The Two Gentlemen of Verona: love is blind; the swift course of time; clothe my age with angel-like perfection

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The Two Gentlemen of Verona

     This play, similar to The Merry Wives of Windsor, is one of Shakespeare’s least popular according to Harold Bloom.  Initially, there seemed to be a paucity of passages (to use some Shakespearean alliteration) that moved me, and this has been so unusual as I read through these eloquent plays.  Of course, this is probably a short-coming on my part.  Actually, as I reread my notes and summarized the quotes that I liked, there were many wonderful passages on love, youth, aging and the passage of time as seen below.

     The edition I am reading is from The Cambridge University Press, first edition printed in 1921, and states that this play is “a graceful story charmingly told,” and “The diction is melodious, on the whole too mellifluous.”  There are very conversational comments using such asides as “and so on,” “nevertheless” and “but we have said enough.”  Wonderful.    This particular essay, written almost one hundred years ago, by a scholar who signed his name as "Q" (Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch)....and I am completely taken by his writing style and voice.   I think that I will enjoy reading the Cambridge Press’ introductions as much as the plays now.       

     The introduction also states that this edition is “edited by the syndics” of the press… very erudite, very mellifluous, and a good read.  (Ironically, that is an ‘Oxford comma’ that I just included.)  Q has a sense of humor as he mentions that in this play Shakespeare has Valentine erroneously going by sea from Verona to Milan, both cities being on the mainland, “as easily as one might start him from Oxford to Cambridge.”  “Reserving this, and putting the vexation of it out of our thought for the moment, we can enjoy the play as a light and jocular Italianate comedy.”  And so on.  

     However much I was disappointed in not finding the usual plenitude of  poetic metaphors and similes, ironically two unexpected epiphanies occurred (as was the case as I read the last page of The Merry Wives of Windsor).  The first occurred as I came across one particular passage in Act 2, Scene 1 as Valentine professes his love for Silvia. 

Valentine.  “I have loved her ever since I saw her, and still I see her beautiful.”

Speed.  “If you love her, you cannot see her.”

Valentine.  “Why?”

Speed.  “Because love is blind…”

     Interestingly, this statement that 'love is blind' was alluded to in King John as well.  (See notes on this play.)    
“so I shall catch the fly, your Cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too.”  King Henry 
“As love is, my lord, before it loves.”  Duke of Burgundy to King Henry.  5.2.326-328

    The other scene involves Launce, Proteus’ servant, in Act 2, Scene 3 as he expresses his profound sadness at having to accompany Proteus  to Milan, thereby being forced to leave his parents and his faithful dog, Crab.  He reenacts his sorrow by pretending his shoes are his parents and his dog is himself:

“I’ll show you the manner of it…(takes off his shoes)  This shoe is my father…no, this left shoe is my father; no, no, this left shoe is my mother…nay, that cannot be so neither…yes; it is so, it is so; it hath the worse sole…this shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother, and this is my father.”

He goes on: “this staff is my sister… this hat is Nan, our maid: I am the dog…no, the dog is himself; and I am the dog…O, the dog is me, and I am myself: ay; so, so…” 2.3.1-22.  Weeping, he then says he must kiss his Father (he kisses one shoe) and then his Mother (the other shoe). 

Quotes:

“To be in love; where scorn is bought with groans;

Coy looks, with heart-sore sighs: one fading moment’s mirth,

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights;”  Valentine.  1.1.29-32

“…all for love

Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me:

Made me neglect my studies, lose my time:

War with good counsel; set the world at nought;

Made wit with musing, weak; heart sick with thought.”  Proteus.  1.1.65-69.

There are some a,a   b,b   c,c rhyming schemes (1.2.10)

(on youth, time)

“And did request to importune you

To let him spend his time no more at home;

Which would  be great impeachment to his age,

In having known no travel in his youth.”  Panthino

“…Not being tried and tutored in the world:

Experience is but industry achieved,

And perfected by the swift course of time:” Antonio, Proteus’ father, 1.3.12-23

(love)

“…do you know Madam Silvia?”  Valentine

“She that your worship loves?”  Speed

“Why, how know you that I am in love?”  Valentine

“…by these special marks:  to wreath your arms like a malcontent; to relish a love-song, like a robin-redbreast; to walk alone…to sigh…to weep…to fast…to watch.  …now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master.”  Speed.  2.1.14-30

“these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal”  Speed.  2.1.36-37

“…the sweet benefit of time

To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection”  Valentine.  2.4.63-64

“his mistress Did hold his eyes locked in her crystal looks.”  Valentine.  2.4.86-87

“…the summer-swelling flower”  Valentine.  2.4.160

“O, know’st thou not his looks are my soul’s food?”  Julia.  2.7.15

“His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,

His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate,

His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,

His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth.”  Julia about Proteus.  2.7.75-78

“Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.”  Proteus.  3.1.243

Vocabulary:

Paragon

celestial (twice)

twinkling star

lascivious

Ariadne and Theseus

Leander, crossing the Hellespont.