About this story:

Two Gentlemen of Verona is a heart-warming story of human relationships and family ties. In the story set in Italy against the backdrop of the Second World War, the two gentlemen of Verona, the brothers, Nicola and Jacopo, take care of their sister Lucia who is suffering from tuberculosis.. 

Author:

A.J. Cronin (1896-1974)

A.J. Cronin was a doctor who practiced in Wales and London. He wrote many novels and short stories, including Hatter’s Castle, The Citadel, The Key of the Kingdom, and The Spanish Gardener. Some of his novels were adapted into film.

Narrator:

The narrator of Two Gentlemen of Verona by A.J. Cronin is a refined, observant, and kind-hearted gentleman who tries to see beyond the surface of things:

• Keen observer: The narrator is sensitive to the world around him and tries to see beyond the apparent. 
• Polished: The narrator is a thorough gentleman who exhibits politeness and refinement. 
• Considerate: The narrator is considerate and kindhearted, and he drives the two boys to Poleta, 30 km from Verona. 
• Respectful: The narrator respects the feelings of the two boys and doesn’t disclose their problem in front of him. 
• Inspired: The narrator is inspired by the positivity and selflessness of the two boys and feels that their humble youth gives hope for a better tomorrow. 

Two Gentlemen of Verona

A.J. Cronin has very well carved the idea of selfless help and explained the importance of dedication towards relationships in the story, The two Gentlemen of Verona. The story revolves around the two boys named Nicola and Jacopo who do numerous things to earn money only to pay for their sister’s treatment who suffers from tuberculosis of the spine.

The story begins with the narrator driving down the foothills of the Alps. Here is when he first encounters the two brothers selling wild strawberries. Even after
the driver forbids the narrator to buy the wild fruits, he buys the biggest basket and drives towards the town. This scene emphasizes on the first step of growing intimacy between the narrator and the two boys.

Next day, the boys are found shining shoes in the public square. This amazes the narrator. This is when they reveal the fact that they do numerous kinds of things to earn money. Here, the narrator is shown to develop a soft corner for them in his heart. He finds them to be innocent, serious, pleasant and earnest.

The boys are very useful to the narrator. They are very willing to satisfy all that the narrator requires. They are also found selling newspapers, by the narrator, one stormy night. One day, when the narrator asks if he can help them in any, they say they will be very grateful if they get a lift to the nearby village Poleta. Although it doesn’t come in the narrator’s way he takes them there.

The boys get down in a building and ask the narrator to wait in a nearby cafe, until they return within an hour. Eagerness leads the narrator to follow the boys up to a place which is actually a hospital. On peeping through a room, led by a nurse, he realizes that boys are talking to a girl who resembles them.

He does not feel like intruding and thus asks the nurse the details about the boys. This is when the nurse tells him there heart rending story about their father being killed in a war and their home being destroyed in the war and their sister suffering from tuberculosis.

The brothers live in a shelter and literally starve only so that they can pay for their sister’s treatment. So keeping a secret and helping their sister they have shown that war has not shaken their spirit. They are noble and gentle and great human beings in their own special yet subtle way.

This story clearly illustrates the saying: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”