Shakespeare's romances are an acquired taste even among their more successful examples, and this appreciation becomes more difficult when, as with The Two Gentlemen of Verona, it's hard to settle on a frame of reference for experiencing it. One struggles to know whether to approach this play as romance, as something comic or, due to an episode of threatened sexual coercion (as well as a theme of jealousy and slander that the Bard would later flesh out more brilliantly in Othello), to view it through a more complex dramatic lens.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is put at a further disadvantage by being one of Shakespeare's earliest plays (indeed, it is often said to be his first). It therefore lacks much of the skill and clarity its writer would later hone – in the process making his name a synonym for literary genius – though the play is certainly light and relatively easy to follow. There are many features that would go on to become Shakespeare staples: two pairs of lovers, misunderstandings and scheming, women dressed as boys to disguise themselves from the menfolk, as well as the first squeaky turns of many of the mechanisms of plot development and resolution that the author would later come to rely on.

In truth, aside from one charming eulogy to a scrappy dog to open Act Four, Scene Four (ironically making Launce, Shakespeare's first comic relief, one of his more successful Fools), there's not much that is memorable about The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Its main point of interest is in observing Shakespeare in embryo, and little more than that. ( )

The Arden Shakespeare series provides enormous insight into the history and understanding of Shakespeare's works. The analysis of Two Gentlemen of Verona is beyond reproach. The play itself is not remotely Shakespeare's best or even tenth best, and it's little wonder that it's comparatively infrequently produced. As a comedy, it's not very funny. As a piece about friendship, it's rather distressing. As a romance, it's unbelievable. That said, it's got some great turns of phrase--it's written by the greatest writer in the history of English, of course. If you're going to read a relatively unsatisfactory play, it should at least be by a genius. ( )

3.5 stars. I need to think over this play but my first thought is that I would have liked it more if the ending hadn't been so rushed. It didn't strike me as very believable that Valentine would forgive Proteus so quickly.

I also watched a performance of this play on YouTube as I read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEifTpIsn8 ( )

نمایشنامه‌ی خوبی نبود اونقدر... این نشون می‌ده که هر چی شکسپیر نوشته باشه و مهر اون رو خورده باشه نباید کار خیلی خوبی باشه... بیشترین مشکلی که داشتم باهاش این بود که آخر نمایشنامه همه چیز در دو سه صفحه جمع‌بندی شد و همه چی به خیر و خوشی تموم شد (که البته مشخصه‌ی اصلی کمدی‌های کلاسیکه) اما انتظار داشتم روند منطقی‌ای داشته باشه نه این‌که توی دو یا سه دیالوگ به راحتی همه چیز درست بشه... البته شاید من بدبینانه خوندم. ( )

4. The Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Oxford Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare
editor: Roger Warren
published: 1591? (Introduction 2008)
format: 183-page Oxford World Classic paperback
acquired: September read: Dec 17, 2021, Jan 1 – Feb, 6, 2022 time reading: 12:41, 4.2 mpp
rating: 4?
genre/style: Classic Drama theme Shakespeare
locations: A Verona and Milan connected by sea travel??
about the author: April 23, 1564 – April 23, 1616

In her program note for The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Stratford-upon-Avon in I970, [[Hilary Spurling]] described the play's world as one of:

"“knights errant, distracted lovers, and as preposterous a band of brigands as ever strode a stage. This is an Italy of true romance, where Milan is reached from Verona by sea. Proteus abandons Julia, betrays Valentine, abducts Silvia, and when his career of complicated treachery is finally unmasked, apologizes as casually as though he had just sneezed. Whereupon our hero, Valentine, is so overcome that he promptly offers to hand over his beloved to the man who, not three minutes before, had meant to rape her."

Acts 1-4 were really entertaining, delightfully so. Funny, clever, disturbing, there's even a dog. It‘s terrific fun Shakespeare. A pre-Juliet-like Julia tears up a lover's a letter, and then when alone secretly tries to put them back together again. Silvia is wooed by three men, in open and discrete competition, involving musicians and great spiteful spurning on her part. Valentine has a servant cleverer than he, if less charismatic, and Proteus's servant has the dog and the two chat in a way mocking those they serve. But what to make of act 5? Up-till-then Valentine is likable. But he not only forgives Proteus for attempting to rape his lover Silvia, but then offers her to him. And this is presented as a happy ending. It really seems to spoil this play. (and maybe that‘s why parts were recycled into [Romeo and Juliet], [The Merchant of Venice], [Loves Labour Lost], and several other plays.)

Because of the ending, mainly only recommended to completists. But I wouldn't suggest at all hesitating to see a performance.

2022
https://www.librarything.com/topic/337810#7753825 ( )