Two Gentlemen of Verona, The

Two Gentlemen of Verona, The, comedy about romantic love by William Shakespeare, which was probably written around 1594. Shakespeare drew his material for this play from Jorge de Montemayor's Diana (1559?), a popular Spanish romance that he may have read in a French translation. The two gentlemen are friends named Proteus and Valentine. Proteus is in love with Julia, but deserts her—and betrays Valentine—to win the hand of Sylvia, whom Valentine loves. In the last scene the friends are reconciled, Valentine wins Sylvia, and Proteus is reunited with Julia, who has followed him disguised as a page.

The action of the play is slow in starting; the denouement is hurried and forced. On the other hand, Shakespeare succeeded in making character account for plot; there would be no action at all if Proteus had not been fickle and Julia faithful. The two servants, especially Launce with his dog, add a dash of realistic comedy to a romantic play. Although this early effort by Shakespeare is weak in its plot development, The Two Gentlemen of Verona nonetheless displays Shakespeare’s developing genius in the lyrical grace of its poetry.