The Two Gentlemen of Verona facts for kids

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a fun and early play written by the famous English writer William Shakespeare. It's a comedy, which means it has a happy ending and lots of funny moments. Many people think it was one of the very first plays Shakespeare ever wrote, so it's a great way to see how he started his amazing career!

What is The Two Gentlemen of Verona About?

This play tells the story of two best friends, Valentine and Proteus. They are from the city of Verona. Proteus is in love with a girl named Julia, and they promise to be true to each other. Valentine decides to travel to Milan to see the world and learn new things.

Friends and New Loves

In Milan, Valentine quickly falls in love with a beautiful girl named Silvia. She is the daughter of the Duke of Milan. Proteus's father then sends him to Milan too, to join Valentine. But when Proteus arrives, he sees Silvia and completely forgets about Julia! He falls deeply in love with Silvia, even though she is Valentine's girlfriend.

Tricks and Disguises

Proteus tries to trick Valentine and the Duke so he can win Silvia's love. He even tells the Duke about Valentine's plan to run away with Silvia. Because of Proteus's lies, Valentine is sent away from Milan. Meanwhile, Julia, heartbroken that Proteus has forgotten her, decides to follow him to Milan. She dresses up as a boy named Sebastian so no one will recognize her.

Forest Adventures

Valentine joins a group of outlaws in a forest. Silvia, unhappy with her father's plans for her to marry someone else, escapes into the same forest to find Valentine. Proteus also follows Silvia into the forest. Julia, still disguised as Sebastian, is with Proteus, acting as his servant.

A Surprising Ending

In the forest, Proteus tries to force Silvia to love him. Valentine appears and stops him. Proteus feels very sorry for what he has done. He apologizes to Valentine. Julia then reveals herself, and Proteus realizes his mistake and remembers his love for her. In the end, both pairs of friends and lovers are reunited, and everyone finds happiness.

Main Characters in the Play

Valentine

Valentine is one of the two main gentlemen. He is brave and loyal, at least at first! He travels to Milan to seek adventure and falls in love with Silvia. He is a good friend until Proteus betrays him.

Proteus

Proteus is the other gentleman and Valentine's best friend. His name means "changeable," and he certainly lives up to it! He starts out loving Julia, but then falls for Silvia, showing how easily his feelings can shift.

Silvia

Silvia is the beautiful daughter of the Duke of Milan. She is strong-willed and knows her own mind. She loves Valentine and refuses to marry anyone else.

Julia

Julia is the young woman Proteus first loves. She is very devoted and determined. When Proteus leaves her, she bravely disguises herself as a boy to follow him and win him back.

Launce and Crab

Launce is Proteus's funny servant. He often talks to his dog, Crab, who is a very silly and disobedient character. Launce and Crab provide a lot of the comedy in the play.

Why is This Play Important?

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is important because it shows us some of the first ideas and themes that Shakespeare would use in his later, more famous plays.

Early Shakespearean Themes

You can see early versions of themes like:

• Friendship and betrayal: The strong bond between Valentine and Proteus, and how it's tested.
• Love and disguise: Julia dressing up as a boy is a trick Shakespeare used many times later.
• Travel and adventure: Characters leaving home to find new experiences.
• Forgiveness: The way characters forgive each other at the end.

A Look at Shakespeare's Style

Because it's an early play, some people say it's not as "perfect" as his later works. But that's what makes it interesting! You can see Shakespeare experimenting with ideas and characters. It's a great example of how even the greatest writers start somewhere and grow over time.

Images for kids

• 

  Two Gentlemen of Verona by Angelica Kauffman (1789).

• 

  Silvia by Charles Edward Perugini (1888).

• 

  Valentine Rescuing Silvia from Proteus by William Holman Hunt (1851).

• 

  First page of The Boke Named the Governour by Thomas Elyot (1531).

• 

  A 1587 printing of John Lyly's Euphues, The Anatomy of Wit.

• 

  First page of The Two Gentlemen of Verona from the First Folio (1623).

• Silvia Rescued by Valentine.jpg

  Silvia Rescued by Valentine by Francis Wheatley (1792).

• 

  Launce's substitute for Proteus' dog by Augustus Egg (1849).

• 

  H.C. Selous' illustration of Valentine and Proteus' farewell in Act 1, Scene 1; from The Plays of William Shakespeare: The Comedies, edited by Charles Cowden Clarke and Mary Cowden Clarke (1830).

• 

  Early 20th-century Henry James Haley illustration of Act 2, Scene 1 (Silvia refusing Valentine's letter).

• 

  Scene from The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Valentine woos Silvia; the Duke sits nearby, pretending to be asleep) by Alfred Elmore (1857).

• 

  Who is Sylvia – What is she, that all the swains commend her by Edwin Austin Abbey (1899).

• 

  Tim Mace as Launce and Abbie as Crab from a 2009 modern dress performance at the Capitol Center Theater.

• 

  Valentine (Alex Avery), Silvia (Rachel Pickup) and Proteus (Laurence Mitchell) in the 2004 Fiona Buffini production.

• 

  Henry Roberts' engraving of Richard Yates as Launce in the 1762 Drury Lane adaptation by Benjamin Victor.

See also

In Spanish: Los dos hidalgos de Verona para niños