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In Verona, two young friends pursue different paths: adventure lures Valentine to seek his fortune abroad, while love for the fair Julia keeps Proteus at home. Julia initially scorns his suit because she thinks it befitting her modesty as a maid, while in truth, she loves Proteus, too. She cherishes his love letters, and finally replies in kind.
Sadly for the young lovers, Proteus'’ father Antonio is ignorant of their bond. Believing his son idly wastes his youth while Valentine improves himself at the court in Milan, he peremptorily orders Proteus to travel there. A tearful parting ensues, where Proteus and Julia exchange rings and vows of constancy. Tears are not exclusive to the genteel classes, however; Proteus'’ servant Launce describes the hullabaloo accompanying his own departure from hearth and home, a scene that would move all but the most hard-hearted -- in this case, Crab, his dog.
In Milan, meanwhile, the main adventure Valentine has undertaken is to fall in love with Silvia, the Duke’s daughter. He naively plays the role of lover, unperturbed by the mockery of his servant Speed or the difference in station between him and his love. After Silvia slyly reveals that she reciprocates his feelings, they plot to elope.
Valentine'’s happiness seems complete with the arrival of Proteus, to whom he unfolds his heart. Proteus concedes Silvia'’s merits; in fact, he secretly loves her himself. Persuading himself to place fickle self-interest ahead of loyalty to Julia and Valentine, changeable Proteus decides he must have Silvia, by any means. Not suspecting his inconstancy, Julia remains as faithful to her lover as ever. Moreover, so great is her longing for Proteus that she braves the perils of the road to Milan, dressed as a man for self-protection.
Proteus treacherously advises the Duke, who favors Silvia'’s foolish but wealthy suitor Thurio, of his daughter'’s impending flight. Outraged, the Duke banishes Valentine. Valentine flees in the hope that time will eventually offer some remedy to his plight and becomes captain to a band of Outlaws in the forest outside Milan.
With Love dominating the court of Milan, perhaps it is unsurprising that even simple Launce falls under its sway. But compared to the divine mysteries celebrated by his betters, Launce'’s notions of romance are decidedly more mundane. He alone suspects Proteus'’ motives. Because, for all his master'’s posturing as a “votary” of loveroteus'’ passion in fact drives him ever deeper into perfidy. He agrees to slander his departed friend to Silvia under the pretense of preferring Thurio'’s suit, but, once alone with Silvia, woos on his own behalf.
But as appalled as Silvia is by his faithlessness, her abhorrence is nothing compared to that felt by Julia, who arrives in Milan just in time to witness her lover'’s betrayal with her own eyes. Still, she enters Proteus'’ service under the name of Sebastian, and, considering the unreliability Launce and Crab, it falls to her to act as her lover'’s agent in wooing Silvia. This is particularly galling for her, since Proteus offers to Silvia the very ring that Julia had given him at their parting.
Guarded closely by her father and beset by both Thurio and Proteus, Silvia contrives to flee, attended by one Eglamour. The alarm is quickly raised, and the Duke, Proteus and Thurio give chase. The Outlaws have beaten them to their quarry, however, capturing the lady and driving off her escort. Proteus rescues Silvia from her captors, but she continues to spurn him. In his rage, only the unlooked for intervention of Valentine prevents him from raping her.
Forced to look upon his misdeeds in the harsh light of Valentine'’s censure, Proteus repents. For Valentine, the betrayal he witnessed in Proteus outweighed his joy at being reunited with Silvia. Consequently, Valentine is so delighted by Proteus'’ contrition, he even renounces his claim to Silvia in favor of his friend'’s. Julia cannot suppress her dismay, and reveals herself by showing the ring that Proteus had given her long ago. His infidelity acknowledged and forgiven, Proteus and Julia again plight their troth.
The rest of the Outlaw band arrives, haling along the Duke and Thurio as captives. Despite his prior mistreatment by the Duke, Valentine greets him with due homage. Cowardly Thurio quickly abandons any right to Silvia after Valentine challenges him. Impressed by Valentine'’s gentle manners and fearless devotion to his daughter, the Duke grants Silvia'’s hand to the Outlaw captain, and pardons his followers. The party returns to Milan, and to the possibility of joy, harmony, and enduring fidelity.
J. Ripp
© Joseph Ripp, 2001.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.