Two princes disguise themselves as shepherds to infiltrate the court of Arcadia and win the hearts of the King's daughters. The narrative follows the complex romantic entanglements of Musidorus and Pyrocles as they navigate the pastoral landscape of Arcadia, testing their virtues against the constraints of courtly love and political intrigue. Written in a prose style interspersed with verse, the work explores the tension between private desire and public duty. The story unfolds through a series of comedic misunderstandings and dramatic complications that challenge the protagonists' identities and moral resolve.

Readers and critics frequently discuss the work as a foundational example of Elizabethan prose fiction that bridges the gap between medieval romance and modern narrative. Discussion often centers on the sophisticated interplay between the prose narrative and the numerous poems that punctuate the text. Scholars highlight the author's ability to blend comedic situations with serious moral inquiry, noting that the work serves as a significant precursor to later dramatic comedies. The text is often examined for its influence on the development of the English novel and its unique position within the Renaissance literary canon.