Shakespeare's plays and poems in order

Start with Macbeth if you want a story about ambition and its consequences. A Scottish general hears a prediction that he will become king, then pursues the crown through murder. Choose Romeo and Juliet instead if you prefer love caught in a family feud.

Shakespeare is credited with about 38 plays; the exact total depends on which collaborations are counted. The selection here includes only the titles listed on this page, rather than every play associated with him.

Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, The Tragedy of King Lear, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Othello, the Moor of Venice are tragedies. The comedies here include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, The Winter's Tale and Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will.

Shakespeare's Sonnets is a collection of poems about love, desire and the passing of time. The speaker expresses affection, jealousy and shame, addressing a young man and a dark-haired woman. Try reading one poem at a time rather than treating the collection as a continuous story.

Read a scene at a time, and try speaking passages aloud. Keep track of who is speaking and what each character wants. Rather than stopping at every unfamiliar word, first try to follow the exchange, then return to anything that still puzzles you.

Yes. Every book here comes as a paperback, hardcover or large print, printed when you order; start free and you pay only the cost of printing. Choose the print format you prefer for the title you want to read, whether you are starting with a play or exploring Shakespeare's Sonnets.