Two Gentlemen of Verona is often cited as Shakespeare's first play written for the professional stage. It was likely written between 1590 and 1594. It is the second play in the First Folio of Shakespeare's work, but literary analysis has led modern scholars to the conclusion that it was his first major play. The writing of the show is less developed then his later works and does not yet contain the true "voice" of Shakespeare. The play also seems to borrow much of its story and style from other popular works at the time, such as Lyly's Midas, written in 1588.
The version commonly utilized today is that which is included in the First Folio, published in 1623. This is almost certainly not the version that first appeared to the public. Researchers believe it was transcribed by Ralph Crane from Shakespeare's foul papers, his original draft of the script. This leads to a slightly open ended version of the script as the foul papers were still just a draft. Despite this, Two Gentlemen of Verona is an excellent play with great comedic and historical value.
Davies, Anthony, and Michael Dobson. "Two Gentlemen of Verona, The." Oxford Reference Online. Oxford UP, 2001. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.oxfordreference.com.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/views/ENTRY.html?entry=t117.e2920&srn=5&ssid=159916995#FIRSTHIT>.
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