All the King’s Women- When they become fed up with being one of the king’s many “fair maidens”, three wenches conspire to kill him, but when the queen dies and the king announces his plan to remarry, the three turn on each other as they vie to be the next lady of royalty.

Dpg I don't disagree with you. My only suggestion was to be a little more specific and that may help better convey the tone of the story. Like I said naming a particular contest isn't necessarily the way, but maybe something like:

After?the queen dies, three wenches stop conspiring ?to kill the king and?concoct elaborate plans to win his favor and become the next queen. (25)

I think something like that is more likely to bring a more comedic, ridiculous?situation to mind.

Dhasitngs, is there a reason the protagonists are described as wenches rather than another position which would more obviously give the king reason to notice them?
I hope this helps.

Whatever.

I'm just saying that the reversal the wenches undergo, from conspiring to killing the king, to vying to wed him, is a great way to boot up the story.

The ?dialectic, the yin /yang, ?the systole-diastole beat of all comedy and drama ?is reversal. ?Reversal of fortune. Reversal of intention. ?Reversal of relationship.

And this story sets up the strongest reversals possible -- 180 degree whiplash-inducing reversals of fortune, intent and relationship. ?Properly executed, it s a winning combination of reversals.

Whatever.

I'm just saying that the reversal the wenches undergo, from conspiring to killing the king, to vying to wed him, is a great way to boot up the story.

The ?dialectic, the yin /yang, ?the systole-diastole beat of all comedy and drama ?is reversal. ?Reversal of fortune. Reversal of intention. ?Reversal of relationship.

And this story sets up the strongest reversals possible -- 180 degree whiplash-inducing reversals of fortune, intent and relationship. ?Properly executed, it s a winning combination of reversals.