The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare’s first play,[a] and is often seen as showing his first tentative steps in laying out some of the themes and motifs with which he would later deal in more detail; for example, it is the first of his plays in which a heroine dresses as a boy. The play deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity, the conflict between friendship and love, and the foolish behaviour of people in love. The highlight of the play is considered by some to be Launce, the clownish servant of Proteus, and his dog Crab, to whom “the most scene-stealing non-speaking role in the canon” has been attributed.
Two Gentlemen is often regarded as one of Shakespeare’s weakest plays. It has the smallest named cast of any play by Shakespeare.
Characters
Valentine – young man living in Verona
Proteus – his closest friend
Silvia – falls in love with Valentine in Milan
Julia – in love with Proteus in Verona
Duke of Milan – Silvia’s father
Lucetta – Julia’s waiting woman
Antonio – Proteus’ father
Thurio – foolish rival to Valentine for Silvia
Eglamour – aids in Silvia’s escape