Read The Two Gentlemen of Verona Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
68
leave
part with/forsake
81
therewithal
with it
89
poor fool
Julia refers to herself
96
To … obtain
i.e. Silvia’s love (for Proteus)
99
true-confirmèd
truly established/legitimate/declared
103
speed
succeed
104
mean
means/agent
106
if … she
if I am indeed Silvia
116
fit his chamber
suit his room
118
unadvised
inadvertently
123
hold
wait a moment
125
protestations
declarations (of love)
126
newfound
recently invented
132
profaned
abused/treated irreverently
136
tender
care for/esteem
149
sun-expelling mask
mask worn by a lady to protect her complexion from the sun
151
pinched the lily-tincture
eroded the lily-white color
152
as … I
Julia may have besmirched her face as part of her disguise
154
stature
height
154
Pentecost
Whitsun, Christian festival held on the seventh Sunday after Easter
155
pageants of delight
enjoyable plays/entertainments
157
trimmed
dressed up
161
a-good
in earnest
163
Ariadne … flight
in Greek mythology Ariadne was abandoned by her lover
Theseus
despite the fact that she had helped him to escape from the labyrinth that contained the beastly Minotaur
163
passioning
passionately sorrowing
165
lively
in a lifelike way/convincingly
169
beholding
indebted
176
mild
gracious, kind
177
suit … cold
wooing (of Silvia) will be in vain/received coldly
178
my mistress
i.e. Julia herself
181
tire
headdress
187
periwig
wig
189
as high
the same height as (i.e. no lower than) hers
190
respects
values/admires
191
respective
worthy of
respect
193
shadow
the disguised/heartbroken Julia
193
take … up
pick up this picture/take on this rival
194
senseless form
unconscious image
197
statue
i.e. an idol
197
stead
place
198
use
treat
199
Jove
king of the gods
Act 5 Scene 1
5.1
Location: outside the city
1
gild
tinge with gold
4
break not hours
do not fail to keep meetings
5
before their time
early
6
expedition
speedy action
8
Amen, amen
i.e. amen to that/yes indeed
9
postern
side or back gate
10
attended
followed
11
three leagues
about nine miles
12
recover
reach
12
sure
secure
Act 5 Scene 2
5.2
Location: Milan
2
milder
more gracious, gentler
3
person
physical appearance
5
little
thin
7
spurred
urged on (plays on the idea of the spurs of a riding-
boot
)
9
fair
attractive/pale-complexioned/effeminate
10
wanton
willful, capricious woman
10
black
tanned
13
pearls
cataracts/syphilitic sores
13
put out
make useless
13
eyes
eyes/vaginas (syphilis infected both the eyes and the genitals)
16
Ill … war
i.e. she does not like it when you talk of violence/your talk of war only reminds her of your inadequacy for masculine pursuits
18
hold your peace
remain silent
20
makes
has
22
birth
noble ancestry
23
derived
descended
26
pities
is concerned for/considers pitiful
28
owe
own
29
out by lease
rented out/not entirely in one’s possession
40
Friar Laurence
possibly a slip for
Friar Patrick
, the friar at whose cell Silvia and Eglamour met, though conceivably another friar is being referred to
42
Him
i.e. Eglamour
43
being masked
she having on a mask
45
even
evening
47
stand
delay
48
mount you
rise up/get on horseback
51
Dispatch
hurry up
53
flies her fortune
flees her good fortune (i.e. Turio’s courtship)
55
reckless
uncaring
Act 5 Scene 3
5.3
Location: wilderness/forest
3
more mischances
greater misfortunes
4
brook
endure
8
Moyses and Valerius
i.e. two of the outlaws (“
Moyses
” is a form of “Moses”)
11
beset
surrounded/beseiged
Act 5 Scene 4
1
use
custom
2
desert
deserted place
5
complaining
sorrowing
6
record
sing
8
mansion
i.e. his
breast
, love’s dwelling place
11
Repair
revive (plays on the senses “reconstruct” and “return”)
12
nymph
beautiful one/semi-divine being
13
hallowing
shouting
15
Have
who have
17
from
from committing
20
respect
value
20
aught
anything
21
him
i.e. the First Outlaw
22
forced … love
i.e. sexually assaulted/raped you
23
Vouchsafe
grant
23
meed
reward
23
fair
favorable/beautiful
24
boon
favor
31
approach
loving advances
37
tender
precious
38
full
just
40
solicit
urge/chase after favors
41
action
course of action/fighting
43
still approved
continually tested/proven
47
rend
tear up
47
faith
promises, fidelity
50
thou’dst two
i.e. you are somehow able to be a faithful lover to two women at once
53
counterfeit … friend
false imitation of a
true friend
like Valentine
55
respects
takes into consideration
57
spirit
nature/breath of air (this latter sense, picked up on in
moving
, implies proximity between Silvia and Proteus)
57
moving
wooing/stirring
58
form
manner of behaving/appearance
59
at arms
’
end
at sword’s point/with my penis
63
uncivil
uncivilized, brutish
64
ill fashion
wicked sort
66
common
commonplace (i.e. showing no special qualities of friendship)
68
beguiled
deceived
71
right hand
i.e. his closest friend, Proteus
74
count
consider
75
private
personal/internal
77
confounds
overcomes
80
tender’t
offer it
81
commit
do wrong
83
receive thee
regard you as
84
Who
he who
85
nor
neither
85
these
i.e. heaven and earth
86
penitence
repentance
86
th’Eternal’s
God’s
87
love
i.e. friendship
87
free
generous
91
wag
lad
93
charged
instructed
99
cry you mercy
forgive me
101
depart
departure (from Verona)
106
gave aim
was the object of
107
entertained
received
108
cleft the root
split the bottom of my heart
109
habit
outfit (Julia’s page disguise; also puns on the sense of “behavior”)
111
raiment
clothing
111
if … love
if it is in fact shameful to disguise oneself for love/if you can feel shame, being a false lover
113
It … minds
propriety considers it less disgraceful for women to disguise themselves than for men to be unfaithful
118
Inconstancy … begins
unfaithful passions drop away even before they begin
128
disgraced
dishonored (plays on the sense of “out of favor”)
132
give
move
133
measure
range
135
hold
protect (“
Verona
” may be a slip for “Milan,” which is Turio’s home)
143
means
efforts
144
slight conditions
insubstantial grounds
149
repeal
recall
150
Plead … merit
argue that there is a new state of affairs now that you have shown your superior deserving
151
subscribe
bear witness/acknowledge
158
kept withal
lived with
163
employment
service
165
Dispose of
make arrangements for
165
as … deserts
in accordance with their deservings
166
include all jars
bring to an end, shut up all discord
167
triumphs
festivities
167
rare solemnity
marvelous celebration
171
grace
virtue/charm
172
grace
ideal female beauty
175
fortunèd
come to pass