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A review by readingisadoingword
The Two Gentlemen Of Verona by William Shakespeare
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakepeare's earliest plays and it lays the foundation for many devices that we become familiar with in future plays - it's about betrayal, love and disguise.
Valentine and Proteus are the eponymous "Two Gentlemen" and close friends and the story follows their infidelities in love and friendship.
Proteus loves Julia - Valentine loves no-one.
Valentine goes to Milan and falls for the Duke's daughter Sylvia.
Proteus also goes to Milan and also falls for Sylvia, forgetting about Julia.
Proteus betrays Valentine's plans to elope with Sylvia. Sylvia spurns Proteus' advances, reminding him of his love, Julia.
Julia disguises herself as a man to pursue Proteus to Milan, where she discovers his infidelity.
There are bandits, attempted assault but ultimate reconciliation!
A surface examination of friendship vs romantic love and how betrayal may be forgiven in either context.
While there were elements to this play that were enjoyable - the respective servants were amusing, the bandits etc - the ending was disturbing, rushed and unsatisfactory.
However as an insight into Shakespeare's earliest writing it was interesting and I am glad to have read it.
Valentine and Proteus are the eponymous "Two Gentlemen" and close friends and the story follows their infidelities in love and friendship.
Proteus loves Julia - Valentine loves no-one.
Valentine goes to Milan and falls for the Duke's daughter Sylvia.
Proteus also goes to Milan and also falls for Sylvia, forgetting about Julia.
Proteus betrays Valentine's plans to elope with Sylvia. Sylvia spurns Proteus' advances, reminding him of his love, Julia.
Julia disguises herself as a man to pursue Proteus to Milan, where she discovers his infidelity.
There are bandits, attempted assault but ultimate reconciliation!
A surface examination of friendship vs romantic love and how betrayal may be forgiven in either context.
While there were elements to this play that were enjoyable - the respective servants were amusing, the bandits etc - the ending was disturbing, rushed and unsatisfactory.
However as an insight into Shakespeare's earliest writing it was interesting and I am glad to have read it.