The Two Gentlemen of Verona (The New Cambridge Shakespeare) - Hardcover

Shakespeare, William

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521222222 ISBN 13: 9780521222228

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1990

Synopsis

Prof. Schluter approaches this early comedy as a parody of two types of Renaissance educational fiction: the love-quest story and the test-of-friendship story, which by their combination show high-flown human ideals as incompatible with each other, and with human nature. A thoroughly researched, illustrated stage history of The Two Gentlemen of Verona reveals changing conceptions of the play, which nevertheless often fail to come to terms with its subversive impetus. Since the first known production at David Garrick's Drury Lane Theatre, it has tempted major directors and actors, such as John Philip Kemble, William Charles Macready, Charles Kean and Samuel Phelps, who established a tradition of understanding which cast its shadow even on such modern productions as Denis Carey's famous staging for the Bristol Old Vic and Robin Phillips's for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

About this title

Review:

One of Shakespeare's earliest comedies, and unjustly neglected over the years, The Two Gentlemen of Verona has deserved its growing critical reputation over recent years. The play dramatises the entangled relations between the two gentlemen of the play's title, Valentine and Proteus. Valentine leaves Verona for Milan to seek his fortune, whilst Proteus stays to be near his love, Julia. Spurned by Julia, Proteus heads for Milan, where he finds himself a rival of Valentine for the hand of Silvia, the Duke's daughter. Julia the reappears, disguised in boy's clothes as Proteus' page. As in many of Shakespeare's later comedies, the lovers flee to the forest, where confusion and conflict is finally resolved, and the two gentlemen are reunited not only with their "correct" lovers, but also with each other.

The play is particularly interesting for its dramatisation of the intense friendship between Valentine and Proteus, which it often characterises as more intimate and meaningful than relations with women. Proteus complains that Julia "hast metamorphosed me" into something he cannot understand, and the play suggests that social and sexual relations between men are often more satisfying than the dangerous instability involved in wooing women. --Jerry Brotton

Review:

A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare s extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever. James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599
A feast of literary and historical information. The Wall Street Journal"

"A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare's extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever."--James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599
"A feast of literary and historical information."--The Wall Street Journal

-A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare's extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever.---James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599
-A feast of literary and historical information.---The Wall Street Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0521222222
• ISBN 13: 9780521222228
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 168
• Editor: Schlueter Kurt