THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. 'WRITTEN ABOUT 1592-93.) INTRODUCTION. In This play, though slightly worked out in parts, exhibits an advance on the preceding comedies. The Errors was a elever tangle of diverting incidents, with a few passages of lyric beauty, and one of almost tragic pathos; Lore's Labour's Lost was a play of glittering and elaborate dialogue. The Two Gentlemen of Verona Shakespeare struck into a new path, which he was to pursue with admirable results; it is his earliest comedy in which a romantic love-story is told in dramatic form. Here first he records the tender and passionate history of a woman's heart, and the adventures to which love may prompt her. Jalia is the first of that charming group of children of Shakespeare's imagination which includes Viola, Portia, Rosalind, and imogen-women who assume, under some constraint of fortune, the disguise of male attire, and who, while submitting to their transformation, forfeit none of the grace, the modesty, the sensitive delicacy, or the pretty wilfulness of their sex. Launce, accompanied by his immortal dog, leads the train of Shakespeare's humorous clowns his rich, grotesque humanity is worth all the light, fantastic interludes of Boyet and broad-witted prose of either Adriano, Costard and Holofernes," worth all the "dancing doggerel or Dromio." The characters of the play are clearly conceived, and contrasted with almost too obvious a design: the faithful Valentine is set over against the faithless Proteus; the bright and clever Sylvia is set over against the tender and ardent Julia; the clown Speed, notable as a verbal wit and quibbler, is set over against the humorous Launce. The general theme of the play may be defined as love and friendship, with their mutual relations. The date of the play cannot be definitely fixed; but its place among the comedies is probably after Lore's Labour's Lost and before A Midsummer Night's Dream. The language and verse are characterized by an even sweetness; rhymed lines and doggerel verses are lessening in number; the blank verse is written with careful regularity. It is as if Shakespeare were giving up his early licences of versification, were aiming at a more refined style (which occasionally became a little tame), but being still a novice in the art of writing blank verse, were timid and failed to write it with the freedom and "happy valiancy" which distinguish his later manner. The story of the play is identical in many particulars with The Story of the Shepherdess Felismena in the Spanish pastoral romance, Diana, by George of Montemayor; but though manuscript translations of the Diana existed at an earlier date, no translation was published before that of Yonge, in 1598. Valentine's consenting to become captain of the robbers' band has been compared with a somewhat similar incident in Sidney's Arcadia, but the coincidences are slight, and it may be doubted that Shakespeare had then any thought of the Arcadia. Fal. That's on some shallow story of deep love : How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love : For he was more than over shoes in love. Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never swum the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. Val. No, I will not, for it boots thee not. Pro What? Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans; Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth 30 With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: If lost, why then a grievous labor won; Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear you'll prove. Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love. Val. Love is your master, for he masters you: And he that is so yoked by a fool, 40 Methinks, should not be chronicled for wise. Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bnd The eating canker dwells, so eating love Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, 50 Speed. Sir Proteus, save you! Saw you my master? 70 Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already, And I have play'd the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be a while away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd, then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. 80 Pro. A silly answer and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by à circumstance. [other. Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by anSpeed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep. 91 Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd; the shepherd for food follows not the sheep thou for wages followest thy master; thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry' baa.' Pro. But, dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton, and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labor. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her. Fro. But what said she? Speed. [First nodding] Ay. Pro. Nod-Ay-why, that's noddy. Speed. You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod and you ask me if she did nod; and I say, 'Ay.' 121 Pro. And that set together is noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you. Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter, very orderly; having nothing but the word 'noddy' for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief what said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains. What said she? 140 Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind According to my shallow simple skill. Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine; 10 But, were I you, he never should be mine. Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, Jul. Luc. away. Why he, of all the rest, hath never moved me. Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye. Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small. Luc. Fire that's closest kept burns most of all. 30 Jul. They do not love that do not show their love. Luc. O, they love least that let men know their love. Jul. I would I knew his mind. think, from Proteus. He would have given it you; but I, being in the way, Did in your name receive it: pardon the fault, I pray. 40 Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker! Dare you presume to harbor wanton lines ? To whisper and conspire against my youth ? stings! I'll kiss each several paper for amends. As in revenge of thy ingratitude, 110 I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain. And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus.' Poor wounded name! my bosom as a bed Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd; And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss. But twice or thrice was 'Proteus' written down. Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away Till I have found each letter in the letter, Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear 120 Unto a ragged fearful-hanging rock be pos Luc. Madam, Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' love.' La Ay, and melodious were it, would you sing it. Jul." And why not you? I cannot reach so high. Jul. Let's see your song. How now, minion! Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out: Dinner is ready, and your father stays. Jul. Well, let us go. 130 Luc. What, shall these papers lie like telltales here? [up. Jul. If you respect them, best to take thein Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. Jul. I see you have a month's mind to them. Luc. Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see: I see things too, although you judge I wink. Jul. Come, come; will't please you go? [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. ANTONIO's house. Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pan. Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him? 10 Pan. He wonder'd that your lordship Would suffer him to spend his youth at home, While other men, of slender reputation, Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: Some to the wars, to try their fortune there ; Some to discover islands far away; Some to the studious universities. For any or for all these exercises, He said that Proteus your son was meet, And did request me to importune you To let him spend his time no more at home, Which would be great impeachment to his age, In having known no travel in his youth. Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that 20 Whereon this month I have been hammering. Pan. Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; I am resolved that thou shalt spend some time Like exhibition thou shalt have from nie. 70 Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided: Please you, deliberate a day or two. Ant. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee: No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go. [Exeunt Ant. and Pan. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning, And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd. I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter, The uncertain glory of an April day, 80 Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you! He is in haste; therefore, I pray you, go. Pro. Why, this it is: my heart accord: thereto, And yet a thousand times it answers 'no. [Exeun ACT II. SCENE I. Milan. The DUKE's palace. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. Speed. Sir, your glove. |