looks like Herbert’s ship all right. No other ship is that large.

Tristan Then the sails must be white or black!

Isolde How you keep on nagging! Calm down! Have patience! You will know when the ship comes closer.

Tristan No, I have to know now! Mhy life depends on it! You know it! Tell me it is black, so that I may die and be free and abandon life. Or tell me it is white, and I will know, that I still have a reason to live.

Isolde It looks yellowish

Tristan Yellow! You are pulling my leg! Is plague itself on board then?

Isolde No, I must have seen wrong. It is probably green.

Tristan Whatever is the matter today with your eyesight?

Isolde The light is so difficult bnright, and the sea reflects the sun through mists and fog, so that the light is broken and there are rainbow colours. The constant shifts are difficult to define.

Tristan Still the ship is coming here?

Isolde Yes. Now I can see. The colour of the sail is red.

Tristan Are you then colour blind? It was green just a moment ago.

Isolde At least it looks red.

Tristan Are you sure then?

Isolde Rather sure.

Tristan Could Herbert then have chosen red sails if he lacked black ones? But then Isolde is not there. Then my hour is struck.

Isolde No, now I see. The sails are quite blue like heaven itself.

Tristan You stir up my bile and drive me furious by trying my patience so hard that I will burst. But you are just twisting around. To spare me you don’t want to admit that you see the black sail on my boat of death. I understand. Then I can die.

Isolde My friend, you see me through, and I am sorry. Now the ship reaches the shore, and you must anyway learn it sooner or later. But am I to give you notice the meaning of which could be death, when all I want is just to give you life?

Tristan So his sails are black?

Isolde Yes, they are black, I regret to say. He is coming up alone from the shore now. He looks rather exhausted. I can’t tell you how much I regret the faithlessness of your Isolde.

Tristan Burst, my heart, and pour out, my heart’s blood! Now it cannot brace for one more beat, for my beloved has abandoned me. (passes out)

Isolde (When he gives his last sigh she wakes up and realizes suddenly what she has done.)

No, Tristan! I was mistaken! I was wrong! The sail is shining white! Your beloved is on! She is here with Herbert and Brangwayne and maybe even king Marke! Live, my beloved! I lied to you, me poor unfortunate accursed woman!

(Embraces Tristan and breaks down crying, lulling him to recall him to life while she cries constantly more desperate.)

Live, my Tristan, live! Tell me that you are still alive! Open your eye and meet your beloved! Don’t die from her now when she at last is coming to you! (cries desperately without letting go of Tristan.)

(enter king Marke, Herbert, Brangwayne and Isolde They make a halt at the scene.)

The dark (sees her and releases Tristan) He is yours now. You came too late.

the blonde No! (embraces him and examines him quickly.)

(Herbert and Brangwayne also come forth. King Marke comes up more cautiously and expectantly)

The blonde He has lost much blood. His pulse is very weak, bu the still has a breath of life left. Herbert, hot water, quickly! (Herbert acts immediately, sees a jar with hot water, pour it out in basin and carry it to Isolde and Tristan, while Isolde rubs him, trying in vain to recall him to life. Finally she uncovers the bandage of the wound, which is bleeding again.)

The blonde (to the dark) How have you really tended him?

The dark Better than you who weren’t here.

The blonde You could at least have hindered him from bleeding to death.

The dark You are all his murderers, not I.

Marke (comes forth) No, my daughter-in-law, I alone am his murderer.

Herbert King Marke, you only did your duty as king. I am to blame, who did not protect him any better.

The blonde Be quiet then! If you want to fight over your blood-guiltiness, then go out and do so! He lives! Tristan you are living! (kisses him long and deep) If my spirit still could give you life, then live! I will never leave you, but if you leave me I will leave my

world just to never part again from the only soul that was dear to me. I love you, my Tristan, more than life. (kisses him again.)

Tristan (opens his eyes, very weak) Isolde! Am I then in paradise?

Isolde (glad) No, you are at home, for I am with you in life!

Tristan Can it be true?

Isolde It is quite true.

Tristan But my guardian here told me that Herbert carried black sails. (Everyone looks at the dark.)

The dark I saw wrong. I regret the mistake.

Isolde (ignores her) It does not matter. My love, I am here now. I can bring you back to life. We shall never part again.

Tristan It is too late.

Isolde No!

Tristan My heart has already broken.

Isolde No! I can heal it!

Tristan A broken heart is a broken heart. All my blood has run out. The only thing I have left is all my pain. That is now the last thing I have left to give you. I'm dying, Isolde. We have walked life's hardest thorny roads here together, but we are still together. Nothing has been able to separate us, not even the fact that we have both married in separate places. We must not part anymore when we have made it so far together. Don't live with the pain I have left. Come with me, sweetest, my beloved, and let us live freely, far away from all envious low people.

Isolde No one can stop me from following you, Tristan, further away than eternity.

Tristan So our love was true and real. May it so remain. (dies)

Marke (advanceing, to the dark one: ) If you said that we carried black sails, it was the meanest deceit, for no one mixes black and whíte together and believes white is black if not to distort reality.

The dark I was Tristan’s wife, and my love for my husband was more natural and justified than hers. (points at Isolde)

Isolde (can’t believe her ears) And with what right can you with such outrageous insolence claim a more sacred love than the religion?

The dark Insolent sanctimonious strumpet! You blame me for shamelessness? You tart, who was his own sister! You who indulged in bloody incest!

Isolde (can't believe her ears) What is she saying? What's this I can't understand? My love is dead, and the whole world is falling apart. What are you withholding from me? I clearly see in your faces a hypocrisy of terrible proportions. (to the dark one) How could you, who by a malicious lie took the life of my own husband, deliver accusations of inhuman iniquity?

The dark (laughing with scorn) You were a natural sister of the man you sacrificed for your caprice. Ask them! They know! (indicates the other three)

Isolde (cautiously, to the others) What are you talking about?

Herbert Sweetest Isolde, you and Tristan had a father in common, and he was king Arthur himself of Camelot. Your Tristan was rightful heir to the throne of Arthur. He denounced that right for the only reason, that that right made him your brother. He would rather abstain from both you and the throne than risk letting you know you were his sister.

Isolde So he let me remain in my innocence of our incest. Now I understand everything. And that's why you took me back, noble king Marke.

Marke But I did wrong. I alone am to blame most of all. You were only half siblings, for you did not have the same mother. And I should have allowed you to live with each other, for there was nothing wrong with the truth of your love. It was more perfect than anyone on this earth.

Brangwayne (goes up to Isolde and takes care of her) My queen, you still have everything to live for and especially your memories.

Isolde (releases herself) Don't touch me! What do you mortals know about real love? I have known it, and you killed it for me, you, his false wife, you, my haughty husband, you my lady-in-waiting whom I trusted blindly, and even you, our loyal Herbert! ör mig inte! Vad vet ni, dödlige, om verklig kärlek? Jag har känt den, och ni dödade den för mig, du, hans falska maka, du, min högmodige make, du, min tjänarinna som jag litade mig blind på, och till och med du, vår trogne Herbert! No crime is greater than cruelly concealing the truth from others, if you know it! Tristan thought he was sparing me by withholding the knowledge of this paternity from me, but the truth can never be contained for long, and if it is cruel, it grows crueler with time. Now Tristan is dead, but I remain his only beloved, and nothing can make me for your sake descend from his level to you pitiful hypocrites and feigned parasites on our love! Forget Isolde, for she has had enough of common mortal human baseness! (rushes to the window, glances hastily out to ascertain the possibility) Yes, that's high enough. My Tristan, I am yours! Here I am! May our love never reach its bottom or any end! You asked me to follow you! Here I am! (hurls herself out)

Herbert and Brangwayne (rushing both to the window) Isolde!

Marke Too late. She was always ahead of us. We mortals will never catch up with true love.

Brangwayne And would I then remain and go on living, who only lived for her? Let me follow you, Isolde!

Herbert (holding her back) She died for love, for Tristan's love. You don't have the same justifiable reason for suicide.

Marke Let us accept our punishment instead, Brangwayne. Let us live just for mourning, and may we live thus for long.

The dark I am the youngest and carry the greatest blame. It was me and not her who should have been flung from the window.

Herbert Then live with your heavy guilt, you dark widow, who took the life of your husband and his love. That shall be your punishment. We will go home. - We can't do anything more here, king Marke.

Marke Except to bury Tristan.

Brangwayne With Isolde by his side.

The dark Then take me also, for the sake of hell! My life is still just a failure anyway! This is the only sensible thing I ever did with my life! (runs to the window and throws herself out with a horrible scream.)

Herbert May this victim be the last one.

Marke Come, Brangwayne. (takes care of her) Someone has to live on.

Brangwayne The dead are now happy, for they are free from our life.

Herbert (places himself by the window, looks out) We can't retrieve their bodies The sea has already buried them.

Brangwayne They are free.

Marke But we can bury Tristan with all the honor, glory and circumstance which that knight deserved. No one was like him. And may Isolde's name be forever engraved not only on his tombstone but also in history and our memories. May they never be separated again.

Herbert Our king has spoken. Marke Let us mind the funerals. (takes tenderly care of Brangwayne, who is crying, and leads her out.)

Herbert ( by Tristan's death bed) Noblest among friends, warriors and hearts, farewell. And if we who are left behind have anything else to live for, let it be to honour, cherish and preserve the memory of the love story in which we had the honour to participate. We will never leave you, my noblest companion, and you, sweetest Isolde, but we shall all follow you and your example and thus learn something of your high example of love and its sanctity. For never again shall it be said that ever a love was in vain. (kneels by the bed and bends his neck in silent tribute.)

Curtain.

Post script.

This dramatised version of the story of Tristan and Isolde is entirely based on the results of John Bede's research and Celtic (Irish) family traditions, as they are recounted in the third and fifth part of the epic "Gothic History". We have chosen though to transfer the action from John Bede's geographical fantastics to its more traditional settings with Cornwall at the centre. Then try to establish which version is the more truthful. We content ourselves with observing, that both could be equally truthful, though John Bede's version goes much deeper psychologically, since a dramatization has to adapt to narrower frames than the wonderful limitless possibilities of the epic poem.

Verona, Easter Eve 3 April 1999, commenced in Greece 18.3.99, written out in Gothenburg 16-21 August 2003, translated in October 2024.