Despite the above, dating and grouping Shakespeare's plays is problematic. In 1598 commentator Francis Meres created a kind of literary marker when he wrote that Shakespeare was “the greatest English playwright,” and listed his plays to date. This list has helped scholars distinguish the earlier plays from the later ones.

Meres also lists a play named Love's Labour's Won, which may have been revised and turned into All's Well That Ends Well. A reasonable approximation of the order of the plays has been deduced from dates of publication, references in writings of the same time, allusions in the plays to then-current events, thematic relationships, and stylistic comparisons.

The Early Plays (Pre-1594)

What play came first? The order in which Shakespeare's plays has been written has caused speculation, arguments, and near fisticuffs among scholars. Some are adamant that the first plays are the three parts of King Henry VI. But it is not clear if Part I was written before or after Parts II and III. King Richard III, because if its “kingly” title is related to these plays. Richard is hardly a soul mate of Henry, but that is where he has been placed as the final part of a first quartet of historical plays since his reign falls into that chronological order. Still others think The Comedy of Errors was Shakespeare's first play. Some evidence suggests it might have been King Edward III, a new play now being considered by many critics as part of the canon.

After the early Henrys, it's believed that what came next were The Comedy of Errors, Titus Andronicus, The Taming of the Shrew, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's Lost, and Romeo and Juliet. The two tragedies, Titus Andronicus and Romeo and Juliet, were performed successfully in Shakespeare's lifetime to the joy of audiences who loved a little blood and gore on the stage.

After these early plays, and before his great tragedies, Shakespeare wrote King Richard II, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King John, The Merchant of Venice, King Henry IV Parts I and II, Much Ado About Nothing, King Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night. King Richard II, each part of King Henry IV, and King Henry V form a second quartet of historical plays, although each can stand alone. King Henry IV introduces the fat knight Falstaff, one of Shakespeare's classic creations who has enjoyed immense popularity from the beginning.

The Great Tragedies (1600–1608)

Shakespeare's great tragedies and the “problem plays” (meaning they are hard to categorize and critique) date from 1600 with Hamlet. Following this are The Merry Wives of Windsor (written on the request of Queen Elizabeth I, who wanted to see a play featuring Falstaff), Troilus and Cressida, All's Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, and Timon of Athens.