PELLEAS AND MELISANDE
ARGUMENT
In the First Act Golaud, eldest grandson of old King Arkel, king of Allemond, while hunting in the forest, where he has lost his way, meets a weeping maiden at the edge of a fountain. She will not say whence she comes or what she is—only that she has been cruelly treated and that her name is Melisande. They depart together.
In the second scene. Genevieve, the mother of Golaud and Pelléas, reads a letter to Arkel in which Golaud writes to Pelléas that he has wedded the mysterious Melisande and if it is acceptable to the king a light should be placed on the highest tower at night so that it may be seen from his ship. If no light is there the ship will go on.
The third scene shows the castle. Melisande tells Genevieve how dark and gloomy the place is. The forest is so wild and old with trees that the sky is hidden. Pelléas comes to show the way to Melisande but she is timid of his aid.
In the Second Act Pelléas and Melisande are seen together, close to a fountain in the park. Melisande is playing with her wedding ring, pitching it high in the air. Pelléas warns her to be careful. As he does so the ring eludes her grasp and falls into the water, where it sinks out of sight to a great depth. Melisande is much distressed and wonders what she will say to Golaud. Pelléas tells her to speak the truth.
The second scene is Golaud's sick room with Melisande in dutiful attendance upon him. His horse ran away at the precise moment Melisande lost the ring and Golaud was dashed against a tree. Caressing Melisande's hand he notices the disappearance of the ring and asks where it is. She says it slipped off her finger while seeking shells for little Yniold (Golaud's son) in the grotto by the sea. Golaud says he values the ring above all earthly possessions. She must go to seek for it at once. She is afraid in the dark. He tells her to get Pelléas to help her.
In scene three Pelléas and Melisande are in the grotto. As they enter, by a sudden ray of moonlight they see three blind old men, sleeping. Melisande is frightened. Pelléas says the blind men presage misfortune.
In the Third Act Melisande is seen at a window of the tower arranging her long hair for the night. Pelléas enters the walk below and asks her for her hand to kiss before he goes away. She will not let him have it unless he promises to stay and, when he agrees, she leans so far out to let him reach it that her hair runs down over him in a flood and causes an ecstasy of love to bubble up. Both are so entranced that they give no heed to a menacing shadow in the darkness. It is Golaud. He comes upon them suddenly but treats their alliance as the play of children and leads Pelléas away.
