William Shakespeare/Works

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https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=William_Shakespeare/Works&printable=yes
A list of some works of William Shakespeare.

The Plays

Shakespeare's plays are traditionally organised into three groups: Tragedies, Comedies, and Histories. The following (resortable) list sorts the plays according to their order in the First Folio (with excluded plays marked by †), the first published edition of Shakespeare's plays. Today, some of the comedies are usually considered as a separate subgenre, the 'romances' or tragicomedies; these plays are so marked in the "Genre" column.

Title Genre Precis Main Characters Date
Written 		Date
Published
Tempest, The Comedy Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, meets his usurpers on an island. Prospero, Miranda 1611 1623
Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Comedy The friendship of Valentine and Proteus versus their romantic love for Sylvia. Valentine, Proteus 1593 1623
Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy Falstaff attempts to seduce Mistresses Ford and Page. Falstaff, Ford 1597 1602
Measure for Measure Comedy The Duke of Vienna leaves the enforcement of his laws to the harsh Antonio. Vincentio, Angelo 1604 1623
Comedy of Errors, The Comedy The farcical adventures of two sets of twins. Antipholus, Dromio 1590 1623
Much Ado About Nothing Comedy Beatrice and Benedict wage a "merry war", concealing their true feelings. Beatrice, Benedick 1598 1600
Love's Labour's Lost Comedy The King of Navarre and three companions agree to give up worldly pleasures,including love, for three years. Ferdinand, Berowne 1593 1598
Midsummer Night's Dream, A Comedy The adventures of young lovers, rude mechanicals, and fairies in Athens. Oberon, Titania 1594 1600
The Merchant of Venice Comedy Antonio borrows from Shylock on behalf of his friend Bassanio. Antonio, Shylock 1596 1600
As You Like It Comedy Rosalind and Celia escape to the Forest of Arden, Rosalind disguised as a boy. Rosalind, Orlando 1598 1623
Taming of the Shrew Comedy "Shrewish" Katherine must wed before her younger sister can. Petruchio, Katherine 1591 1623
All's Well That Ends Well Comedy Helena plots to marry the reluctant Bertram. Bertram, Helena 1603 1623
Twelfth Night or What You Will Comedy Viola, shipwrecked, separated from her brother, and disguised as a boy, enters Duke Orsino's service. In love with Orsino herself, she must help him win the hand of Olivia. Orsino, Viola, Olivia 1600 1623
Winter's Tale, The Romance Jealousy ends marriage and friendship; time brings reconciliation Leontes, Perdita 1610 1623
Pericles, Prince of Tyre† Romance The King of Antioch offers the hand of his daughter to any man who answers his riddle, but Pericles will die whatever his answer Pericles, Marina 1607 1609
Two Noble Kinsmen, The† Romance Palamon and Arcite are rivals for the hand of Princess Emilia. Arcite, Palamon 1612-3 1634
King John History The life and death of King John John, Arthur 1596 1623
Richard II History Richard's mistakes lead to his downfall at the hands of Henry Bolingbroke Richard, Bolingbroke 1595 1597
Henry IV, Part 1 History Henry Bolingbroke has taken the throne, but must put down rebellion. He needs the help of his son, Hal, who is spending his youth in bad company. Henry, Hal, Hotspur 1597 1598
Henry IV, Part 2 History Henry's crown is again threatened by civil war, while Prince Hal returns to his life with the disreputable Falstaff. Henry, Falstaff, Hal 1598 1600
Henry V History The English defeat the French at Agincourt. Henry, Pistol 1599 1600
Henry VI, Part 1 History The aftermath of the Death of Henry V Henry, Talbot 1592 1623
Henry VI, Part 2 History The beginning of the War of the Roses Henry, Margaret 1591 1594
Henry VI, Part 3 History The House of York defeats the House of Lancaster.The prelude to the rise of Richard III Henry, Margaret 1591 1595
Richard III History Richard's seisure of the throne and defeat at Bosworth Field. Richard, Clarence 1592 1597
Henry VIII History The scheming Cardinal Wolsey opposes Henry Henry, Catherine 1613 1623
Romeo and Juliet Tragedy Two "star-cross'd lovers" have a passionate affair, defying their families, with tragic results. Romeo, Juliet 1595 1597
Coriolanus Tragedy The proud Roman general, Coriolanous betrays Rome. Coriolanus, Volumnia 1608 1623
Titus Andronicus Tragedy Roman general and Gothic queen in a cycle of revenge Titus, Aaron 1590 1594
Timon of Athens Tragedy False friends cause Timon to become a misanthrope Timon, Apemantus 1606 1623
Julius Caesar Tragedy Conspirators assasinate Julius Caesar and are then defeated. Brutus, Antony 1599 1623
Macbeth Tragedy Macbeth seeks to gain the Scottish throne through murder, believing that no man "of woman born" can kill him. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo 1605 1623
Hamlet Tragedy Hamlet seeks to avenge the death of his father. Hamlet, Ophelia 1601 1603
Troilus and Cressida Tragedy The love story of Troilus and Cressida set against the backdrop of the Trojan War Troilus, Cressida 1602 1609
King Lear Tragedy Lear foolishly chooses his scheming eldest daughters over Cordelia. Lear, Cordelia, Regan Gloucester, Goneril 1605 1608
Othello Tragedy Othello is destroyed by his jealous love for Desdemona Othello, Iago, Desdemona 1604 1622
Antony and Cleopatra Tragedy Antony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavius. Antony, Cleopatra 1606 1623
Cymbeline Romance Villainy, a wicked stepmother and a separated family. Imogen, Iachimo 1609 1623

† Not included in the First Folio.

Sources:

Poems

Lost plays

Apocrypha

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