How many plays did William Shakespeare write?

Answer 1

A Collection of Shakespeare's plays was published by his colleagues in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death. This was titled Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, and is also known as The First Folio.

It included 36 of the plays.

There are also two others, Pericles, Prince of Tyre and The Two Noble Kinsmen which were included in later editions and were probably written in collaboration with other authors (the latter is credited to Shakespeare and Fletcher). Pericles was added to the second Folio since it had already appeared in Quarto form under Shakespeare's name as early as 1609.

There are documents referring to two other plays - Love's Labours Won and The History of Cardenio of which only the titles are known; the text has not survived. Some scholars believe that Love's Labours Won may be an alternative title for one of the original 36 plays. Then there are other more dubious attributions (such as Edward III, The Second Maiden's Tragedy).

There has been speculation that there may be another three or four plays of which neither the titles nor the text has survived.

So the upshot is, he certainly wrote 36, wrote or co-wrote another 2, and may have written up to 6 others which haven't survived or are misattributed.

Answer 2

A Collection of Shakespeare's plays was published by his colleagues in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death. This was titled Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, and is also known as The First Folio.

It included 36 of the plays.

There are also two others, Pericles, Prince of Tyre and The Two Noble Kinsmen which were included in later editions and were probably written in collaboration with other authors (the latter is credited to Shakespeare and Fletcher). Pericles was added to the second Folio since it had already appeared in Quarto form under Shakespeare's name as early as 1609.

There are documents referring to two other plays - Love's Labours Won and The History of Cardenio of which only the titles are known; the text has not survived. Some scholars believe that Love's Labours Won may be an alternative title for one of the original 36 plays. Then there are other more dubious attributions (such as Edward III, The Second Maiden's Tragedy).

There has been speculation that there may be another three or four plays of which neither the titles nor the text has survived.

So the upshot is, he certainly wrote 36, wrote or co-wrote another 2, and may have written up to 6 others which haven't survived or are misattributed.

Answer 3

A Collection of Shakespeare's plays was published by his colleagues in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death. This was titled Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, and is also known as The First Folio.

It included 36 of the plays.

There are also two others, Pericles, Prince of Tyre and The Two Noble Kinsmen which were included in later editions and were probably written in collaboration with other authors (the latter is credited to Shakespeare and Fletcher). Pericles was added to the second Folio since it had already appeared in Quarto form under Shakespeare's name as early as 1609.

There are documents referring to two other plays - Love's Labours Won and The History of Cardenio of which only the titles are known; the text has not survived. Some scholars believe that Love's Labours Won may be an alternative title for one of the original 36 plays. Then there are other more dubious attributions (such as Edward III, The Second Maiden's Tragedy).

There has been speculation that there may be another three or four plays of which neither the titles nor the text has survived.

So the upshot is, he certainly wrote 36, wrote or co-wrote another 2, and may have written up to 6 others which haven't survived or are misattributed.