Summary of “Two Gentlemen of Verona”
The story of two gentlemen of Verona is a beautiful and heart touching story of two small boys who worked really hard in the city of Verona. The writer and his friend were driving through lower hills of the Alps happen to meet two boys. They were selling wild strawberries. When asked about their age and name, they told him that Nicola, the elder was 13 whereas Jacopo, the younger, was 12. They were brothers and were selling wild strawberries. They proudly told the writer that they did many jobs like polishing shoes, selling newspapers, and sometimes acting as guides to the tourists. One midnight, the writer saw the boys resting on the stone of a footpath. Nicola sat with a bundle of unsold newspapers. His brother was sleeping by putting his head on Nicola’s shoulder. The writer became eager to know why these small children worked so hard. He even realised that despite their hard work, they never spent money on themselves.The writer was fascinated by the boy’s nature and wanted to help them.
Before leaving Verona, the writer asked if they needed any help. To which Jacopo answered to drop them by his car. The writer agreed and the next afternoon, they all drove to the tiny village, near a hill. The author was surprised to stop in front of a villa. The boys asked the author to pick them up from the same place, after an hour. The author was curious to know and went inside the villa. Soon he was greeted by a nurse; the author saw the boys seated beside a girl aged 20, who appeared to be their sister. The nurse told the author that the boys’ parents were killed in a war, and a bomb had destroyed their house and made them homeless. The boys brought Lucia there, and every week, they sent enough money for her treatment.
The writer was proud of the boys and they drove back to the city. The boys did not speak anything on the way, and the writer also decided to remain quiet, because he respected their privacy. The author was filled with admiration for relentless efforts of two young boys who remained determined despite the setbacks of the war. The writer’s heart was touched with their selfless action, nobility and devotion of the two boys. He could see the ray of hope for human society.
Unit-1 : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 3
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Reader Unit 1- Two Gentlemen of Verona
Q1 : What are the qualities of a “gentleman”? Work with your partner and complete the following web-chart by listing the qualities of a gentleman.
Answer :
Q2 : Based on your discussion above, what do you think the story is about?
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Answer :
The story could be about whether the protagonists are truly gentlemanly or not, based on the qualities listed above.
Q3 : The driver did not approve of the narrator buying fruit from the two boys because
(a) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
(b) the strawberries were not fresh
(c) they were asking for a heavy price
(d) the driver did not approve of small boys who worked
Answer :
(a) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
Q4 : The narrator was most impressed by the boys’
(a) desire to earn money
(b) willingness to work
(c) ability to perform many tasks
(d) sense of fun
Answer :
(b) willingness to work
Q5 : Nicola was not pleased when Jacopo asked the narrator to drive them to Poleta as he
(a) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
(b) preferred going to Poleta by train so that he could enjoy the scenery
(c) did not want to ask anyone for favours
(d) did not want to take help from someone he did not know well
Answer :
(a) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
Q6 : The narrator did not go inside Lucia’s room as
(a) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
(b) he thought that the boys would object
(c) Lucia would not welcome a stranger
(d) the boys would feel he was spying on them
Answer :
(a) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
Q7 : The boys were the first to join the resistance movement against the Germans because
(a) the Germans had hurt their sister
(b) the Germans ruled the city
(c) the Germans had ruined their family
(d) the Germans had destroyed their home
Answer :
(c) the Germans had ruined their family
Q8 : The author did not speak to the boys on their return journey because
(a) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret
(b) he thought the boys were ashamed of their sister’s condition
(c) he thought they wouldn’t tell him the truth
(d) he thought the boys might ask him for money for their sister
Answer :
(a) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret
Q9 : “We do many things, sir,” Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully.
Answer :
The narrator was surprised to see the boys shining shoes because he thought that they sold fruits for a living. However, when he questioned the boys regarding this, Nicola said that they also did a lot of other things for a living. The boys hoped that the narrator would ask for their services and in return would earn some good money.
Q10 : He coloured deeply under his sunburn, then grew pale
Answer :
The narrator was astonished to see that boys worked hard day and night and yet lived meagerly. He wanted to know what the boys did with the money they earned. When he questioned Nicola, he appeared uncomfortable. Perhaps the boys were not used to anybody questioning them regarding their earnings, and the narrator’s question embarrassed them.
Q11 : He smiled uncomfortably. “Just plans, sir,” he answered in a low voice.
Answer :
When the narrator suggested that the boys were saving to emigrate to the States.
Nicola responded that how much ever they wished to do that, currently they had other plans, which he was unwilling to and uncomfortable sharing with the narrator.
Q12 : Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years.
Answer :
Although the boys were small and innocent, there was a maturity in their demeanour, which was unbelievable at their age.
Q13 : Why didn’t Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys?
Answer :
Luigi judged the two boys by their appearance. He did not approve of the two boys because they were shabbily dressed and he thought that they might sell bad fruit.
Q14 : Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two boys?
Answer :
The narrator and his companion were surprised that the boys were doing so many things at such a young age. Under the hot sun they sold fruits, newspapers, ran errands and were tourist guides as well. They did any odd job that they were asked to do. Their willingness to do any kind of work impressed the narrator and his companion.
Q15 : Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys?
Answer :
The narrator was surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo shining shoes because he thought that selling fruits was their only occupancy.
Q16 : How were the boys useful to the author?
Answer :
The boys did everything the narrator and his companion asked them to do: they showed them around the city, bought tickets for the opera for them, told them about good restaurants and ran all their errands.
Q17 : Why were the boys in the deserted square at night? What character traits do they exhibit?
Answer :
The boys were waiting for the last bus from Padua so that they could sell all their papers. This explains the fact that the two boys were very hardworking and dedicated.
Q18 : The narrator asks the boys, “Must you work so hard? You both look rather tired.”
The boys reply, “We are not complaining, sir.” What do you learn about the boys from their reply?
Answer :
The boys were very focused and committed. Their only motive was to pay for their sister’s treatment. They did not care for their comfort but tirelessly worked hard to earn money.
Q19 : When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they are evasive. Why don’t they disclose their problems?
Answer :
The two boys did not want the narrator to know of their problems because they were strong and courageous kids in the face of adversity who did not want a stranger to sympathise with them. They were confident kids who would rather work hard and earn in order to find solutions of the same on their own.
Q20 : Appearances are deceptive. Discuss with reference to the two boys.
Answer :
The narrative began with description of the shabby appearance of the two boys—Nicola and Jacopo. In spite of their appearance, the narrator bought fruit from them. In the following days, the narrator discovered that the boys did a lot of other things apart from selling fruit: they sold newspapers, they were shoeshine boys, tourist guides and ran errands. All this made the narrator think that the boys were working so hard to save money to emigrate to America. However, it is revealed during the course of the story that their only motive was to be able to pay for their sister’s treatment. War had destroyed most of their family and yet it had not filled them with despair. The boys were working day and night to save whatever was left. Behind their shabby appearances were hidden two noble souls whose dedication and selflessness promises a new hope for mankind.
Q21 : Do you think the boys looked after Lucia willingly? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer :
The boys loved their sister. She was the only family left after the war was over. When they realized that their sister had tuberculosis of the spine, they got her admitted to a hospital. They worked hard day and night to pay for her treatment. They visited their sister every Sunday in the hospital. They could have emigrated to the states but they chose to stay back and look after their sister. They didn’t want to lose her.
Q22 : How does the story ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ promise hope for society?
Answer :
The war had destroyed everything the boys had. They lost their home and their father was killed in the war as well. Until the war they led a cultured and comfortable life. The war had led them to the streets, exposed them to bitter cold and driven them to extreme starvation. However, it did not fill them with despair. They set to build what was left after the war. They found their sister suffering from tuberculosis of the spine, got her admitted to a hospital and worked very hard to pay for her treatment. The boys’ sacrifice, their devotion and the maturity they displayed at such a young age promises a new hope for the society. The destruction caused by the war had not broken their spirit. Rather it filled them with a new energy to rebuild from what was left after the war.
Q23 : (a) We bought their biggest basket, then set off toward town.
(b) One night we came upon them in the windy and deserted square.
(c) He bit his lip, then in a rather put out tone he said, ‘Very well.’
(d) I shook my head and turned away.
Here are a few more. Match the phrases to their meanings.
| Phrases | Meanings |
| set up | to start on a journey |
| break down | to tolerate a situation or a person |
| set off | to lose control of your feelings and start crying |
| put up | with to enter |
| put off | to be faced with or opposed by |
| put on | to start/ establish a company |
| come in | to refuse/ reject |
| come across | to postpone |
| come up against | to try to get help/advice/ sympathy from someone |
| turn down | to wear |
| turn in to | meet or find by chance |
| turn to | to inform on or deliver up |
Now use the phrases given above to complete the following sentences.
1. The landlord was suspicious of the two men staying in his flat so he called the police and _____________them _____________
2. Early in the morning we packed our bags and _____________ for a hike over the mountain.
3. Janvi _____________some photographs of her grandfather in the old trunk.
4. My father _____________ his own business 10 years ago.
5. The Bank _____________ Paul’s request for a loan.
6. The Corporation’s decision to reduce the leave of the employees _____________ a lot of opposition.
Answer :
| Phrases | Meanings |
| Set up | to start / establish a company. |
| Break down | to lose control of your feelings and start crying. |
| Set off | to start on a journey. |
| Put up | to tolerate a situation or a person |
| Put off | to postpone |
| Put on | to wear |
| Come in | to enter |
| Come across | to meet or find by chance |
| Come up against | to be faced with or opposed by |
| Turn down | to refuse/ reject |
| Turn in to | to inform or deliver up |
| Turn to | to try to get help/advice/ sympathy from someone |
1. The landlord was suspicious of the two men staying in his flat so he called the police and turned them in
2. Early in the morning we packed our bags and set off for a hike over the mountain.
3. Janvi came across some photographs of her grandfather in the old trunk.
4. My father set up his own business 10 years ago.
5. The Bank turned down Paul’s request for a loan.
6. The Corporation’s decision to reduce the leave of the employees come up against a lot of opposition.
Q24 : Two Gentlemen of Verona is written in the first person. A story written in the first person is a first-hand account of events told or narrated through the eyes of a single character, typically the main character. Stories written in the first person are easily identified by the use of the pronoun ‘I’ rather than ‘he or she’.
The reader will see phrases such as “I said, I thought,” rather than “he said, she thought.” Everything is experienced through the eyes of a single character, and all thoughts and observations are limited to that one person. There can be no outside observer. If the narrator does not see or experience an event first-hand, it cannot be a part of the story. All scenes in the story are filtered through this person’s unique perception.
The third-person is a narrative mode in which both the reader and author observe the situation either through the senses and thoughts of more than one character, or through an overarching godlike perspective that sees and knows everything that happens and everything the characters are thinking. In this mode of narration, the narrator can tell the reader things that the main character does not know, or things that none of the characters know.
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, one sample solution has been provided for your reference.
The driver waited outside until the boys rejoined him, and then drove them back to the city. They sat beside him, not speaking. The driver did not say a word. He thought the boys would prefer to feel that they had safely kept their secret. Yet their devotion had touched him deeply. War had not broken their spirit. Their selfless action brought a new nobility to human life, gave promise of a greater hope for human society.
Writing taskunit-1 : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 11
Q1 : The love and devotion, and the family values Nicola and Jacopo display.
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers for discussion have been provided for your reference.
Their lives before the war;
Small family: father, two brothers and a sister
How war devastated their lives.
In spite of contrary circumstances, how they are driven to get back to their family.
Q2 : Their pride in themselves and their family
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers for discussion have been provided for your reference.
The boys never complain of their circumstances and the hardships they face.
They don’t want to reveal as why they are working day and night.
They don’t disclose their reason for going to Poleta.
Q3 : The trust they place in the narrator
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers for discussion have been provided for your reference.
How the boys are useful to the narrator and his companion.
Jacopo requests the narrator to send them to Poleta in their car which they might not have asked anybody.
After initial disagreement between the brothers and reassurance from the narrator they agree to go with him.
They are very comfortable and trust him completely.
Q4 : The reason the narrator does not disclose to them that he knows their secret.
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers for discussion have been provided for your reference.
Nicola initially is not comfortable with the narrator driving them to Poleta.
After some thinking they agree.
The moment they reach their destination they jump out of the car and do not ask the narrator to come with them. On the other hand, they suggest him to spend time at a café in the village.
The narrator understands their reluctance to share their purpose of visit with him and, therefore, does not disclose to them that he knows their secret.
Q5 : As the narrator, write an article on the lesson of love, faith and trust that you have learnt from the two young boys of Verona.
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers have been provided for your reference.
The narrator’s initial impression of the two boys.
Their willingness to do any kind of job.
Their behaviour and innocence.
The maturity they display.
Their usefulness to the narrator
The reason behind their hard work
War had not destroyed their spirit but filled them with a new energy
They set to build what was left after the war
Love for their sister.
Their regular weekly visits to meet their sister.
Their making sure that they regularly pay for her treatment.
Their dedication, sacrifice, selflessness.
Q6 : After her brothers’ visit, Lucia writes a page in her diary about her past life and her present situation. As Lucia write the diary entry in about 150 words.
Answer :
Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, some pointers have been provided for your reference.
The war had destroyed my home.
We almost died of starvation and extreme cold.
My brothers hated the Germans. They joined the resistance movement.
After the war was over, they came back to me but unfortunately I was afflicted with tuberculosis of spine.
They admitted me in a hospital.
They come here to meet me every week
I look forward to their visit.
They are working very hard to pay for my treatment.
Today they came in a car unlike other times when they cycle 30 kms just to meet me.
They told me about this gentleman who especially drove them here.
They had shown him Verona. They ran small errands for him.
I pray I feel better and be able to walk and sing again.
I am grateful for such lovely brothers