Super Short Summary

Philaster by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher is a Jacobean tragicomedy set in a fictionalized Sicily, where Prince Philaster, the rightful heir to the throne, contends with the ruling King of Calabria, who plans to usurp him by arranging a marriage between his daughter Arethusa and the Spanish prince, Pharamond. Through a series of schemes, love declarations, and mistaken identities, Philaster and Arethusa navigate a web of deceit and vengeance to reclaim their rightful position. This play includes themes of violence and self-harm.