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What is William Shakespeare's best work?

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103 books · 1,239 voters · list created July 31st, 2008 by Leila (votes) .
127 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


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Comments Showing 1-46 of 46 (46 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Maggie (new)

Maggie Much Ado about Nothing is better than Taming of the Shrew? I object! ;(


message 2: by Kahmun (new)

Kahmun What's East of Eden doing there - as much as I like steinbeck... he shouldn't be on shaky's list


message 3: by Leila (new)

Leila Kahmun wrote: "What's East of Eden doing there - as much as I like steinbeck... he shouldn't be on shaky's list"

Thanks for telling me :) I removed it now.


 Imani ♥ ☮ love othello. its like almost a modern story even though its like a 300 year old story


message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

Shakespeare is my template and master, besides some of the old Greeks. In my Saltian project I am looking for people to compare a poem I wrote with a passage in As You Like It. I'd love to see someone write a short comparison (a line or two will do) of the category Mr. William depicted with one of the poems I wrote for that category. Not a critique of the poem but how the poem's subject matter relates to the monologue, the times, etc. Any takers? http://booksblog.unboundcontent.com Thanks.


message 6: by [deleted user] (new)

I tried to add the book "The New Temple Shakespeare" which includes Venus & Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, and The Phoenix & Turtle but it's not coming up anywhere. It was first published in 1935.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads It may not be in the database.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

haven't read many of Shakespeare's books/plays,(though I should) so I couldn't make an accurate vote...


message 9: by Gabriel (new)

Gabriel Thirty-five needs to be removed—it's the same as one! Otherwise, a great list. I am surprised I have only read three of these. (I'm currently reading Hamlet.)


message 10: by Bri (last edited Mar 31, 2012 01:37PM) (new)

Bri I only voted for two because they're the only ones I've read (I'm in high school)


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

Where is King Henry VI Part 3???? That's my favourite.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads You could add it to the list; it's easy to add books to lists. At the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."


message 13: by [deleted user] (new)

Susanna wrote: "You could add it to the list; it's easy to add books to lists. At the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes.""

Thank you!


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads No problem.


message 15: by Kirsten (new)

Kirsten Someone added a whole bunch of books to this list that have nothing to do with Shakespeare (Harry Potter, Batman, and Twilight, to name a few). I deleted them.


message 16: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Macbeth, hands down, should be number one as it is the best of Shakespeare's works (at least in my opinion). I have read 5 of the works listed (as I am only in high school and haven't had the vocabulary or analysis skills to read more earlier). The five include: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and Othello. If you haven't read Macbeth I highly recommend it.

Also, if anyone has a suggestion of what I should read next it would be greatly appreciated. I am one of those strange people who loves Shakespeare and I am open to almost anything.


message 17: by Kayla (new)

Kayla Midsummer's night's dream is great


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Alicia - Richard II? (A tragedy/history play.) As You Like It? (Comedy.)


message 19: by Jenny (new)

Jenny Alicia wrote: "Macbeth, hands down, should be number one as it is the best of Shakespeare's works (at least in my opinion). I have read 5 of the works listed (as I am only in high school and haven't had the vocab..."

The Tempest. You've only read the tragedies, and you need to read a Shakespearean comedy. I highly recommend Midsummer Night's Dream or The Tempest, but the second is a little simpler and easier to follow!


message 20: by Kirby (new)

Kirby I have to say that I prefer Shakespeare's tragedies over his comedies. I'm not sure if I like "Macbeth" or "Hamlet" better. I like "The Comedy of Errors" and "The Tempest."


message 21: by Aizaabbas (new)

Aizaabbas the book hamlet and the winters tale i love them .that's a novel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 22: by Patrick (new)

Patrick Any reason why All's Well That Ends Well isn't in here? I mean it is my least favorite, but that's still a little harsh.


message 23: by Patrick (new)

Patrick Alicia wrote: "Macbeth, hands down, should be number one as it is the best of Shakespeare's works (at least in my opinion). I have read 5 of the works listed (as I am only in high school and haven't had the vocab..."

I can't recommend Richard III enough. You need to read up a bit on British history, though, but it's as entertaining as any play in history.


message 24: by Azra (new)

Azra Ahmed i want more best novels.


message 25: by Ahmad (new)

Ahmad mohammad Maali i want too


message 26: by Vinothini (new)

Vinothini Pn Shaespeare's king lear reflects the real sorrow of people in a different way


message 27: by Vinothini (new)

Vinothini Pn Shaespeare's king lear reflects the real sorrow of people in a different way


message 28: by Sizwe (new)

Sizwe Kambhobho I love otello so much but how do I read it, please help!


message 29: by Oday (new)

Oday Jabir verry verry veryy nice link many thanks


message 30: by Polly (new)

Polly Why are there so many non-Shakespeare books?


message 31: by Kay (new)

Kay Othello should be number three IMO. And I agree ... non Shaekspeare books are on the list!


message 32: by Beth (new)

Beth ummmm, what the is going on with the non Shakespeare books? its meant to be a page for Shakespeare books ONLY!


message 33: by Beth (new)

Beth I think


message 34: by Shakespeare (last edited Dec 10, 2014 04:52PM) (new)

Shakespeare Eyes and-vision Has anyone ever thought about how much Shakespeare mentions the eyes in his works? Everyone always analyzes how much emphasis is placed on music by Shakespeare, but the eye mention are worth noting. This is a great analysis and the only one out there: Shakespeare on Eyes and Vision: A Study of Every Mention on Eyes and Vision in Shakespeare's Work


message 35: by Amrita (new)

Amrita so you are more inrested in his eyes more than his novels


message 36: by David Bañuelos (new)

David Bañuelos Several items, from 43 down, need to be removed because they are not by Shakespeare.


message 37: by Melanti (new)

Melanti I cleaned up the list a little.

There's no way children's books by an obscure author belong on a "Best of Shakespeare" list.
And sorry Gaiman fans - he doesn't belong either!


message 38: by Alina (new)

Alina Grace cool


message 39: by Melanti (new)

Melanti Malam wrote: "I never knew that shakespeare wrote so many books"

40ish plays (exactly how many is debated) and 150ish poems/sonnets.

There's quite a few omnibuses/collections in this list.


message 40: by Mahrukh (new)

Mahrukh Ashfaq the best book twelfth night and others too
love shakespeare books


message 41: by Adam (last edited Aug 03, 2016 09:34AM) (new)

Adam Marthaler Titus Andronicus is an underrated gem. If you have to do a report on a work of Shakespeare, I would highly advise that one. It deserves a much higher spot, and probably wasn't well received because of some of the vile content, well vile at the time, not so vile in these times.


message 42: by Tuhin (new)

Tuhin Bhowal How the fuck is Rupi Kaur is this list?
Is the world already at the brink of its end?


message 43: by Melanti (new)

Melanti Gone.

Also deleted a couple of biographies, Anne Frank, and some sort of reading primer.


message 44: by Tuhin (new)

Tuhin Bhowal Melanti wrote: "Gone.

Also deleted a couple of biographies, Anne Frank, and some sort of reading primer."


Thanks!


message 45: by Greg (new)

Greg Jenny wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Macbeth, hands down, should be number one as it is the best of Shakespeare's works (at least in my opinion). I have read 5 of the works listed (as I am only in high school and haven'..."

Reading "Tempest" now. I had a hard time accessing Shakespeare, then listened to some of his works via audio. Now I can "hear" this works better as I read them. Yes, "Tempest" is simple.


message 46: by ClaraBelle (new)

ClaraBelle I’m not big on Shakespeare’s plays at all, but I did love Julius Caesar, Anthony and cleopatra, a midsummer nights dream, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet! ❤️💕


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