In his appearances, limited to the latter part of the play, Theseus, despite the ambiguity and humiliation of his situation behaves with the dignity and nobility we would expect of an aging king. His rage is powerful, but it reveals no shade of self-pity or petty malice, and his resemblance to the betrayed Othello is commented upon later. His adoption of Aricia at the end of the play demonstrates his generosity and humility. His errors are natural ones, and his repentance is sincere and moving.
