The Two Gentlemen of Verona Research Assignment Paper

The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Name:
Institution:
Course:
Date:
Male Friendship in the Two Gentlemen of Verona by Shakespeare
Purpose/Theme/Meaning; the intentions of the Playwright – Is it merely to entertain or to enlighten? What message do you walk away with after seeing this show, if any?
Introduction
Performed at the American Shakespeare Center, the play The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of the most studied piece from Shakespeare. This is a play that ushers Shakespeare into the world of plays and one that shows his first major approaches into creating themes that were illustrative of the society, from a rather unique perspective. This is a play that embodies the societal elements that are deeply seated and mimic light and dark sides of society. It illuminates on the issue of friendship especially between men. As such, one of the most developed themes of the play and one that gives the subtle meaning implied by Shakespeare is male friendship. Male friendship is one of the subjects that have over the years been considered as sublime. Even during the Renaissance, friendship between men was an important aspects in the society. In the play, it is easy to see the kind of relationship that exists between Proteus and Valentine.
The theme of male friendships can be traced back to the Renaissance period, where these were considered with some level of subtle significance. Valentine and Proteus ...