Top 10 Plays By William Shakespeare

Written sometime between 1596 and 1598, this early comedy from Shakespeare centers on a Christian merchant's debt to a Jewish moneylender and the latter's building relentlessness to get his due. While modern scholars debate the play's potential presentation of anti-semitism, it is collectively agreed that this late 16th century play showcases stronger themes of self-interest versus love, the wording versus the spirit of laws, and the quality of mercy. As a result, The Merchant of Venice continues to be a popular pick for theater productions and has spawned over a dozen different film adaptations.

Don't let the title deceive you, as ‘nothing’you is the polar opposite of what brings much ado here. With Shakespeare being known for his play on words, with "nothing" actually being a homophone for a similar sounding word meaning rumor, one of the play's core themes. Considered one of his best and more insightful comedies, “Much Ado About Nothing” successfully hatches out its targeted laughter with language while simultaneously taking on classic themes of honor, deception, and public status that modern audiences can relate to today.

Written circa 1603, Othello was adapted from Italian novelist Cinthio's short story "A Moorish Captain", and tells of the tragic events that transpired following a Moorish general's marriage to a significantly younger Venetian woman. With a broad array of timeless themes, including racism, jealousy, betrayal, and revenge, Othello continues to be a performance preference for stage communities aplenty. Outside acting adaptations, the play has even inspired multiple musical, artistic, and graphic novel interpretations, proving how much everyone loves a good backstabber story, provided it's not their backs being stabbed.

Speaking of backstabbers, here's the ultimate tale in the genre brought to us by way of a ruler and his circle of officers-slash-friends turned conspirators. Perfectly written for its time, when England was experiencing its own worries of conspiracy murders and civil war, the play has remained ever-so relevant with its insights on politics and themes of patriotism and friendship. Though Caesar's assassination was repeatedly dramatized during Shakespeare's time, it's the Bard’s version that has withstood the test of time, with modern renditions continuing to captivate audiences, inspire similar stories, and of course, provoke political discussion.

Written around 1592, Richard III is one of many of Shakespeare's fictionalized renderings of past English monarchs. As his second longest play, the initial success for Richard III was generated with the hype and buildup from its three immediate Henry VI predecessors, forming the playwright's first tetralogy. With the titular character being one of literature's most notable and mimicked anti-heroes, the story and character of Richard III has strongly influenced modern storytellers, with nods and allusions to the play discreetly found in virtually every corner of pop-culture.

Imagine losing your marbles over trying to divide your wealth among a circle of aggressive heirs. Written during the later period of his life, King Lear was originally met with mixed reception from Shakespeare's contemporaries for its incredibly depressing tones and its suggestions about the family structure. Shortly after the English Restoration, altered versions showcasing various happy endings were ordered for performances. However, at the turn of the 1800s, it was returned to its gloomy glory and has since inspired countless adaptations and re-imaginings, a notable one being in the form of the hit Fox drama “Empire.”

You know you have a master writer in your midst if they somehow manage to mesh romance, fantasy, and farce all equally into one story. “A Midsummer Night's Dream” has been consistently cited as one of Shakespeare's most absurd and ridiculous works, but not necessarily in a bad way. It is precisely the comedy’s inclusion of fairies, love potions, donkeys, and more that make this play all the more, well, playful. That's why even this mad mash of moronic mix-ups continue to garner attention, for its non-conventional storytelling and themes regarding love, the nature of dreams, and the blurred lines between the real and the unreal.

We all know love conquers all! Except in this play. Considered to be one of the most influential narrative works in all of history, the bond between these titular star-crossed lovers - despite the ancient grudges between their families - has been a beacon of inspiration for many creative minds and adolescent hearts. Though initially regarded as a failure by many of Shakespeare's contemporary critics, this underdog tragedy secured its immortality from being one of the few plays that cater to and feature both the young and old. Today, it stands as Shakespeare's most accessible work, spawning more on and off-stage re-imaginings than any of his other plays.

Considered to be Shakespeare's grimmest play, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” follows the titular protagonist who is a Scottish general who murders his way to Kingship and is consequently instilled with guilt and paranoia, resulting in the additional murders of his subjects. Having such a dark narrative, many theater-buffs and particularly stage crew-members, believe the play to be cursed and will refer to it instead as "The Scottish Play" when in works for a production. Still, Macbeth remains a haunting classic among modern audiences, scholars, and performers, with the titular role kick-starting the careers of future stage and screen greats, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir Ian McKellen, and Orson Welles.

Before we raise the curtains for our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “The Tempest”
- “The Winter's Tale”
- “Henry V”
- “The Taming of the Shrew”
- “Twelfth Night, or What You Will”

Taking the highest honor on our list is the tragedy of a young Danish prince whose plot to avenge his murdered father goes incredibly awry. Despite being Shakespeare's longest work, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark remains his most timeless and influential, inspiring future greats like Charles Dickens and James Joyce as well as contemporary classics including the majestic tale of one particular Lion King. Considered one the best narratives of his lifetime, Hamlet has gone on to become Shakespeare's most popular play, topping the favorites lists of scholars, audiences, and actors alike, including those of the Royal Shakespeare Company's.

Do you agree with our list? Which plays from Shakespeare are your favorites? For more classic Top 10's published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.