Other tragedies include "Romeo and Juliet," "Macbeth" and "King Lear," all of which are immediately recognizable, regularly studied, and frequently performed. This is an alphabetically ordered list of plays by William Shakespeare. What Was the First Play Shakespeare Wrote? A list of all Shakespeare's plays by genre: comedies, tragedies & histories, with links to in-depth information, from plot synopses to famous scenes. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Really get to grips with the stories, settings and characters of Shakespeare's plays. Aufidius felt like Coriolanus betrayed him in the end; thus he has Coriolanus killed. Juliet wakes up and discovers her lover dead and kills herself to be with him. He asks his friends to help him financially, but they all refuse. While Shakespeare wrote comedies immediately following his son's death, a few years later he would write a number of tragedies. The teens decide to run away together so that they can wed. To fool her family, Juliet sends a messenger with news of her “death“ so they will not pursue her and Romeo. List of Shakespeare's Plays: Tragedies, Comedies and Histories 7) “Othello”: Angry that he was overlooked for a promotion, Iago plots to overthrow Othello by telling lies and getting Othello to cause his own downfall. Cordelia vanishes and goes to France with her husband, the prince. There are both internal and external struggles and often a bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure (and tension). 2) “Coriolanus”: A successful Roman general is disliked by the “play Bienz“ of Rome, and after losing and gaining their trust throughout the play, he is betrayed and assassinated by Aufidius, a former foe using Coriolanus to try to take over Rome. The 10 plays generally classified as history plays are as follows: Lee Jamieson, M.A., is a theater scholar and educator. Timons offers Alcibiades gold, which the general uses to bribe the army to march on Athens. Titus’s remaining children are framed, murdered, or raped, and Titus is sent into hiding. Unlock his language using the same techniques our actors use in rehearsals. 212481) Shakespeare's tragedies are among his most famous and well-read plays, but of these, he is probably best known for "Macbeth," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet." The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (First Folio title: The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar) is a history... Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is not always easy to categorically say whether a William Shakespeare play is a tragedy, comedy, or history, because Shakespeare blurred the boundaries between these genres, especially as his work developed more complexity in themes and character development. In his increasing guilt and paranoia, he kills many people he perceives are against him. One of the main features of Renaissance art is that it was … Hamlet's quest for revenge causes the deaths of many friends and loved ones, including his own mother. Note: For a comprehensive account of plays possibly by Shakespeare or in part by Shakespeare, see the separate entry on the Shakespeare Apocrypha. Shakespeare’s last play is believed to be “The Two Noble Kinsmen,” a tragicomedy co-written with John Fletcher in 1613, three years before Shakespeare’s death. In the end, Hamlet is lured into a fight to the death with Laertes, brother of Ophelia, and is stabbed by a poisoned blade. In the end, Cordelia returns with an army to save her father. Please enable Javascript, for help please visit. For example, "Much Ado About Nothing" is normally classified as a comedy but follows many of the tragic conventions. In Shakespeare's tragedies, the main protagonist has a flaw that leads to his (and/or her) downfall. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Please either update your browser to the newest version, or choose an alternative browser – visit, An additional group, 'problem plays', has sometimes been used to categorise. In all, Shakespeare wrote 10 tragedies. Asterisks indicate plays likely written by Shakespeare and other playwrights, though evidence has been disputed. There are both internal and external struggles and often a bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure (and tension). This overview of Shakespeare's most heartbreaking works not only lists his tragedies but also explains which of these works are considered his best and why. Hamnet likely died of bubonic plague . Through rumors and paranoia, Othello murders his wife, Desdemona, believing she has cheated on him. 6) “Macbeth”: Due to an ill-timed prophecy from the three witches, Macbeth, under the guidance of his ambitious wife, kills the king to take the crown for himself. Edward III and Cardenio Edward III and Cardenio They claim they fear he is becoming a tyrant, but many believe Cassius wants to take over. The Origin of Shakespearean Tragedy. Hamlet is able to kill his attacker, as well as his uncle Claudius, before dying himself. In all, Shakespeare wrote 10 tragedies. What Types of Plays Did Shakespeare Write? Updated October 13, 2019. His contributions to literature and to plays, specifically, are enduring, powerful and timeless. A prolific writer, Shakespeare wrote 10 tragedies in total. Many people try to keep them apart, and several lose their lives. Shakespeare's plays can be roughly divided into three genres—comedies, histories, and tragedies—though some works, such as "The Tempest… The “evilness” of Macbeth and the Lady Macbeth‘s reign comes to a bloody end. M.A., Theater Studies, Warwick University, B.A., Drama and English, DeMontfort University. Since the interpretations of the plays change through the centuries, you might see them grouped differently in other places. Often there are passages or characters that have the job of lightening the mood (comic relief), but the overall tone of the piece is quite serious. Asterisks indicate plays likely written by Shakespeare and other playwrights, though evidence has been disputed. Additional Shakespeare Play Categories. While Shakespeare wrote comedies immediately following his son's death, a few years later he would write a number of tragedies. Did You Know? Cordelia’s army is defeated and she is put to death. Widely deemed as the best writer of all time, William Shakespeare is known as much for his tragedies as he is for his comedies, but can you name his top three? All of Shakespeare's tragedies contain at least one more of these elements: A brief look shows that these 10 classic plays all have common themes. By the end of the play, only four people remain alive: Lucius (Titus’s only surviving child), young Lucius (Lucius’s son), Marcus (Titus’s brother), and Aaron the Moor (Tamora’s former lover). 9) “Timon of Athens”: Timon is a kind, friendly Athenian nobleman who has many friends because of his generosity. As with all of the best Shakesperean tragedies, you just know that everyone is slowly, horribly, spinning towards their doom. This is true with all of the Bard's greatest plays, but it is particularly so with the tragedies. Later, the truth comes out and Othello kills himself in his grief. Unfortunately, payments are no longer supported by Mastercard in your web browser How have his plays and poetry persisted into the 21st Century? 2020 10) “Titus Andronicus”: After a successful 10-year war campaign, Titus Andronicus is betrayed by the new emperor, Saturninus, who marries Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and despises Titus for killing her sons and capturing her. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. For me Hamlet and Macbeth are definitely Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, Henry the 5th and 6th parts 1 and 2 are definitely his best histories and measure for measure and the merchant of Venice are his best comedies, but really except for a winter’s take, cymbeline, and Henry the sixth part three all of his plays are worth reading. Her father dies of a broken heart after seeing her dead. Then you'll love our new SHAKESPEARE LEARNING ZONE! Of all the most memorable Shakespearean tragedies, few can surpass the misery and power of 'Hamlet.' It is against this […] Often there are passages or characters that have the job of lightening the mood (comic relief), but the overall tone of the piece is quite serious. Shakespeare is perhaps most famous for his tragedies—indeed, many consider " Hamlet " to be the best play ever written. Dates following titles indicate the dates the plays were written unless otherwise noted. Iago is arrested and is ordered to be executed. What were his best works? He previously served as a theater studies lecturer at Stratford-upon Avon College in the United Kingdom. Lee Jamieson, M.A., is a theater scholar and educator. Royal Shakespeare Company, Unfortunately we cannot guarantee support for browsers with Javascript disabled, you may experience some difficulties using this website. Timons even sends his faithful servant away and ends up alone. The groups below are the classification of Shakespeare’s plays according to the First Folio, a collection of 36 of Shakespeare's plays published in 1623 by his colleagues. But those are the categories into which the First Folio (the first collection of his works, published in 1623; he died in 1616) was divided, and thus, they are useful to start the discussion. A Complete List of the Tragedies of William Shakespeare. Lear attempts to get his two oldest daughters to take care of him, but neither wants anything to do with him. In Shakespeare's tragedies, the main protagonist generally has a flaw that leads to his downfall. He is finally beheaded by Macduff after Macbeth had Macduff’s entire family assassinated. This is an alphabetically ordered list of plays by William Shakespeare. Click the link to go to a specific play. Shakespeare Tragedies: 10 Plays With Common Features. However, Shakespeare's plays often overlap in style and there is debate over which plays should be classified as tragedy, comedy, and history. That's a point that can certainly be argued, but this list might help to decide. Think Macbeth from 'Macbeth' and certainly Coriolanus (from the play of the same name, of course). Unfortunately, that generosity eventually causes him to go into debt.
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