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Two Gentlemen of Verona

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 4,340 ratings · 177 reviews

pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. SPEED. You mistook, sir; I say she did nod; and you ask me if she

ebook, 67 pages

Published December 2nd 2010 by Pubone.Info (first published 1589)

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May 20, 2009 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: theatre, brit-lit, shakespeare, owned, 1500-1700

This one was promising when it started out. The premise is essentially: two overprivileged self-centered teenage boys (Valentine and Proteus) go on study abroad. They are of course polar opposite best friends, natch, with very silly personal servants to comment on their even sillier masters' actions. One of them is a believer in the Power of Love and wants to stay home with the lady he SWOONS, he DIES for (for awhile anyway....), the other one doesn't believe in love and wants to go off adventur...more This one was promising when it started out. The premise is essentially: two overprivileged self-centered teenage boys (Valentine and Proteus) go on study abroad. They are of course polar opposite best friends, natch, with very silly personal servants to comment on their even sillier masters' actions. One of them is a believer in the Power of Love and wants to stay home with the lady he SWOONS, he DIES for (for awhile anyway....), the other one doesn't believe in love and wants to go off adventuring- but then falls in love! Hijinx ensue! Usually coming of age stuff annoys me, but this was a good set up. Unfortunately, once Shakespeare got to the point where he had to, you know, create a Conflict to be Resolved!... it all got very confused and went pretty quickly downhill into a bunch of tangled, underdeveloped nonsense.

But! That said, this is an early Shakespeare comedy, so obviously one has to cut him a lot of slack. I would pretty much only say to read this if you have an interest in seeing Shakespeare's development as a writer- this shows where some of the ideas for his later comedies come from. Julia is a pathetic Helena in Rosalind-like disguise, and her plotline is a condensed version of the cross-dressing angst to come in Twelfth Night and As You Like It. Unfortunately, her guy (Proteus) is more like Demetrius than Orlando. (Except, hilariously, Shakespeare doesn't even bother with a love potion to explain his end re-conversion. He's just all, "Men are dogs, dude, right, right??" and has the guy basically accepting that although he might want to, he's not going to do any better than Julia, and her totally buying it.) Silvia, the other love interest female, is a boringly perfect version of Hermia, and her dude, Valentine, is actually a more interesting version of Lysander. (There are outlaws involved, that's all I'm saying.) It's hard not to recognize the early, unpolished beginnings of a loooot of dialogue from the above mentioned, much better comedies.

The two low comedy servants are pretty much the best part of the play. Speed's monologue, especially. You'll know which one I mean when you hit it.(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Launce and his dog Crab are among the funniest scenes Shakespeare ever wrote, so this early play is proof of my claim that Shakespeare's a naturally comedic writer. Yes, he learned to write resonant, exalted lines from
Marlowe, but he seemed not to have imitated any specific comic writer except Plautus, who has no dog scenes I have ever read--though I did not read all of Plautus in my graduate Latin course on him.
In my Shakespeare course for several years I began with TGV; in fact, a couple year...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Janebbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Back around the turn of the 21st century, I opened an used bookstore, mainly mysteries, in a small Southern town and often wished someone would write book and play reviews for our weekday local newspaper. We had a glorious and intimate opera house that had been renovated to maintain its late Victorian structure. We had a director who was well aware that even though small in population, the presence of a four-year liberal arts college provided an audience for Shakespeare plays. To increase the at...more Back around the turn of the 21st century, I opened an used bookstore, mainly mysteries, in a small Southern town and often wished someone would write book and play reviews for our weekday local newspaper. We had a glorious and intimate opera house that had been renovated to maintain its late Victorian structure. We had a director who was well aware that even though small in population, the presence of a four-year liberal arts college provided an audience for Shakespeare plays. To increase the attendance, the editor of the local paper suggested that I write previews of plays for the local community. Here is my preview of Shakespeare's THE TWO GENTLEMEN FROM VERONA.

March 20, 2006. The Acting Company of New York is returning to our town---the touring repertory featuring talented young actors and artists that performs each year in over 50 cities of America. The Company is presenting this year a classical production of Shakespeare's THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

The distinguished actor, John Houseman, founded the Company in 1972 along with the current Producing Director Margot Harley and members of the first graduation class of Julliard's Drama Division. Their season performance of Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona will be at the Newberry Opera House on March 22 at 8pm. It is their only performance of the play in South Carolina.

If ever a Shakespeare play needed to be seen rather than read, it is this play, declared Helen Garlington at the local library's monthly book discussion several weeks ago. Garlington, a local retired thespian, had seen Two Gents at Stratford on her last trip to London and peppered her talk with readings, stage drawings, and reminisces.

The play is a comedy of manners about two young lads from Verona who are sent to Milan to a sort of male finishing school. They will learn to be "perfect" gentlemen, to practice in "tilts and tournaments," and to make proper (male) conversation. It's the first journey away from home for both Valentine and Proteus, who are longtime friends. Both behave badly in ways that get them in terrible trouble.

Naturally, each lad is accompanied by a servant. Speed is as bright as Valentine is dim. Lance is as loving and compassionate as Proteus is callous. The funniest scene in the play occurs in Act Two when Lance plays out his farewell scene to his family using his left and right shoes, his walking staff, and his dog Crab.

And, of course, each lad has a girlfriend. Valentine falls for the Duke's daughter Sylvia at the Emperor's court in Milan. Proteus exchanges rings with Julia before he leaves for Milan. And Julia follows him disguised as a page becoming the first cross-dressing heroine in Shakespeare's writing career.

The Two Gentlemen from Verona is an early Shakespeare play appearing in the First Folio in 1623. The final scene in the play has confounded modern critics and may be a reason for the play's unpopularity. In 1921 an Edwardian critic noted, "there are, at this time, no gentlemen in Verona." Another critic surmised that the play is Shakespeare's parody of literature in which friendship is portrayed as greater than love. Others suggest that a collaborator or two revised the final scene and pasted in another version.

To quote the Bard, this critic, soon to be a viewer, believes that "all's well that ends well."

(To read this play and write this preview, I exclusively used THE NEW FOLGER LIBRARY edition. In addition to the play, the Folger edition contains longer notes, textual notes, a suggested Further Reading, and an essay titled A Modern Perspective which add to the reader's enjoyment and provided truth and trivia for this review.) (less)

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Dec 17, 2009 Bill Kerwin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 16th-17th-c-brit, tudor-drama

Early in "Two Gentlemen of Verona," a character refers to a "shallow tale of deep love," but the play he himself inhabits is something worse, at least where the affection of these two gentlemen are concerned: it is a shallow tale of shallow love. Proteus shifts his love from one woman to another as quickly as he changes cities, and Valentine is prepared to give up the woman he loves to his friend Proteus, a person who has betrayed his trust and threatened his beloved with rape, all because Prote...more
Early in "Two Gentlemen of Verona," a character refers to a "shallow tale of deep love," but the play he himself inhabits is something worse, at least where the affection of these two gentlemen are concerned: it is a shallow tale of shallow love. Proteus shifts his love from one woman to another as quickly as he changes cities, and Valentine is prepared to give up the woman he loves to his friend Proteus, a person who has betrayed his trust and threatened his beloved with rape, all because Proteus tenders a perfunctory apology only after he is caught in the act. Through all of this, the gentlewomen Julia and Sylvia persist in loving their unworthy men with surprisingly little protest. These four well-born characters are so poorly developed--little more than sketches, really--that their shallowness and odd behavior seem more the fault of poor dramaturgy than a commentary on upper-class manners and morals. (Some critics think this play may be Shakespeare's first effort, and I am inclined to think they may be right.)

And yet . . . and yet . . . there's a lot here to like if you're a fan of Shakespearean comedy. All the elements of the classic Shakespearean comic romance are here: topsy-turvy loves, a girl dressed as a boy, comic suitors, a lovely song, a fairy tale forest inhabited by unusual beings (in this case a bunch of Robin Hood types)where surprising things happen, and a pat (perhaps too pat) happy ending. And then, of course, there are the clowns.

Launce, the principal clown of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is the best thing in the play. He is so sweet toward his dog Crab and so practical in his views on the choice of a mate that he puts all the upper-class characters to shame. He lingers in our memory long after the two shallow gentlemen of Verona and their unfortunate loves have departed. And--even though this is an early play--I cannot keep from harboring the suspicion that Launce was created to do exactly this: to place the "gentlemen" of the title in ironic quotations and reveal Proteus and Valentine for the empty suits they are.

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Jan 28, 2008 Scott rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

Shakespeare is great for a reason. Unfortunately, the Two Gentlemen of Verona is not it. Like all Shakespeare comedies, this comedy bends the rules for comedy, and yet, as it veers off into what could potentially have been a darker twist on the human condition snuck into a mad-cap farce, Shakespeare ties the plot together too glibly to be believed. People who had been lying rascals are forgiven instantly, lovers who had been scorned too easily accept apologies, and friends betrayed gloss over th...more

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Apr 01, 2008 Roland rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: shakespeare

OK, so Shakespeare's the great genius of the English language, and I'm certainly not going to argue with the how this was written. I will, however, state that the ending to this play sucks ass. I was shocked at how quickly everything was wrapped up, with everyone making nice with each other and no hard feelings, despite the fact that there was betrayal, broken hearts, and even what might be seen as an attempted rape. Come on now. Shakespeare's great, but the ending turned me off so much that I c...more

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May 01, 2013 Fungus Gnat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Valentine takes leave for Milan to seek his fortune, while his good buddy Proteus is in love with Julia so stays in their home town. Soon, though, Proteus senior has thrown him out of the house, and he follows V to Milan, where his devotion to Julia is tested by a new love, who happens also to be V’s heartthrob. This situation will generate the various characters’ combined weight in antix, hijinx, and incredible plot turns before all is brought to a dumbfoundingly pleasant conclusion.

This play...more Valentine takes leave for Milan to seek his fortune, while his good buddy Proteus is in love with Julia so stays in their home town. Soon, though, Proteus senior has thrown him out of the house, and he follows V to Milan, where his devotion to Julia is tested by a new love, who happens also to be V’s heartthrob. This situation will generate the various characters’ combined weight in antix, hijinx, and incredible plot turns before all is brought to a dumbfoundingly pleasant conclusion.

This play is not highly rated by critics and scholars, but is rather viewed as a dry run for the good comedies that followed, e.g., Twelfth Night, As You Like it. I find it entertaining, though, and affecting, particularly in Julia’s plight. (Valentine, as everyone says, is just too vapidly heroic and, well, stupid.) The clowns are also a good time, to say nothing of the dog. And there's an interesting theme here about the importance of friendship vis-a-vis romantic love. Of course, if you have as little imagination as I do, you’ll want to see the play performed to “get it,” and we are fortunate in that this play received an even better-than-average production from the fine BBC series of the 1980s, which is now available through Netflix.

If you read the play in one of the various paperback editions, what you’re reading (if you read the whole thing) is mostly not the play, though. I went the cheap route this time with the “Signet Classics” edition, credited to a Mr. Bertrand Evans. Over 50 pages of the ancillary material is devoted to a general Shakespeare intro, which will be handy to the newcomer to the Bard and also to any older hands who may have, well, forgotten a lot of this stuff. There is also a generous interpretive intro to the Two Gents in particular, as well as a small collection of critical essays, including one on the play’s stage history. The epidemiology of the text, that pit of scholarly research and dispute that slows other editions (notably Arden’s) to a huffing, puffing halt, warrants only cursory treatment here. I could have used a bit more help by way of notes in the play itself, though. One thing I coulda done without is the source material—35 pages of tortured prose. Skip it.
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Jul 14, 2012 Gwen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-spinach

I have a series of videos done by the BBC in the 1980s of the complete plays of William Shakespeare, which gave me a thought. I should try to work through Shakespeare's plays in the same way I've been working through Dickens and maybe I can have all of them read by the end of the year.

I've started with what is possibly Shakespeare's earliest play. It actually does read like less sophisticated material than the plays I have read/seen by him in the past. The early scenes are so full of terrible pu...more I have a series of videos done by the BBC in the 1980s of the complete plays of William Shakespeare, which gave me a thought. I should try to work through Shakespeare's plays in the same way I've been working through Dickens and maybe I can have all of them read by the end of the year.

I've started with what is possibly Shakespeare's earliest play. It actually does read like less sophisticated material than the plays I have read/seen by him in the past. The early scenes are so full of terrible puns and silly wordplay that it's hard to believe this is the same guy who wrote Macbeth.

Reading this actually makes me feel kind of better about writing, however. I mean, so often Shakespeare is portrayed as such a genius that it's easy to think of him starting off writing better than any other mortal man even before having any real experience. However, this has something of the flavor of a sitcom romance movie, and I suspect if he was just starting in the theater, this play was his way of testing the waters to see what would float.

The plot is simple enough at first. Proteus loves Julia. He decides to stay home to court her, while his best bro, Valentine, goes off to Milan to gain life experience. There he meets Silvia and gets bitten by love himself. Unfortunately, Proteus ends up getting shipped off to Milan anyway by his father, where he falls in love with Silvia as well upon first meeting her, forgetting all about Julia (you can see by now that Proteus is being set up to become something of a douchebag), and plots to win Silvia away from Valentine.

Meanwhile, Julia dresses up as a boy so that she can go to see Proteus and just happens to spy on him while he's making one of his failed attempts to woo Silvia by the window. Oh, and did I mention that by this point he's conspired with Silvia's father to have Valentine expelled from the kingdom? The guy has pretty much reached full-on villain status by this point, as far as I'm concerned.

Proteus chases after Silvia, who leaves the kingdom because she's so eager to get away from him and find Valentine. Silvia is captured by bandits and rescued by Proteus, much to her chagrin. Proteus threatens to force himself on her, when Valentine shows up, and suddenly the two men are apologizing and making up with each other, which is totally out of nowhere, considering what a total jerk Proteus has been up until that point, and how you'd expect Valentine to be pretty sore when he finally realizes about, you know, the betrayal, the exile, etc.

The ending happens so quickly that it feels like the sort of writing you'd expect when the writer is pressed for time and needs to wrap it all up NOW. The most awkward part is when it sounds like Valentine is offering Silvia to Proteus after he threatened to rape her as part of their sudden reconciliation. According to Wikipedia, there's a whole lot of debate about interpretation of Valentine's statement here, but no matter how you look at it, the ending is so sudden and feels so forced that it's practically impossible for me to believe it outside of bad sitcom logic.

I'm giving this 3 stars because there were some funny characters and witty lines before the abrupt, uncomfortable ending. I really loved the bit character Launce and his dog. And it's pretty interesting to see Shakespeare's early work, because it gives me a better appreciation of his more well-known plays. Overall, this play is still less controversial than the next play to read, Taming of the Shrew.(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Jesse Lopes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Those who find this to be a lesser play of Shakespeare's, I would claim, are looking for it to be something rather different than it is; it is not a piece of pure entertainment. Shakespeare is really doing the Spenserian sort of probing into the moral content of the concept of friendship, and asking his audience how far is too far, before allowing the elastic of the plot to snap back before it breaks (and it literally almost breaks into a rape scene!). Julia loves Proteus who loves Sylvia who lo...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Mary Diegert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love reading Shakespeare plays even though I have to invest a lot of time in reading the notes in order to get the jokes. I recently got for a birthday present ALL of the Shakespeare plays on cd, so I had better get reading!

When I was a kid my big sister, Nancy introduced me to A Midsummers Night Dream, and also, in high school one semester our class staged a full production of Twelfth Night which was a blast. I was only a court musician but I still had a great time. I guess that's why I have...more

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May 20, 2011 Edward rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

". . . were man but constant, he were perfect . . ." says a character in the last act, and that pretty much sums up the theme of the play. The context is that of two best friends who are in love with two young women. When one friend leaves, and the other meets his girlfriend, he falls in love with her and immediately abandons his former girlfriend. So much for "constancy", either in friendship or love. Complications develop before a kind of perfunctory ending (the weakest part of a very enterta...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Jenisse rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 11th-grade-advisory

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespear
250 pp. New York, NY
Washington Press. $5.99
ISBN 0-671-72295-6

By JENISSE BOURET

A romantic comedy in modern term's, one of shakespeare's works of literature that leaves you wanting more. The man had a lot to say about love and he makes sure he creates characters who convey his message. Love is complicated. He shows us this through love triangles, forbidden love, brokenhearts, broken friendships and deciet.

The novel has many rich characters full of...more The Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespear
250 pp. New York, NY
Washington Press. $5.99
ISBN 0-671-72295-6

By JENISSE BOURET

A romantic comedy in modern term's, one of shakespeare's works of literature that leaves you wanting more. The man had a lot to say about love and he makes sure he creates characters who convey his message. Love is complicated. He shows us this through love triangles, forbidden love, brokenhearts, broken friendships and deciet.

The novel has many rich characters full of life and opinions. The four main love-birds are Valentine, Proteus, Julia, and Sylvia. This book does not have a single plot it is like life itself a multitude of stories that are all connected by the main characters who play. It is full of drama and sneaky acts made by the slick Proteus.

The ending leaves you hanging because of the unbelievable forgiveness of the characters toward proteus after betraying his bestfriend Proteus and trying to steal away his bride, Sylvia. Julia, who's been cheated on by the impulsive Proteus just lets go of the past and continues to love him after all he's done.

Shakespeare's writing style continues to bloom and any aethetic critic would be pleased. Lines like "Fire that's closest kept burns most of all" make your heart melt and your mind burn. The text is not the easiest to read but if you dig deep, there's no reason why it should be complex. I would recommend this to teenagers that are always wondering why love is the way it is. If you are like me, and appreciate a cliche love story for all its passionate lovers then this book is for you. Nevertheless, do not confuse this with a "chick-flick" kind of story because of the egos, powerful men, and social class dialogue that do not go un noticed.

I rate this book 3 stars because i thought the ending was weak but as i said before, it is beautifully written and really represents how humans' actions in love and how sometimes you just cannot understand them. There are so many themes withing this story that just show you how universal Shakespeare makes this great text.(less)

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Jan 13, 2011 Jimyanni rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literature

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As with all Shakespeare, this play is very prettily written, even if the language IS archaic enough to give most modern readers a bit of difficulty without a good set of notes. As with most Shakespeare, particularly those Shakespearean plays that deal at least peripherally with romance, the plot is less than ideal. In this case, my objection is not the one I usually have; he actually DOES recognize that love is not a magical, all-encompassing thing that involves being immediately besotted before...more As with all Shakespeare, this play is very prettily written, even if the language IS archaic enough to give most modern readers a bit of difficulty without a good set of notes. As with most Shakespeare, particularly those Shakespearean plays that deal at least peripherally with romance, the plot is less than ideal. In this case, my objection is not the one I usually have; he actually DOES recognize that love is not a magical, all-encompassing thing that involves being immediately besotted before one even knows the other person's name; Valentine's friendship for Proteus is shown to be stronger than his "love" for Sylvia. OK, fine as far as it goes. Still, the ending scene in which this is revealed is flawed beyond belief by every OTHER action in it.
First of all, Proteus's friendship for Valentine is NOT strong enough to keep him from betraying him in order to try to win Sylvia's love. OK, so Valentine is a better friend, and a better person, than Proteus. That's fair. But Valentine goes from declaring flatly that he can never trust Proteus again once he learns of this, to forgiving him entirely just because he says he's sorry moments later. OK, Valentine is just a sucker for Proteus, and can't stay mad at him no matter what. That makes the character rather weaker and stupider than I think he's supposed to be percieved as, but let that slide. He then yields any interest he has in Sylvia to Proteus for friendship's sake, in spite of the fact that he'd just come upon Proteus trying to rape her. This makes him both an idiot and a worthless lover; it's one thing to count friendship higher than romantic love; it's another to subject your love to rape for friendship's sake. But ignore that; where this scene TRULY becomes intolerably, stupidly unbelievable is that Sylvia says not a peep of objection to this betrayal, and when Proteus winds up back with Julia, Sylvia cheerfully, happily is back with Valentine without so much as a suggestion that she has anything to forgive him for or any reason to think about whether this is a good idea. And Julia, who has been utterly betrayed by Proteus, and seen him not only try to seduce his "best friend's" love, but seen him try to rape her, likewise accepts him back into her life without so much as a hesitation to decide whether this is a good idea or not. All of this would have been dubious but possibly manageable if the ladies had spoken of how betrayed they were, but chosen to forgive their lovers for the sake of love, or some such rot, but to not even acknowledge that they have been badly used but are being generously forgiving simply ruins the play. I realize that this would have been considered less objectionable in Shakespeare's day than it is now, given the status (or lack thereof) of women in that society. I still think it would have been dubious even then, but if not, all that proves is that this play is thoroughly ruined for the modern reader/audience by being totally outdated, not unlike "The Merchant of Venice".(less)

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May 11, 2012 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: shakespeare, elizabethan-lit, plays, classics, comedy

Purportedly Shakespeare's first play (at least by some scholars), The Two Gentlemen of Verona does appear to show a Shakespeare who is not quite at his peak. The two gentlemen, Valentine and Proteus, aren't as solid as future heroes. And while Sylvia (one of our heroines) is very enjoyable and has some fantastic lines, the forlorn Julia (our other heroine) is comparably weaker.

The two fools, Speed and Launce, are really the stars of the play. Their banter and comedic monologues are easily the mo...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Garrett Cash rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, education, plays, romance, british

This play begins my prolonged study of the man considered to be the greatest writer in the English language, Mr. William Shakespeare. I first discovered that the Bard was not all about melodramatic lovers in tights committing suicide over each other when I viewed one of Akira Kurosawa’s many masterpieces, Throne of Blood, which sets Macbeth in feudal Japan. Because I discovered then that Shakespeare could use some serious murder, betrayal, and loads of violence I have wanted to study Shakespeare...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Garrett Zecker rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Taking inspiration from all of his other comedies that basically fit into the exact same plot structure and storyline, TWO GENTLEMEN is a fun, predictable romp through Verona’s streets. As with all of his other romcoms, Shakespeare sets out to tell a tale of misplaced love, unwanted affection, crossdressing, and simple twists of fate that lead our characters astray, and then together once more by the end. There is a silly villain, letters that never reach their intended, and disguises, all comin...more Taking inspiration from all of his other comedies that basically fit into the exact same plot structure and storyline, TWO GENTLEMEN is a fun, predictable romp through Verona’s streets. As with all of his other romcoms, Shakespeare sets out to tell a tale of misplaced love, unwanted affection, crossdressing, and simple twists of fate that lead our characters astray, and then together once more by the end. There is a silly villain, letters that never reach their intended, and disguises, all coming together to build comedy using situational and dramatic irony.

I read this as an undergraduate in college, and found it to be fun, but now as an adult and having read all of Shakespeare’s works (and even other author’s interpretations of Shakespeare’s work such as The Tragedy of Arthur [http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92...] and Macbeth II: The Seed Of Banquo [http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46...] ) I find the work to be mediocre and predictable. That isn’t to say it isn’t good - but as the Reduced Shakespeare Company says, “Why Did You Write Sixteen Comedies, When You Could’ve Written Just 1?” (http://youtu.be/atdXRP145Fs)

It’s true. This play is the same as TAMING, MIDSUMMER, MERRY WIVES, and others (well, not really the Tempest - but none of his plays are like the Tempest), and it really is a formulaic copy of the other texts. But it is effective in one major place - the fact that it made Mr. Shakespeare money, and he was well aware of what his audiences liked.

That is not to say it is a bad play - it isn’t at all. There are some genuinely funny places in it as well (my favorite was “...but you are so without these follies that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal”). I suppose it is the grand application of the man’s works that include comedies that are so like one another that it is uncanny. Change the location and the character names and a couple events? New story. But it is a fun story, and I would have loved to see this and all the others performed in London in 1595 anyway. Would I still have the complete works as my only book on a desert island? You bet. Would I resent the comedies a little after 20 years on this desert island, though? Yeah, but I would still have the great tragedies and histories to keep me company.(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Matthew Guerruckey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"What light is light, if Silvia be not seen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by? "

Comedy is the most tenuous form of literature--often it's so tied to the collective experiences of a time, and doesn't translate well to the next. That's part of what makes Shakespeare's comedies harder to appreciate than his tragedies, because it's harder (without years of study, anyway) to understand what was commonplace in Elizabethan England so that we can get the anachronistic jokes that would have so please...more "What light is light, if Silvia be not seen?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by? "

Comedy is the most tenuous form of literature--often it's so tied to the collective experiences of a time, and doesn't translate well to the next. That's part of what makes Shakespeare's comedies harder to appreciate than his tragedies, because it's harder (without years of study, anyway) to understand what was commonplace in Elizabethan England so that we can get the anachronistic jokes that would have so please his original audience.

But also, there's a lot of goddamn puns. Now, even without an edition that contains good referencing you can pick up on most of them, as most of the basic meanings of the words have stayed intact. One thing to remember when reading Shakespeare is that these plays were meant to be performed, and watching actors capture the intricate rhythms of this dialogue probably helps give a bit of life to it. But, as it is, there's enough on the page to keep your attention.

The plot of this play is so damn weird that I can only assume that it's meant to be a parody of those TYPES of comedies--for instance, Proteus proclaims his love for Julia, then switches over the very moment he sees Silvia. If you're reading this straight, that's stupid, if it's making fun of the very idea of those sort of rapturous soliloquies to romance, well then it's brilliant.

But this is Elizabethan England, and all must be wrapped up tidily, so in spite of all the confusion and treachery and promises of vengeance we end with a wet fart of a scene in the woods where all is forgiven. This scene is so underwhelming that generations of scholars have tried to justify their degrees by claiming that Valentine "offers up" his love, Silvia, to Proteus (who has just tried to rape that same Sylvia, oh that Shakespearean wackiness) as an apology for doubting his friendship. This is as inaccurate as it would be horrific, but your "edgier" productions will, no doubt, portray this scene in that way.

Overall, I accepted this as a satire, and I enjoyed it. But if you were to take it at face value it would be very unsatisfying.

Unexpected cultural allusion: Kurt Vonnegut took the line "Who is Silvia? what is she, that all our swains commend her?" as the epigraph for his novel Deadeye Dick, which is probably a better use of your time than this. (less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Kailey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: weighty-classics

Here's my favorite quote:
"Cease to lament what thou canst not help,
And study help for that which thou lament'st.
Time is the nurse and breeder of all good."
-TGofV

Well, it's a good play, and funny in parts. I dislike the banter between the servantmen; Serves no purpose in furthering the story. There are some very pretty lines and good scenes. Valentine and Silvia are excellent, admirable characters. All in all, though, not my favorite play.

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD

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I hate Proteus! What a jerk!...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Kurt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I should start by saying that I am not, in general, a Shakespeare fan. I've read a few of his plays in high school and college, but I have never just read one on my own time. A friend landed the role of Valentine in a Chesapeake Shakespeare Company production, though, and I decided to read the play before showing up in the audience to support my friend (I had a disastrous trip to a Shakespeare in the Park production in Boston once, during which I understood almost nothing of what was happening a...more I should start by saying that I am not, in general, a Shakespeare fan. I've read a few of his plays in high school and college, but I have never just read one on my own time. A friend landed the role of Valentine in a Chesapeake Shakespeare Company production, though, and I decided to read the play before showing up in the audience to support my friend (I had a disastrous trip to a Shakespeare in the Park production in Boston once, during which I understood almost nothing of what was happening at any point) (my attitude, I should confess, was also not the best, so I can't say I gave it a fair shot).

So, for others like me who approach The Bard reluctantly, is this play worth reading? I'm surprised to say yes. True, the part that gets the most critical attention is the last scene, in which (I'm not joking or inferring - this is all in the plain text) one character tells a woman that he is about to rape her, then her boyfriend saves her, then the attempted rapist apologizes to his friend, who forgives him, offering (more or less, depending on the interpretation) to give the near rapist another shot at the woman. Thankfully, the near rapist declines the offer and chooses the cross-dressing woman who has loved him for the entire play, so the good-hearted hero promises that both couples can get married and all live in the same household together, now that they've gotten past that "slightly irritating rape attempt" phase of friendship. Oh yes, it's a weird weird ending.

Along the way, though, the play is a lot of fun. Anyone who has ever been to college can likely recognize That Guy who leaves his high school sweetheart in their hometown and then can't help trying to screw over his best male friend for a chance at the new girl who has accidentally captured his interest. It's disgusting, of course, but it happens, and I enjoyed tracking this web of betrayals and lies from a safe distance. There are also, mixed in with the gross sexual maneuvering, some really funny scenes with the servants of the titular Gentlemen. I never expected to laugh out loud at Shakespeare, but a scene with Lance mumbling to himself (while picking the right props to tell his dog a story) tickled me and put a huge smile on my face.

This play certainly isn't essential Shakespeare. It's an early comedy, full of geographical inconsistencies and capped off with a head-scratcher of a finale, and I expect that most of its strong qualities can be seen in better plays. Still, I approached the work with low expectations and was surprised to find a play that I truly enjoyed. If you're interested in a light comedy to amuse you for a few hours, then this play presents a good read. I look forward to seeing it on stage.(less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Matt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Though considered a comedy, there wasn’t much to laugh about. There’s some humorous banter between the servants and some decent punning along the way. Lies, cross-dressing and love all seem to be surefire ingredients for some laughs, but it all seems rather heavy-handed as Proteus systematically betrays everyone around him. To Shakespeare’s credit, the characters have distinct and consistent personalities that make the unbelievable ending marginally palatable.

More studied reviews discuss, convin...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Lydia Shellenbarger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How can you do a concise review on Shakespeare? Elements of All's Well that Ends Well and Much Ado About Nothing, however, not as deep a plot as either of those, but refreshing... (view spoiler)

If you are an educator for highschool age, this is a v

...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-related, classic, english

Excerpt from my blog review about Two Gentlemen of Verona:

"Every great moment in this play has its “equal, but opposite” on another page. The three servants, Speed, Lance and Lucetta are wonderful foils for their masters. They have few qualms about talking back to their masters and making them look like fools. The best moments are when Speed and Lance bicker between each other over which one of them is the most reputable and the best servant. They never reach the same wonderful heights as Rosenc...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Catherine Mustread rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 1500s, british, plays

I’m thrilled to have finished a Shakespeare play — regardless of the play’s merits and faults. I like the theory that the male friendship bond is stronger than love, though like the chameleon Proteus, their allegiance seems subject to change and are probably not to be trusted. I also like the Abraham Lincoln story/connection*.

I enjoyed the word play, humor and puns and especially Launce and his dog Crab. Proteus was a major jerk, one wonders why Julia was so enamored with him, and Valentine seem...more

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Aug 21, 2009 Christina rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads, plays, classics

I saw a production of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” when we arrived in Montana that was set during the nineteenth century and unfortunately was lost in translation. I picked up my copy of the play because I wanted to flesh out something of the things that were confusing — scene changes that didn’t happen, voices that where muddled due to a lack of microphones — and give this comedy of errors a second chance.

Two friends, Valentine and Proteus, begin this tale with a farewell in Verona; Valentine...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Max rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, plays, shakespeare

Proteus could not have been better named. Is The Two Gentlemen of Verona a sly comment on how stupidly changeable young lovers can be? If it is, Julia is sacrificed at its expense-- she's got the cross-dressing chutzpah of Viola but the ever-beaten weakness of Helena. That's the thing about Two Gentlemen: the pieces don't fit, the characters lose you in service of the comedic structure. And as every critic would say, everything done here was done better later. There are a few lovely instances of...more

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Sep 24, 2009 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: sit-com fans who could stand to engage their minds for once

Shelves: classics

So I got the big Barnes & Noble hardcover that contains EVERY Shakespeare, and to start with I picked this one, more or less at random. It's one of his earlier comedies, and, as other have noted, it's not really on the level of his best work. The set-up is fairly standard and the resolution almost as predictable, but it's a fun trip nonetheless. The characters are stock players with no real nuance, but the real star here Shakespeare's wordplay. His comedic timing and deft phrasing shine even...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Mary Ronan Drew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recently spent an hour or two with my pal, Will. Mr Shakespeare and I are getting to know one another much better, lately. I call him Will and he calls me Marye. I read in school what they made me read of his work, I read or (mostly) re-read some of the plays over the decades, and a few years ago I read the sonnets. Most of the sonnets. I like sonnets. I’ve always loved structure.

But recently I’ve decided to read all of the plays. Imagine my surprise when I found some new ones. I really did th...more I recently spent an hour or two with my pal, Will. Mr Shakespeare and I are getting to know one another much better, lately. I call him Will and he calls me Marye. I read in school what they made me read of his work, I read or (mostly) re-read some of the plays over the decades, and a few years ago I read the sonnets. Most of the sonnets. I like sonnets. I’ve always loved structure.

But recently I’ve decided to read all of the plays. Imagine my surprise when I found some new ones. I really did think Will had quit writing quite a while ago. I read some in alphabetical order just before we left Virginia. Not the optimal way to approach them. I was going to read them in order by history (ancient Britain – Lear, Greece and Rome – J Caesar, Renaissance – R and Juliet, etc.) But then, thanks to a recommendation by my friend, Pamela, I got my hands on a guide by Harvard professor, Marjorie Garber, that lists the plays in the order they were written. Well, as they were written in her opinion. There are as with everything else Shakespearean, many opinions. (Shakespeare After All, 2005.)

So I started a few weeks ago with Two Gentlemen of Verona, for reasons I cannot explain – either I had no reason to start with or I’ve forgotten, or both. I had read this play within the last couple of years. And instead of crediting myself with it I decided to re-read it. That’s because I . . . not love, I don’t love it the way I love The Winter’s Tale or Julius Caesar . . . because I have a crush on it.

One of the reasons scholars place the play so early in Shakespeare’s career is because it’s so sloppy. Let me give you one example. The two boys – to call them gentlemen is laughable, but then so is most of the play. Anyhow, the boys are from Verona and their fathers would like them to travel, see the world, live at the court of the nearby Duke of Milan (or emperor – the play can’t seem to decide which he is), and gain some polish.

One of them, Proteus, is in love with a local girl, Julia, so he opts to stay in Verona. But Valentine, a handsome lad with an IQ of about 90, is getting ready to go to Milan. In fact the ship is waiting in the harbor for him and he has to hurry to catch the tide.

Now you don’t have to know much Italian geography to know that both Verona and Milan are inland. To go by ship from one to the other would entail an overland trek to Venice, a sail around the boot, a landing in Genoa, and another trek. By land there would be a well-traveled road taking you directly from one to the other.

Either Shakespeare was having a joke on his audience or he was incredibly sloppy. Or he had an uneducated collaborator, or the printed version of the play was corrupted, or who knows what. Shakespearean scholarship is sometimes a little out of focus. But I go with sloppy. Also sloppy is one character's welcome of another “to Padua.” There’s more, but you get the idea. Proteus, by the way, ends up in Milan as well, forgets about Julia, falls in love with Sylvia, and tells the duke about his best friend, Valentine’s, plan to elope with her. Julia, who really loves Proteus, isn’t far behind him, dressed as a boy of course – so Shakespearean.

Why do I like this play so much? Because it was really written by Gilbert and Sullivan. Valentine, kicked out of Milan by the duke for planning to abscond with his daughter, is taken captive by a gang of outlaws who, because he is like them an “outlaw” and because he is handsome, vote him their leader. Reference is made to Robin Hood's merry band.

Right behind Valentine is Sylvia, followed by Proteus, followed by the duke, followed by Julia. When Valentine happens on Proteus trying to rape Sylvia and realizes his best friend’s treachery, he’s angry. But Proteus immediately repents and voices his regret, so of course Valentine immediately forgives him and offers him Sylvia. Julia faints and is recognized under her costume, the duke agrees to allow Valentine to marry his daughter, Proteus decides he loves Julia after all. Exuent to a marriage feast.

Another highlight:

Who is Sylvia? What is she,/That all our swains commend her?

2012 No 17(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Joshua Guest rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this up a couple days ago and started reading it and the story seemed unfamiliar to me, and yet I noticed that I had marked quotes in several places, all the way through Act V. So I was disappointed to think that I had read through it once before and remembered nothing about it. But, in fairness, the first time I was reading it just on a hunt for quotes as opposed to understanding who was talking and what role each individual line had in relation to the context of the entire story. This...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Christopher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

This being one of the Bard's early comedies, his lack of experience shows. The theme of change from young lovers to experienced young men is lost at times due to the fact that the "metamorphosis" of Valentine happens behind the scenes rather than on-stage. Also, Proteus is a total jerk-wad who should have been punished rather than forgiven outright for so little penance. It has been said that Shakespeare could write about the human condition very well, but I think he overlooked the fact that so...more

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Sep 15, 2009 Julie added it · review of another edition

Shelves: shakespeare

It is funny to think of Shakespeare "developing" as a playwright -- it seems like he was just born Shakespeare. Yet in this early work, his language does fewer somersaults, and his metaphors reach less than those in his mega later works. These elements provide for a smoother, if slightly less vivid, read.

Very much enjoyed this play, leaving aside the fickleness of friendship and love it portrays and the incredibly rushed resolution:
"I will never forgive you!"
"I'm sorry."
"Ah, in that case, all is...more

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About William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been tr...more William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. Scholars believe that he died on his fifty-second birthday, coinciding with St George’s Day. It is an interesting idea that English writer is so closely identified with the Patron Saint of England!

At the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592 he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of the playing company the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.

Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. Next he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest examples in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime, and in 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's.

Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians hero-worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry". In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are consistently performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.

According to historians, Shakespeare write 37 plays and 154 sonnets throughout the span of his life. Shakespeare's writing average was 1.5 plays a year since he first started writing in 1589. There have been plays and sonnets contributed to Shakespeare that were not authentically written by the great master of language and literature.
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Quotes from The Two Gentlemen of V...

“That man that hath a tongue, I say is no man, if with his tongue he cannot win a woman.” — 9 people liked it

“She dreams of him that has forgot her love;
You dote on her that cares not for your love.
'Tis pity love should be so contrary;
And thinking of it makes me cry 'alas!” — 8 people liked it

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