William Shakespeare’s comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona is generally considered his first written play. Drawn in part from Los Siete Libros de la Diana (The Seven Books of Diana) by the Portuguese writer Jorge de Montemayor, the play follows the two title characters as they journey from Verona to Milan and embark on a convoluted plot involving cross-dressing, a band of outlaws, and unrequited love. Although The Two Gentlemen of Verona is traditionally regarded as one of Shakespeare’s most immature comedies, it sets the stage for themes and tropes that Shakespeare would explore in more detail in his later works, such as cross-dressing, friendship, and impulsive, star-crossed love.
