Teacher Guide
Shakespearean Play Genres
Getting Started
While all of Shakespeare's plays are labeled as a Tragedy, Comedy or History, other plays can also be analyzed through the lens of these three categories. These categories can be thought of as archetypes that fit a specific mold and contain specific elements. Teaching the three Shakespearean genres help students read for a purpose when reading Shakespeare and other plays. If you are teaching a unit specifically on Shakespeare's body of work, consider sharing the following:
Shakespeare's 14 Comedies
- All's Well That Ends Well
- As You Like It
- Comedy of Errors
- Love's Labour's Lost
- Measure for Measure
- Merchant of Venice
- Merry Wives of Windsor
- Midsummer Night's Dream
- Much Ado about Nothing
- Taming of the Shrew
- Tempest
- Twelfth Night
- Two Gentlemen of Verona
- Winter's Tale
Shakespeare's 12 Tragedies
- Antony and Cleopatra
- Coriolanus
- Cymbeline
- Hamlet
- Julius Caesar
- King Lear
- Macbeth
- Othello
- Romeo and Juliet
- Timon of Athens
- Titus Andronicus
- Troilus and Cressida
Shakespeare's 11 Histories
- Henry IV, Part I
- Henry IV, Part II
- Henry V
- Henry VI, Part I
- Henry VI, Part II
- Henry VI, Part III
- Henry VIII
- King John
- Pericles
- Richard II
- Richard III
Opening Discussion
Explain to students: Shakespeare wrote plays that fell into one of three categories: Tragedy, Comedy, and History. Reading plays through the lens of these categories leads to more effective analysis of the plot elements and themes.
Elements of a Tragedy
- Serious themes and motifs
- Death is important
- Tragic hero with a fatal flaw that leads to downfall
- Tense, suspenseful or ominous mood
Elements of a Comedy
- Humorous language
- Unexpected plot twists
- Mistaken identities
- Obstacles to love
- Festive gatherings or celebrations
Elements of a History
- Allusions to historical events (Current events during Shakespeare's lifetime)
- Characters are British historical figures
- Propaganda
- Plot and character embellishment
Activities:
- Make a Storyboard or Mind Map
Shakespearean Play Genres
Complete after opening discussion.
View Activity - Make a Storyboard or Mind Map
Examples of Shakespearean Play Genres
Complete after class discussion or reading.
View Activity - Make a Storyboard or Mind Map
Illustrate Shakespearean Play Genres
Complete after class discussion or reading.
View Activity - Extension / Modification
Character Map (Extension / Modification)
Create three Character Maps to illustrate one hero from a comedy, a tragedy and a history.
- Extension / Modification
Graphic Novel (Extension / Modification)
Create a Graphic Novel version of one of Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies or histories.
Concluding Discussion
Discuss the following:
- What is an archetype?
- In what ways are each of the Shakespearean play genres archetypes?
- In what ways are the heroes in Shakespearean play genres archetypes?
- What is the audience meant to learn from each type of Shakespearean play genre?
- Based on the time period in which Shakespeare lived, why do you think his plays fell into these three genres? What social purpose did each serve?
