Shakespeare Plays
everything you need to know about Shakespeare’s plays
Interested in Shakespeare plays? Then read on! It’s generally agreed that Shakespeare wrote 37 plays between 1590 and 1612. In addition to these 37 plays there is one ‘lost’ play – Cardenio – plus a selection of plays that most academics agree Shakespeare collaborated on, such as Love’s Labour’s Won, Edward III, Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen.
This alphabetical list of Shakespeare plays below link to a range of resources about each play: plot summaries, character information, settings, example essays, famous quotes, soliloquies & monologues and much more.
Shakespeare Plays in Alphabetical Order
That’s all of Shakespeare’s plays… we think. Some people believe Shakespeare wrote many more plays, but we’ll stick to the above play list until more concrete evidence emerges.
Looking for modern translations of Shakespeare plays? If so you can now read them online for free!
Deep Dive into Shakespeare’s Most Popular Plays
The Merchant of Venice
Written between 1596 and 1598 Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a play that deals with justice, mercy and revenge (amongst other things!). Set mainly in the commercial port of Venice, Italy, the play main narrative is a young Venetian, Bassanio, taking a loan so that he can woo Portia, a wealthy Venetian heiress… Read all about The Merchant of Venice.
Macbeth
Written in 1605, the main source for Shakespeare’s Macbeth was Holinshed’s Chronicles. Holinshed in turn took the account from a Scottish history, Scotorum Historiae, written in 1527 by Hector Boece. Some of the main ideas of Macbeth are Nature, Manhood and Light versus Dark… Read all about Macbeth.
Othello
Written in 1603, Shakespeare’s Othello begins in Venice where there is a wealthy, well ordered community, controlled by strong laws and established conventions. Othello is a Black general in the army of the Duke of Venice, who falls in love with Desdemona, the daughter of an influential senator, and secretly marries her… Read all about Othello.
Romeo and Juliet
Written in 1597, Romeo and Juliet is the deepest, most penetrating exploration of love that can be found in Shakespeare or, indeed, in any other writers’ plays. The play also explores the consequences of futile quarreling and social division in Renaissance Verona, Italy… Read all about Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare’s Plays and The First Folio
The First Folio was the first publication of a collection of Shakespeare’s works, put together seven years after his death. It contained 36 Shakespeare plays – all of the above plays, excluding Pericles, Edward III and The Two Noble Kinsmen – set out in the three categories of Comedies, Histories and Tragedies. This categorisation of Shakespeare plays still underpins the practice of Shakespeare criticism, education, and performance today.
As well as these 3 Shakespeare play types of comedy, history and tragedy, subsequent academics and Shakespeare aficionados have also categorised Shakespeare’s plays into: Roman, Lost, Masque, Problem, Romance, and Tragicomedy.
First Folio inside pages, containing 36 Shakespeare plays
Any information on Shakespeare plays we’re missing, or is unclear? Please let us know in the comments section below!
Great help! Other sites say 39 plays in total!
i would like to know where to buy the plays in book form to use at school
Hi Pam, I’m afraid we don’t actually sell the plays in book form – only ebooks that you can’t print out and use as you like!
this was pretty helpful for my shakespeare project that will depend on weather i go down a set or stay at my current- highest set in yr 7. THANKS !!!!!!!
Sir William Shakespear is the best play writer ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow 37 plays never seen that before.”lol”
i have never seen someone write 37 plays
omg is it 37 or 39 plays?:??????????
Well faith, that’s a good question! There are 36 plays in Shakespeare’s First Folio collection, and 37 is usually the number of plays attributed to him. However, Shakespeare had a helping hand in many other plays during his period, and is also likely to have written more complete plays that have since been lost.
these are awesome, but some other sites have these too. im doing a speech on Shakespeare and hoping that I can find enough info about him.
37!! That’s a lot
This really helped me with my WIlliam Shakespeare homework