by Jonathan Hobratsch

Today is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. In honor of his life, I present 75 Shakespearean Era plays that I think offers to best education of Elizabethan-Jacobean theatre.

The plays are listed in approximate chronological order. I’ve read about 60 of these plays. Those that I haven’t read, I’ve skimmed parts of them.  How many of these have you read?

1. The Arraignment of Paris — George Peele

2. Campaspe — John Lyly

3. Dido, Queen of Carthage — Christopher Marlowe & Thomas Nashe

4. Endymion — John Lyly

5. Tamburlaine — Christopher Marlowe

6. Spanish Tragedy — Thomas Kyd

7. Gallathea — John Lyly

8. Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay — Robert Greene

9. Looking Glass of London — Thomas Lodge & Robert Greene

10. Love’s Metamorphosis — John Lyly

11. Midas — John Lyly

12. Jew of Malta — Christopher Marlowe

13. Richard III — William Shakespeare

14. Titus Andronicus — William Shakespeare & George Peele

15. Arden of Faversham — Anonymous (Thomas Kyd?)

16. Doctor Faustus — Christopher Marlowe

17. Edward II — Christopher Marlowe

18. Massacre at Paris — Christopher Marlowe

19. Summer’s Last Will and Testament — Thomas Nashe

20. Taming of the Shrew — William Shakespeare

21. Comedy of Errors — William Shakespeare

22. Romeo and Juliet — William Shakespeare

23. Edward III — Anonymous (Thomas Kyd and/or William Shakespeare?)

24. Love’s Labour’s Lost — William Shakespeare

25. Richard II — William Shakespeare

26. Blind Beggar of Alexandria — George Chapman

27. Midsummer’s Night’s Dream — William Shakespeare

28. Henry IV — William Shakespeare

29. Histriomastix — John Marston

30. Shoemaker’s Holiday — Thomas Dekker

31. As You Like It — William Shakespeare

32. Hamlet — William Shakespeare

33. Henry V — William Shakespeare

34. Julius Caesar — William Shakespeare

35. Patient Grissel — Thomas Dekker, Henry Chettle & William Haughton

36. Satiromastix — Thomas Dekker

37. Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare

38. Poetaster — Ben Jonson

39. Bussy D’Ambois — George Chapman

40. Malcontent — John Marston

41. Othello — William Shakespeare

42. Woman Killed with Kindness — Thomas Heywood

43. Parisitaster — John Marston

44. All’s Well that Ends Well — William Shakespeare

45. Honest Whore — Thomas Dekker & Thomas Middleton

46. Measure for Measure — William Shakespeare

47. Westward Ho — Thomas Dekker & JohnWebster

48. Eastward Ho — George Chapman, John Marston & Ben Jonson

49. King Lear — William Shakespeare

50. Northward Ho — Thomas Dekker & John Webster

51. Woman Hater — Francis Beaumont& John Fletcher

52. Atheist’s Tragedy — Cyril Tourneur

53. Knight of the Burning Pestle — Francis Beaumont

54. Macbeth — William Shakespeare

55. Revenger’s Tragedy — Anonymous (Cyril Tourneur or Thomas Middleton?)

56. Volpone — Ben Jonson

57. Antony and Cleopatra — William Shakespeare

58. Coriolanus — William Shakespeare

59. Cupid’s Revenge — Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher

60. Epicene — Ben Jonson

61. Philaster — Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher

62. Alchemist — Ben Jonson

63. Cymbeline — William Shakespeare

64. Tempest — William Shakespeare

65. Winter’s Tale — William Shakespeare

66. Revenge of Bussy D’Ambois — George Chapman

67. White Devil — John Webster

68. Duchess of Malfi — John Webster

69. Two Noble Kinsmen — John Fletcher & William Shakespeare

70. Bartholomew Fair — Ben Jonson

71. Humorous Lieutenant — John Fletcher

72. Pilgrim — John Fletcher

73. Changeling — Thomas Middleton & William Rowley

74. Game of Chess — Thomas Middleton

75. New Way to Pay Old Debts — Philip Massinger