The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare

Characters

• Duke of Milan: Silvia's father
• Valentine: Gentleman of Verona
• Proteus: Gentleman of Verona
• Antonio: Proteus' father
• Thurio: foolish rival to Valentine
• Eglamour: Agent for Silvia in escape
• Host: where Julia lodges
• Outlaws: with Valentine
• Speed: a clownish servant to Valentine
• Launce: a clownish servant to Proteus
• Panthino: Servant to Antonio
• Julia: beloved of Proteus
• Silvia: beloved of Valentine
• Lucetta: waiting-woman to Julia

Summary

• After receiving no response from Julia to his letter of love, Proteus follows his friend Valentine to Milan and decides to begin pursuing the current love interest of Valentine, Silvia. By informing the Duke of Valentine's plan to run off with the Duke's daughter Silvia, Valentine is banished to Mantua, and Proteus continues in his pursuit. His abandoned love interest, Julia gets in close to the intrigue by dressing herself as a boy and delivering a message to Silvia and observing the results.

Notes/Quotes

• Proteus. He [Valentine] after honour hunts, I after love: he leaves his friends to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends and all, for love. (1.1)
• Proteus is sent by his father Antonio to serve in the emperor's court alongside Valentine, just as the relationship between Proteus and Julia is budding. (1.3)
• Proteus. O, how this spring of love resembleth the uncertain glory of an April day, which now shows all the beauty of the sun, and by and by a cloud takes all away. (1.3)
• Speed. If you lover here [Silvia], you cannot see her.
• Valentine. Why?
• Speed. Because Love is blind. (2.1)
• Proteus. I will forget that Julia is alive, remembering that my love to her is dead; and Valentine I'll hold an enemy, aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend. (2.6).
• in regards to winning the heart of a 'lady of Verona',
• Duke. She did scorn a present that I sent her.
• Valentine. A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her. (3.1)
• First Outlaw. [on the frontiers of Mantua, between Milan and Verona]...you [Valentine] are beautified with goodly shape and by your own report a linguist and a man of such perfection as we do in our quality much want --
• Second Out. ...Are you content to be our general? To make a virtue of necessity and live, as we do, in this wilderness?...
• Valentine. I take your offer and will live with you, provided that you do no outrages on silly women or poor passengers.
• Third Out. No, we detest such vile base practices.
• Thurio. How likes she [Silvia] my discourse?
• Proteus. Ill, when you talk of war.
• Thurio. But well, when I discourse of love and peace?
• Julia. [In disguise; Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.
• Thurio. What says she to my valor?
• Proteus. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.
• Julia. [Aside] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.
• Thurio. What says she to my birth?
• Proteus. That you are well derived.
• Julia. [Aside] True; from a gentleman to a fool.
• Thurio. Considers she my possessions?
• Proteus. O, ay; and pities them.
• Thurio. Wherefore?
• Julia. [Aside] That such an ass should owe them.
• Proteus. That they are out by lease.