Definition

The term “literary canon” refers to a group of literary works that are considered as important and relevant of a particular time period or place.

It establishes a collection of similar or related literary works.

The complete works of Shakespeare are known as Shakespeare’s Canon.

Shakespeare’s Canon is generally defined by 35 plays. Two mythological narrative poems “Venus and Adonis” (1593) and “The rape of Lucrece” (1594) An allegorical poem “the phoenix and the turtle” (1601) A collection of 154 sonnets such as “A Lover’s complaint”

A chart of Canonical Plays. Approximate Date Plays First Printed

By 1594 Henry VI (three parts) Folio 1623

The two gentlemen of Verona

Folio

The comedy of errors Folio

The Taming of the shrew Folio

Richard III 1597

Titus Andronicus 1594

Lover’s labour’s lost 1598

Approximate date Plays First Printed

1594- 1597 Romeo and Juliet 1599

A Midsummer night’s dream

1600

Richard II 1597

King John Folio

The Merchant of Venice 1600

Approximate date Plays First Printed

1597- 1600 Henry IV (part I) 1598

Henry IV (part II) 1600

Henry V Folio

Much Ado about Nothing 1600

Merry Wives of Windsor Folio

As You Like It Folio

Julius Caesar Folio

Troilus and Cressida 1609

Approximate Date Plays First Printed

1601- 1608 Hamlet 1604

Twelfth Night Folio

Measure for Measure Folio

All’s Well that Ends Well Folio

Othello 1622

Lear 1608

Macbeth Folio

Timon of Athens Folio

Antony and Cleopatra Folio

Coriolanus Folio

Approximate Date Plays First Printed

After 1608 Pericles 1609

Cymbeline Folio

The Winter’s Tale Folio

The Tempest Folio

1613 Henry VIII Folio

Poems Poems First Printed

Venus and Adonis 1593

The Rape of Lucrece 1594

Sonnets 1609

A lover’s Complaint 1609

The Phoenix and The Turtle 1601

Some of the most famous lines in the history of literature come from the writings of William Shakespeare

He produced many highly-praised stories of human drama, comedy and romantic sonnets and his work continues to influence writers to this day

Shakespeare created the majority of his popular plays and stories in the late 16th century.

For many years he enjoyed writing comedies and historical plays until he found his true love: writing tragedies and dark dramas, such as Hamlet and Macbeth.

When Shakespeare began to write for stages ,the

standard of acting was set by Edward Alley and by those who wrote for him,

especially Marlowe, Greene and Kyd.

At first Shakespeare imitated the common style and mannerisms so closely

that some critics argue hotly whether he was

indeed the sole author of some of the early plays attributed to him in the

First Folio.

Early style Audiences in the early 1590s were still unsophisticated,

simple in their demands and hearty in their appetites. They expected characters on the stage to talk in high-sounding phrases and to make long speeches on every

occasion, full of rhetorical devices, stuffed with mythology and bookish similes.

At first Shakespeare admired the current fashions. Style in General: Technically rigid; somewhat immature.

The plots generally are well organized. Characterization: Often superficial or shallow compared

with the characterization in later plays

Shakespeare’s earliest style is quite distinguishable. His rhythms are regular, rhymes are common , used sometimes in

alternate lines, more often in couplets. He even inserts a sonnet into the dialogue.

In the comedies there is much clever language, especially when young gentlemen are talking. Imagery is often used for its own sake and not to clarify or intensify thought.

In tragedy, especially historical tragedy, Shakespeare was often bombastic and speeches were more heroic than suited occasion.

Shakespeare was more interested in fine writing than in drama. The best and the worst traits of his immature style are to be seen in

the finest of his early plays Romeo and Juliet, when Lady Capulet urges Juliet to fall in love with Count Parisin a speech which is tediously clever.

The early style disappeared rapidly as Shakespeare’s experience grew and with them his power of expression.

Some Plays of the Early Period.

Comedyof Errors

Henry I (part I)

Henry VI (part II and III)

King Jhon

Love’s Labour’s Lost

Midsummer Night’s Dream

Richard II

Richard III

Romeo and Juliet

Two Gentlement of Verona

Comedy was still Shakespeare’s natural outlet. It gave him the chance of choosing words and phrases with an ease and subtlety which no one else ever touched.

It is shown at its best in “love’s Labour’s lost” in such a speech as the defence of barbarism which he gave to Berowne (character), a bubbling, many-coloured cascade of words. The thought is simple: that those who neglect everything for the sake of learning and never fall in love, miss more than they gain by their studies.

Here he takes up the idea of light and darkness, to juggle with them in a dazzling display of verbal trickery.

Mature Style

The early style disappeared rapidly as Shakespeare’s experiences grew and with them his power of expression.

Shakespeare gradually developed and changed his writing style from the traditional form to a more self-expressive style.

This style is less technically rigid; more creative. The plots are generally well designed.

Shakespeare demonstrates his range by writing outstanding works in three genres:

comedy (As You Like It, Twelfth Night). He presents a highly tragic character, Shyloc, in a comedy (The Merchant of Venice)

tragedy (Hamlet, Julius Caesar)

history (Henry IV Part I, Henry V).

Characterization: Strong, reflecting deep insight into human nature. Among the magnificent character portrayals of this period are those of Hamlet, Macbeth, Shylock, Othello, Brutus.

In Henry IV Parts I and II, Shakespeare achieves a wonderful balance between the comic (represented by Sir John Falstaff) and the serious (represented by Hotspur and others).

Dialogue: A mixture of verse and prose. Shakespeare also uses the soliloquy as more than a device to disclose the direction of the plot, to present pretty poetry, or to deliver long-winded asides

Soliloquies

The soliloquies or monologue was a common device that Shakespeare used to tell his stories.

They served to reveal the character’s thoughts, as well as to create the play’s setting.

It also brings the audience into the story and let it in on secrets that the rest of the characters in the play may not know.

In Hamlet, Mac Beth and Julius Caesar, soliloquies plumb the depths of the characters’ souls, revealing doubt, indecision, fear and ambition.

These famous lines from “Hamlet” are the opening lines to his most famous soliloquy.

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.”

All’s Well that Ends Well As you like it Hamlet Henry IV (parts I and II) Henry V Julius Caesar Merchant of Venice Othello Twelfth Night

Some plays of this period:

Concentrated Period This style is highly creative, bursting with insight. Shakespeare ignores many rules to allow his genius to

overflow. The plots of this period sometimes twist and turn,

challenging the reader with their complexity. Characterization: Superb, deeply insightful Dialogue: often highly suggestive of the speaker’s state of

mind and suffused with memorable metaphors, similes and other figures of speech. Many passages are in prose

Plays of this period King Lear Antony and

Cleopatra Macbeth Coriolanus Timon of Athens

Late Style Style in general: MASTERLY. Shakespeare has just the

right mix of technical skill, creativity and wisdom.

Exhibition of hope for flawed humanity.

He tends to prefer times and places far removed from Elizabethan England, as in The Tempest, Pericles and Cymbeline.

Several plays of this period introduce characters who suffer loss, then regain what they have lost.(as inPericles, The Winter’s Tale, Cymbeline). Supperb, deeply insightful.

The dialogue is highly creative, with many memorable passages in both verse and prose.

Plays of this Period Henry VIII

Cymbeline

Pericles

The Tempest

The Winter’s Tale