Shakespeare | The Two Gentlemen of Verona | A Review
Shakespeare’s ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’-A Review
The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in the early 1590s. It is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays and is often considered a romantic comedy. The play tells the story of two friends, Valentine and Proteus, who travel from Verona to Milan, where they both fall in love with the same woman, Silvia. The play explores themes of friendship, love, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness.
The play begins with Valentine and Proteus bidding farewell to each other as Valentine prepares to leave for Milan. Proteus remains in Verona, as he is in love with a woman named Julia. However, Proteus’s father sends him to Milan to join Valentine, and he reluctantly agrees. In Milan, Valentine falls in love with Silvia, the daughter of the Duke of Milan, and they plan to elope. However, Proteus also falls in love with Silvia and betrays Valentine by revealing their plan to the Duke.
Proteus’s betrayal causes a rift in his friendship with Valentine, and he continues to pursue Silvia despite her love for Valentine. Julia, disguised as a man, arrives in Milan to search for Proteus and witnesses his unfaithfulness. Meanwhile, a group of outlaws kidnaps Silvia, and Valentine rescues her. Proteus also arrives on the scene and attempts to rape Silvia, but he is stopped by Valentine. The Duke arrives and forgives Valentine for his earlier transgressions, while Proteus is left alone to contemplate his actions.
Overall, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a charming play that explores the complexities of friendship and love. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the plot is engaging and full of surprises. The play also contains some of Shakespeare’s most memorable lines and witty wordplay, demonstrating his mastery of language.
However, some critics have noted that the play’s treatment of women is problematic, with Silvia being portrayed as a passive object of desire rather than a fully-realized character. Additionally, Proteus’s attempted rape of Silvia is a disturbing and jarring moment that may be difficult for modern audiences to reconcile.
In conclusion, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a fascinating play that offers insight into Shakespeare’s early work and his evolving understanding of the complexities of human relationships. While it may not be his most well-known or celebrated play, it is still a worthwhile read for anyone interested in Shakespearean literature or Renaissance drama. 0 0 0.
N. B. This article ‘Shakespeare | The Two Gentlemen of Verona | A Review’ originally belongs to the book ‘Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
Books of Literary Criticism by M. Menonimus:
- World Short Story Criticism
- World Poetry Criticism
- World Drama Criticism
- World Novel Criticism
- World Essay Criticism
- Indian English Poetry Criticism
- Indian English Poets and Poetry Chief Features
- Emily Dickinson’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Walt Whitman’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Critical Essays on English Poetry
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: Return of the Spirit-An Analytical Study
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Arayaf’-An Analytical Study
- Analytical Studies of Some Arabic Short Stories
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period (500 AD-622 AD)
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Early Islamic Period (622 AD-661 AD)
- Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works …
Additional Searches:
