Introduction to the play
While the word “gentlemen” suggests that its heroes are adults, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is more intelligible if we think of them as boys, leaving home for the first time. One has a crush on a girl, Julia, though he hasn’t yet told her.
Sent to court to learn to be “perfect gentlemen,” Valentine and Proteus are derailed by their attraction to Sylvia, the ruler’s daughter. Valentine’s mental denseness does not deter Sylvia from returning his love, but he is caught, and banished, when he tries to elope with her. Proteus’s desire for Sylvia wipes out his former love, leading him into despicable acts that win scorn from Sylvia and wound Julia, who has pursued him disguised as a boy.
When Sylvia follows Valentine into banishment, Proteus follows Sylvia, and Julia follows Proteus, the stage is set for a disturbing ending. But the stage is also set for the “gentlemen” to take small steps toward maturity.
The Folger Shakespeare
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The uncertain glory of an April day
—Proteus
Act 1, scene 3, line 86
Who is Sylvia? What is she,
That all our swains commend her?
—Proteus
Act 4, scene 2, lines 41–42
The Two Gentlemen of Verona in our collection
A selection of Folger collection items related to The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Find more in our digital image collection
Essays and resources from The Folger Shakespeare
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Learn more about the play, its language, and its history from the experts behind our edition.
About Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona
An introduction to the plot, themes, and characters in the play
Reading Shakespeare’s Language
A guide for understanding Shakespeare’s words, sentences, and wordplay
An Introduction to This Text
A description of the publishing history of the play and our editors’ approach to this edition
Textual Notes
A record of the variants in the early printings of this text
A Modern Perspective
An essay by Jeffrey Masten
Further Reading
Suggestions from our experts on where to learn more
Shakespeare and his world
Learn more about Shakespeare, his theater, and his plays from the experts behind our editions.
Shakespeare’s Life
An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived
Shakespeare’s Theater
An essay about what theaters were like during Shakespeare’s career
The Publication of Shakespeare’s Plays
An essay about how Shakespeare’s plays were published
Related blog posts and podcasts
ENCORES: 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' performed by Folger Theatre and Fiasco Theater (2014)
Folger Public Programs is pleased to present ENCORES, recalling the rich history of programming on the historic Folger stage. This week, we revisit a performance of ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’ by Folger Theatre and Fiasco Theater (2014).
Love Letters in Shakespeare
We look at three instances of love letters in Shakespeare’s plays: Orlando’s love poems to Rosalind in As You Like It, Hamlet’s passionate missive to Ophelia in Hamlet, and Proteus’s romantic letter to Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Teaching The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Use the Folger Method to teach any of Shakespeare’s works. Become a Teacher Member to get exclusive access to lesson plans and professional development.
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
Free resource
The First Week of School: Literature Line Toss
The First Week of School: Literature Line Toss
2-Line Scenes - General Shakespeare
Free resource
The Monologue Project
The Monologue Project
Free resource
Essential Everyday Bravery
Early printed texts
The Two Gentlemen of Verona appeared in print for the first time in the 1623 First Folio, and that text serves as the basis for all subsequent editions.
