Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 2 Scene 5 runs 50 lines of dialogue, spoken by 2 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 112 lines. This scene is part of Act 2 of Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Full Dialogue
Speed ♂
Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan!
Launce ♂
Forswear not thyself, sweet youth, for I am not
welcome. I reckon this always, that a man is never
undone till he be hanged, nor never welcome to a
place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess
say 'Welcome!'
welcome. I reckon this always, that a man is never
undone till he be hanged, nor never welcome to a
place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess
say 'Welcome!'
Speed ♂
Come on, you madcap, I'll to the alehouse with you
presently; where, for one shot of five pence, thou
shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how
did thy master part with Madam Julia?
presently; where, for one shot of five pence, thou
shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how
did thy master part with Madam Julia?
Launce ♂
Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very
fairly in jest.
fairly in jest.
Speed ♂
But shall she marry him?
Launce ♂
No.
Speed ♂
How then? shall he marry her?
Launce ♂
No, neither.
Speed ♂
What, are they broken?
Launce ♂
No, they are both as whole as a fish.
Speed ♂
Why, then, how stands the matter with them?
Launce ♂
Marry, thus: when it stands well with him, it
stands well with her.
stands well with her.
Speed ♂
What an ass art thou! I understand thee not.
Launce ♂
What a block art thou, that thou canst not! My
staff understands me.
staff understands me.
Speed ♂
What thou sayest?
Launce ♂
Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean,
and my staff understands me.
and my staff understands me.
Speed ♂
It stands under thee, indeed.
Launce ♂
Why, stand-under and under-stand is all one.
Speed ♂
But tell me true, will't be a match?
Launce ♂
Ask my dog: if he say ay, it will! if he say no,
it will; if he shake his tail and say nothing, it will.
it will; if he shake his tail and say nothing, it will.
Speed ♂
The conclusion is then that it will.
Launce ♂
Thou shalt never get such a secret from me but by a parable.
Speed ♂
'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how sayest
thou, that my master is become a notable lover?
thou, that my master is become a notable lover?
Launce ♂
I never knew him otherwise.
Speed ♂
Than how?
Launce ♂
A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be.
Speed ♂
Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest me.
Launce ♂
Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master.
Speed ♂
I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover.
Launce ♂
Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself
in love. If thou wilt, go with me to the alehouse;
if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the
name of a Christian.
in love. If thou wilt, go with me to the alehouse;
if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the
name of a Christian.
Speed ♂
Why?
Launce ♂
Because thou hast not so much charity in thee as to
go to the ale with a Christian. Wilt thou go?
go to the ale with a Christian. Wilt thou go?
Speed ♂
At thy service.
50 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Launce | 29 | 58.0% |
| Speed | 21 | 42.0% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 29 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 25 lines.
Total speakers on stage
2 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 2
This is Scene 5 of 7 in Act 2 of Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Scene length vs. play average
At 50 lines, this scene is shorter than the Two Gentlemen of Verona average scene in Two Gentlemen of Verona (~112 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 2 Scene 4 · Next: Act 2 Scene 6
About Act 2 Scene 5 of Two Gentlemen of Verona
Who carries Act 2 Scene 5 of Two Gentlemen of Verona?
Launce, with 29 lines — about 58% of the scene.