Troubadourian Impact on Shakespeare: A Study of ‘The Two Gentleman of Verona’

Abstract

Prof. N. C. Bhoi -  Abstract: No writer could be studied in isolation from his preceding tradition and the study of Shakespeare is not an exception to it. E.M.W.Tilliyard is justified in studying Shakespeare in the context of Renaissance. Charlton has rightly argued that the Elizabethan age was basically ‘A Romantic age’ and ‘Shakespeare and his fellows were Romantic in the strict sense that they clamoured for fuller draught of that spirit of romanticism which the Middle Ages had first discovered and revealed in their tales of chivalry and Knight Errantry’. The present paper aims at establishing the continuation of medieval tradition of romantic love in Shakespeare’s Italian comedy, ‘The Two Gentleman of Verona’. From historical point of view an attempt has been made to trace the origin of romantic love in medieval love poetry and romances. At the same time a comparative prospective is applied to find out how such theory of love continued in Shakespeare’s play ‘The Two Gentleman of Verona’ albeit in a slightly modified form because of the impact of the Renaissance.  Click here to print/download pdf of this research paper Key Words: Romance, Troubadours, Romanticism, Courtly Love, Chivalry. The poetry and plays of Shakespeare have been analysed and interpreted in several ways with the help of different critical theories and approaches. Whereas E. M. W. Tilliyard studied Shakespeare’s plays in the context of Renaissance, H.B. Charlton emphasised the continuation of Medieval Rom...