Shakespeare's Plays Ranked: Where to Begin
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays. You shouldn't read them alphabetically. Here's the order that will get you hooked, starting with the most immediately gripping and building to the most complex.
Start With These
Romeo and Juliet
Universally known, beautifully written, and shorter than the tragedies. The perfect first Shakespeare.
Get this play →A Midsummer Night's Dream
Pure comic magic. Fairies, lovers, and a man with a donkey's head. Start here if you want something light.
Get this play →Macbeth
The most tightly plotted tragedy. Fast, violent, and psychologically gripping. Ideal for a one-sitting read.
Get this play →Then Read These
Hamlet
The greatest work in the English language. Read it after you've warmed up on Macbeth. Every line is worth your attention.
Get this play →Othello
The most emotionally devastating of the tragedies. Iago is literature's most compelling villain.
Get this play →The Tempest
Shakespeare's farewell — a magical meditation on art, power, and forgiveness. Save it for after you love him.
Get this play →Shakespeare Essentials Collection
All 7 major plays in one beautifully formatted bundle. Save over 40%.
Shakespeare Essentials →