“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”

-William Shakespeare

The world knows him as the ‘greatest playwright’ in history, but there is not much that people know of his life.

Born on the 23^rd of April, 1564, Shakespeare later came to be known as someone who completely changed the nature of English drama. He arrived in London in the latter half of the 16^th century, and initially began writing plays which were centred around Roman and English historical characters. But there was something peculiarly special about the characters that Shakespeare created, whether it is the young Hero and the Heroine, the ruler or the strict father, all his characters weren’t just stock characters now; they were recognisable humans.

Shakespeare’s works are usually divided into four periods or time frames by critics and historians. The first period, which starts from 1591 and ends in 1593, is called the ‘experimental period’ when he wrote plays like ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’, ‘The Comedy of Errors’, etc.

The second period of Shakespeare’s works ends in 1601, which is basically the time when Shakespeare became ‘the dramatist’ of 17^th century England. The best of plays as we know of them today, like ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Julius Caesar’ etc. were written in this second period of his works.

The next period that came, which is the third period was the time when Shakespeare had reached the zenith of fame and popularity, with plays like ‘Hamlet’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘King Lear’ and ‘Othello’ coming out during this time around 1610.

The last or the final period around 1611, was when he wrote ‘The Winter’s Tale’ and ‘The Tempest’.

Shakespeare, as we know and read him today has come from ‘The First Folio’ which was published in 1623 by John Heminge and Henry Condell, who were his fellow actors. Unfortunately, there are no original manuscripts that survive till today and this reflects upon the fact that many of these works were not regarded as literary pieces but were rather used for a script in theatrical performances. However, there are no exact dates as to when all the plays were first performed on stage.  Borrowing plots and manipulating historical facts in drama was not very uncommon in Shakespeare’s time, but his command and skill at the language, the pun and imagery that he uses, the hint of creativity that he adds to myth and history, set him apart as the greatest dramatist and playwright of all times.

Here is a list of the greatest Shakespearean dramas:

10. The Taming of the Shrew

This comedy was written between 1590 and 1594. The play starts with a framing device where a drunkard is made to believe that he is a nobleman and he watches the ‘play’ itself. Petruchio plays the part of the nobleman who is married to a bad-tempered and outspoken shrew called Katherine. He ‘tames’ and manipulates her until she becomes obedient.  The play had been adapted for various operas and musical theatres.

9. The Twelfth Night or What You Will

The play was written around 1601 and was published in the First Folio which came out in 1623. Like many comedies, even this revolves around mistaken identities. The protagonist of the play is Viola, who along with her brother Sebastian, is shipwrecked in the shore of Illyria. She masquerades as a young man Cesario and reaches the court of the Duke Orsino who is in love with a woman called Olivia. Orsio send Ceasrio to deliver the messages of love he has for Viola but she instead falls for Cesario who actually looks like Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother). Viola has also fallen in love with the Duke, and in this great confusion, ensues a great laugh riot for the audiences.

8. Richard III

Richard III of England rules for a short while and this play depicts his reign in a very unflattering manner. The play is classified as the tragedy and is the second longest play by Shakespeare. The length is a drawback and this play is hardly performed unabridged.

7. Macbeth

One of the most popular plays by Shakespeare, it was written around 1601 and 1606. The play talks about the horrors of lust and power and is often performed at various operas and screens. The play is believed to have been loosely knit around the ‘King Macbeth of Scotland’.

6. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This is romantic comedy which was written in the 1590s. The play depicts four Athenian lovers, fairies, a moonlit forest etc. It is one of Shakespeare’s most widely performed piece of work.

5. Henry V

It was written in 1599, and is based on the life of the English Kind Henry V. The play is the final part of the series which began with ‘Richard II’, followed by ‘Henry IV Part 1’ and the ‘Henry IV Part 2’.

4. Romeo & Juliet

The story about two young lovers and their death eventually unites their families. The play has a beautiful language and is often praised for its dramatic effect. It is known as the greatest romance ever written and is adapted into musicals and dramas millions of times.

3. Hamlet

Hamlet was written in 1599 and 1601, and it is a play set in Denmark. It is the story of Prince Hamlet and his revenge in his Uncle Claudius for murdering his father, taking away the throne and marrying his mother. It explores the themes of treachery, incest and moral code of conduct. It’s one of the most powerful tragedies of the English language.

2. Julius Caesar

The play was written in 1599. It depicts the conspiracy that was planned against the Roman dictator Julius Caesar and his assassination. Although the name of the play is Julius Caesar, he is not the protagonist of the play as he appears only in three scenes. The play is a psychological drama revolving around the themes of patriotism, friendships and betrayal.

1.Othello, the Moor of Venice

This tragedy was written in 1603 and it revolves around Othello, his wife Desdemona, Iago and Michael Cassio. The play talks about the theme of racism, love, betrayal and jealousy. It is often performed in various theatres and has endured great popularity over the years.