The Two Gentlemen of Verona Read online

  Lines 142-216: Proteus guesses that Silvia is his "idol" and Valentine starts to praise her. Proteus, however, claims that his own beloved Julia is superior and the two vie with each other over the qualities of their respective ladies. Valentine tells Proteus that Silvia returns his love but unfortunately her father favors Turio as a suitor because of his great wealth. He then confides that they plan to elope that night. He is to climb to her bedroom window using a rope ladder down which they will escape. He asks Proteus to go with him to advise him. Proteus says he'll be along soon. Once alone he confesses that he's now fallen in love with Silvia. He will try to overcome his "erring love" but if he can't, he'll do everything possible to achieve her.

  ACT 2 SCENE 5

  Speed welcomes Lance to Padua--most likely to confuse the slower-witted Lance. The two hold a comic dialogue in which Speed tries to ascertain whether Proteus and Julia are to be married. Lance won't answer directly but says that his dog will answer for him. Speed says that his master is now become a "notable lover" too. The pair continue their comedy routine as they set off for the alehouse.

  ACT 2 SCENE 6

  A lengthy soliloquy in which Proteus debates whether or not to pursue Silvia. He justifies himself, arguing that if he does he will lose Valentine and Julia, but if he doesn't he will lose himself and, since he loves himself more than his friend, he resolves to "forget that Julia is alive," consider Valentine "an enemy," and pursue his love for Silvia. He decides, therefore, to betray Valentine's plan to elope with her to the Duke so that Valentine will be banished. He will then think of some way to thwart the dull-witted Turio, her father's preferred suitor, calling on "Love" to lend him "wings" to enable him to carry out his schemes swiftly.

  ACT 2 SCENE 7

  Lines 1-38: Back in Verona Julia asks for Lucetta's help with her plan to go to Proteus in Milan. Lucetta argues that it's a long, hard journey but Julia says it won't be with "Love's wings" to help her reach one so perfect as Proteus. Lucetta advises that it's better to wait for him to return, but Julia claims she'll starve to death without seeing him and that Lucetta might as well try to make a fire from snow as put out "the fire of love with words." Lucetta objects that she isn't trying to put out her "love's hot fire," just to keep it within the "bounds of reason," but Julia says that's impossible, she'll never rest until she finds her love.

  Lines 39-90: Lucetta then turns to practical matters, asking her what she's going to wear. Julia says she'll disguise herself as a young man to avoid attracting unwelcome sexual attention. Lucetta tells her she should cut her hair, but Julia decides she'll tie it up. They discuss trousers and whether Julia needs a "codpiece." Julia is impatient over these details, although Lucetta gets great comedy mileage out of them. Julia then considers how scandalous her actions are and Lucetta advises her to stay at home, but Julia is determined. Lucetta says it doesn't matter as long as Proteus is pleased to see her, but she doubts that he will be. Julia, however, assures her that is the least of her "fear." His many oaths and tears are guarantees of his love. Lucetta points out that false men use these, but Julia defends Proteus. Lucetta says she hopes Julia's proved right when she finds him. Julia begs her not to think harshly of Proteus and to help her prepare for her journey and she'll leave everything behind in Lucetta's hands.

  ACT 3 SCENE 1

  Lines 1-50: Proteus tells the Duke of Valentine's plans to elope with Silvia that night, claiming that his actions are inspired by gratitude and his sense of duty. The Duke thanks him for his "honest care" and says that he has noticed that Valentine loves Silvia and now locks her in a high tower at night, keeping the key himself. Proteus tells him that they plan to escape via a rope ladder that Valentine has gone to fetch and that if he stays there he can "intercept" him. He begs that the Duke will keep his part in betraying his friend's secret, though, and the Duke willingly agrees. Proteus leaves as he sees Valentine coming.

  Lines 51-170: Valentine enters and the Duke asks him where he's going so fast. Valentine says just to send letters to a friend and the Duke says in that case he can stay to listen to his problems. The Duke tells him that he wants Silvia to marry Turio but she's being stubborn and disobedient so that he doesn't love her anymore and that he's decided to remarry in his old age. He then concocts a story about having fallen in love with a woman whose family want her to marry someone else and asks Valentine's advice about wooing her. Valentine suggests sending presents and visiting her by night, and finally suggests that the Duke needs a rope ladder, which he can get for him. He will need a cloak to conceal the ladder. The Duke asks what sort of cloak and suggests one such as Valentine's. He removes it, finds the rope ladder and a letter addressed "To Silvia." The Duke reads Valentine's poem to Silvia. He is furious, banishes Valentine, and departs.

  Lines 171-365: Valentine says he would prefer death to banishment but now must flee for his life. Proteus and Lance come to find him. His banishment has been proclaimed publicly. Valentine wants to know if Silvia has heard and Proteus describes her tearful reaction, but that despite her tears and pleas her father has refused to relent. He advises him to be positive and promises to deliver his letters to Silvia. Valentine asks Lance to send Speed to him and leaves with Proteus. Lance says that he may be a fool but he thinks Proteus a "kind of a knave" (villain). He then goes on to say that no one can say he's in love and yet he is, recounting all the "qualities" of his beloved. Speed arrives and after a prolonged discussion of Lance's lady and whether Speed can read, he finally tells him that Valentine is waiting for him.

  ACT 3 SCENE 2

  The Duke reassures Turio that now that Valentine has gone she will love him in time. Proteus enters and confirms that Valentine has left. The Duke asks him how to make Silvia forget Valentine and love Turio. Proteus suggests slandering him and undertakes to do it to promote a match between Silvia and Turio. The Duke says they can trust Proteus because they know he already loves another. Proteus recommends that Turio write her poetry and play music under Silvia's window. Turio decides to take his advice and to go that night.

  ACT 4 SCENE 1

  Valentine and Speed are ambushed by Outlaws. Valentine tells them that he has no money and has been banished from Milan for killing a man. They like the look of him and ask him to join them and become their "captain." He agrees, provided they "do no outrages" on defenseless women or travelers.

  ACT 4 SCENE 2

  Lines 1-84: Proteus confesses that he has already been false to Valentine and is now deceiving Turio since under cover of helping him woo Silvia, he is advancing his own suit, but she continually spurns his advances and accuses him of disloyalty to Valentine and Julia. The more she spurns him, though, the more he desires her. Turio arrives with the musicians to play under Silvia's window. Julia, disguised as a boy, enters at a distance with the Host who asks her why she is sad. He says he'll bring her to the young gentleman she's seeking and she'll hear music. They listen to the song addressed to Silvia. This makes Julia even more sad and when it's ended she asks if Proteus often visits Silvia. The Host says that according to Lance, he's in love with her. They stand aside and Proteus tells Turio that he will plead for him.

  Lines 85-142: When Turio and the Musicians depart and Silvia comes to her window, Proteus attempts to woo her for himself. But Silvia is resolute, calling him "subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man" and telling him that she despises him. Proteus claims that Julia is dead but Silvia says, even so, Valentine is alive. Proteus says he hears that he's dead too, in which case Silvia says, so is she, since her love is buried with him. Proteus begs for a picture of her at least and she says that since he worships "shadows," she'll send him her picture in the morning. When they've both departed, Julia calls the Host to go and asks where Proteus lodges. The Host confirms that he lodges at his house, saying that it's almost day, but Julia replies that it's been the "longest night" she's ever known.

  ACT 4 SCENE 3

  Eglamour arrives at Silvia's window as requested. He says he is her "servant" and her friend. She exp
lains her situation and tells him she plans to run away to find Valentine and begs him to accompany her. He agrees to help and they arrange to meet that evening at Friar Patrick's cell.

  ACT 4 SCENE 4

  Lines 1-55: Lance says he was sent to make a gift of Crab to Silvia. Unfortunately Crab misbehaved, and Lance goes on to recount further examples of his misbehavior, complaining all the while of the dog's ingratitude and how he has saved him in the past from whipping and worse. Proteus arrives with Julia, still disguised as a boy, giving her name as Sebastian. Proteus says he likes him/her and will employ him. When he sees Lance, he asks him if Silvia liked the "little jewel" of a dog he sent as a gift. Lance says she refused it and he's brought the dog back again, indicating Crab. Proteus is puzzled but Lance explains that the "other squirrel" was stolen from him so he offered her his own dog instead. Proteus is furious and sends Lance off to find his dog.

  Lines 56-103: Proteus asks Sebastian (Julia) to deliver a ring from him to Silvia, saying that she who gave it to him "loved me well." Julia says he can't have loved her to give it away, and suggests she may be dead. When Proteus says he doesn't think so, she cries "Alas!" and when he asks her why, she replies because she who gave him the ring must have loved him as much as he loves Silvia. It was pity that made her cry. He points out Silvia's chamber and tells her to give her the ring anyway and to remind her that she's promised to give him her picture. She is to return to him afterward. Now alone, Julia considers her situation, feeling pity for Proteus because she truly loves him. She says she will woo Silvia for him, but "coldly," since she doesn't want his suit to her to succeed.

  Lines 104-174: Sebastian/Julia asks to speak to Silvia, who thinks s/he's come for the picture. As she hands it over she says to tell Proteus he would better hang a picture of Julia in his chamber. Sebastian/Julia asks her to read her master's letter, but Silvia refuses and tears it up. S/he then gives her the ring, which Silvia refuses, recognizing it as the ring given him by Julia. Sebastian/Julia thanks her and when Silvia asks why, s/he says for her care for Julia. Silvia asks if s/he knows Julia and s/he replies "Almost as well as I do know myself." Silvia asks her to describe Julia and s/he describes herself as she was. S/he says she knows they are the same size since Sebastian borrowed a gown from Julia for a pageant, in which he played a woman, a "lamentable part," the deserted Ariadne of classical mythology "passioning For Theseus' perjury and unjust flight." She describes her performance, which was "so lively acted" that it made Julia weep. Silvia pities her and condemns Proteus' treatment. She gives Sebastian/Julia a purse and leaves.

  Lines 175-201: Now alone, Julia reflects on Silvia and her honesty and kindness, hoping that Proteus will not succeed with her. Looking at her picture, she concludes that Silvia is no prettier than herself and tries to understand why Proteus should now prefer her. She reflects on the blindness and contrariness of love, confessing that, although she's jealous of the kisses and adoration that the picture will receive, she'll treat it kindly for Silvia's sake, otherwise she'd have scratched out the "unseeing eyes" so that Proteus would fall out of love with her image.

  ACT 5 SCENE 1

  Eglamour and Silvia meet at Friar Patrick's and set off for the forest.

  ACT 5 SCENE 2

  Turio and Proteus are discussing the progress of Turio's courtship of Silvia. Proteus gives flattering, ambiguous responses to each of Turio's questions, while Julia, as Sebastian, is standing by offering ironic asides. The Duke arrives, asking whether they have seen Silvia recently. When they say they haven't, he realizes she's fled with Eglamour to find Valentine. They each decide to follow for different reasons.

  ACT 5 SCENE 3

  Silvia has been captured by the Outlaws who are going to take her to their "captain's cave."

  ACT 5 SCENE 4

  Lines 1-62: Valentine, alone, reflects on the peace and tranquillity he enjoys in the forest. He hears a commotion and, recognizing his fellow Outlaws, stands aside to observe events. Proteus enters with Silvia and Julia (still disguised as Sebastian). Proteus says he has rescued her from dishonor and deserves at least a kind look from her. Valentine can't believe what he's hearing. Silvia says how "miserable" and "unhappy" she is, but Proteus says she was unhappy until he came and now she should be happy. Silvia responds that his approach makes her "most unhappy." In an aside, Julia says it makes her unhappy too. Silvia says she'd rather be eaten by a lion than rescued by Proteus. She loves Valentine and detests "false perjured Proteus." She accuses him of betraying both Julia and his friend. Proteus replies that friendship doesn't count in love and since she will not be wooed by words, he'll woo her like a soldier and force her.

  Lines 63-89: Valentine steps forward and orders Proteus to let her go. Proteus is shocked. Valentine says that only the evidence of his own eyes could have convinced him of Proteus' treachery and villainy. He is full of sorrow but they must be enemies from now on. Proteus says he is overcome with "shame and guilt" and truly sorry for his actions. He begs forgiveness. Valentine at once forgives him, saying he is satisfied and to prove his love for his friend, he will give up Silvia to Proteus: "All that was mine in Silvia I give thee." Still standing aside, the disguised Julia exclaims "O, me unhappy!" and faints.

  Lines 90-125: Valentine asks Sebastian/Julia what the matter is and s/he says she was supposed to deliver a ring to Silvia. When Proteus asks for the ring she produces the ring he had originally given her as a keepsake when they parted. When asked how she came by it she finally reveals herself. He is surprised but Julia tells him not to be, it's a lesser evil for women to change their appearance than men their minds. He is stung by her words, and seeing Julia in front of him, cannot understand why he should have preferred Silvia. The four are reconciled and take hands, when the Outlaws enter having captured the Duke and Turio.

  Lines 126-179: Valentine tells the Outlaws to let them go and welcomes the Duke. The Duke is astonished, but seeing Silvia, Turio claims her. Valentine threatens to kill him and Turio gives her up at once: "I hold him but a fool that will endanger / His body for a girl that loves him not." The Duke is disgusted by his cowardliness and admires Valentine's courageous determination, which proves in the Duke's mind that he is "a gentleman" and fit to marry his daughter. Valentine thanks him and asks one more favor--that he will pardon the Outlaws, who are now reformed, and find them employment. The Duke agrees and as they all set out to return home, Valentine promises to explain everything to him, including the "blushes" of the "page." That done they will marry and all live happily.

  THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF

  VERONA IN PERFORMANCE:

  THE RSC AND BEYOND

  The best way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or ideally to participate in it. By examining a range of productions, we may gain a sense of the extraordinary variety of approaches and interpretations that are possible--a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made "our contemporary" four centuries after his death.

  We begin with a brief overview of the play's theatrical and cinematic life, offering historical perspectives on how it has been performed. We then analyze in more detail a series of productions staged over the last half-century by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The sense of dialogue between productions that can only occur when a company is dedicated to the revival and investigation of the Shakespeare canon over a long period, together with the uniquely comprehensive archival resource of promptbooks, program notes, reviews, and interviews held on behalf of the RSC at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, allows an "RSC stage history" to become a crucible in which the chemistry of the play can be explored.

  Finally, we go to the horse's mouth. Modern theater is dominated by the figure of the director, who must hold together the whole play, whereas the actor must concentrate on his or her part. The director's viewpoint is therefore especially valuable. Shakespeare's plasticity is wonderfully revealed when we hear directors of highly successful productions answering the same questions in very differ
ent ways.

  FOUR CENTURIES OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN: AN OVERVIEW

  One of the least regularly performed of Shakespeare's comedies, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is perhaps most familiar to modern audiences from John Madden's film Shakespeare in Love. In the banqueting hall at Whitehall, Judi Dench's Queen Elizabeth nods off, bored, as Henry Condell delivers Valentine's earnest soliloquy, "What light is light ...," and laughs uproariously as Will Kempe (Patrick Barlow) clowns with his dog as Lance. Backstage, Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush) turns to Shakespeare and sums up: "Love and a bit with a dog, that's what they like."1 The responses of Elizabeth and Henslowe are characteristic of modern expectations of the play in performance: a light entertainment, with only the Lance/Crab comic scenes and the problematic ending usually worthy of notice. Yet the relative obscurity of the play has also been found to work in the play's favor, as it retains the ability in the hands of strong companies to excite and surprise, as well as lending itself to weightier issues.

  There are no recorded performances of the play until 1762 at London's Drury Lane, where David Garrick directed an adaptation by Benjamin Victor. Victor prefaced the published version thus:

  It is the general opinion, that this comedy abounds with weeds; and there is no one, I think, will deny, who peruses it with attention, that it is adorned with several poetical flowers, such as the hand of a Shakespeare alone could raise. The rankest of those weeds I have endeavoured to remove; but was not a little solicitous lest I should go too far, and, while I fancy'd myself grubbing up a weed, should heedlessly cut the threads of a flower.2