- Question
Which are best: Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, or histories?
Shakespeare's plays are the most famous in the western canon, and are regularly performed both by theatre companies and amateurs. His plays are typically split into three genres: comedies, histories, and tragedies. For many modern audiences, the comedies are the most enduring and enjoyable, but tragedies are widely studied academically, and Hamlet, generally seen as Shakespeare's greatest work, is a tragedy. Histories, dealing often with the lives of kings, are less popular with the public but provide a hugely important historical and historiographical resource, and can often contain both tragic and comedic elements. So, which are the best?
The comedies are the best
Shakespeare's comedies are defined by their playfulness, irony, and wordplay. They feature themes of marriage, mistaken identity, family relationships, and foolishness.
The histories are the best
Shakespeare's histories are dramatized biographies of British medieval kings. They offer insight into Medieval and Renaissance politics and the lives of people at all levels of Medieval, Elizabethan, and Jacobean society.
The tragedies are the best
Shakespeare's tragedies use Aristotle's theory of tragedy, featuring a tragic hero with a fatal flaw which causes his downfall. They are enduringly popular, with 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet' remaining famous worldwide.