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Chronology of Shakespeare plays

From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.

The precise chronology of Shakespeare's plays as they were first performed is a controversial topic, as many of the plays were performed many years before they were published. Pirated editions are the first printed version of several plays, but many of Shakespeare's works remained unpublished until the First Folio (1623). There is no play mentioned as Shakespeare's by his contemporaries that we do not have, except Cardenio and Love's Labours Won. Shakespeare's role in writing several existing plays is debated, however.

For Francis Meres' list of Shakespeare's plays made in 1598, see the entry Francis Meres.

Here are the plays in the generally accepted orders, although all dates should be taken as approximate. Dates in brackets indicate the date of first publication.

1590 (1598) Henry VI, Part I
Stationers' Register on 25 February 1598.
1590 (1594) Henry VI, Part II
1590 (1595) Henry VI, Part III
Parodied by Robert Greene in 1592.
1592 (1602) Richard III
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1592 (1623) Comedy of Errors
If this is the same as the play entitled 'The Night of Errors', it was performed on 28 December 1594. Probably the "errors" in Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1593 (1594) Titus Andronicus
According to the first published edition it was performed by a company that folded in early 1593. In 1594 Philip Henslowe referred to it as a "new" play. In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1593 (1623) Taming of the Shrew
1594 (1623) Two Gentlemen of Verona
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays. The work may have been based on Bartholomew Yong's translation of Montemayor's Diana, which was done in 1583 but not published until 1598.
1594 (1598) Love's Labour's Lost
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1594 (1597) Romeo and Juliet
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1595 (1597) Richard II
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1595 (1600) A Midsummer Night's Dream
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1596 (1622) King John
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1596 (1600) The Merchant of Venice
Recorded at Stationers' Register on 22 July 1598. In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1597 Henry IV, Part I
In Francis Meres' 1598 list of Shakespeare plays.
1598 (1600) Henry IV, Part II
1599 Henry V
Chorus expresses hope for the Irish expedition of 1599.
1599 (1623) Julius Caesar
Mentioned by Thomas Platter in 1599.
1599 (1600) Much Ado About Nothing
1599 (1623) As You Like It
Stationers' Register in August 1600
1597-1600 (1602) The Merry Wives of Windsor
1601 (1603) Hamlet
Stationers' Register in July 1602 describes it as “lately acted”.
1602 (1623) Twelfth Night
1602 (1609) Troilus and Cressida
Stationers' Register in February 1603.
1603 (1623) All's Well That Ends Well
No contemporary reference.
1604 (1623) Measure for Measure
Court records show it was performed December 1604.
1604 (1622) Othello
Performed November 1604.
1605 (1608) King Lear
Stationers' Register in November 1607.
1605 (1623) Macbeth
1606 (1623) Antony and Cleopatra
Stationers' Register in May 1608.
1607 (1623) Coriolanus
1607 (1623) Timon of Athens
1608 (1609) Pericles Prince of Tyre
Stationers' Register in May 1608.
1609 (1623) Cymbeline
1610 (1623) The Winter's Tale
1611 (1623) The Tempest
1612 (1623) Henry VIII
Was performed on 29 June 1613, when the Globe Theatre burnt down.
1612 (1634) The Two Noble Kinsmen