This article presents a possible chronological listing of the composition of the plays of William Shakespeare. Shakespearean scholars, beginning with Edmond Malone in 1778, have attempted to reconstruct the relative chronology of Shakespeare's oeuvre by various means, using external evidence, and internal evidence. Most modern chronologies are based on the work of E.K. Chambers in "The Problem of Chronology", published in his book William Shakespeare: A Study of Facts and Problems, Vol. I.
Introduction
Since the surviving evidence is fragmentary, there is not, neither can there be a definitive or precise chronology. Performance history is often of limited use, as the first recorded performance of many plays was not necessarily when that play was first performed. For example, the first recorded performance of Romeo and Juliet was not until 1662, yet we know the play was performed in Shakespeare's lifetime. Thus, performance history reveals little about the date of composition. Similarly, dates of first publication are often relatively useless in determining a chronology, as roughly half the plays were not published until seven years after Shakespeare's death, in the First Folio, prepared by John Heminges and Henry Condell, and published by Edward Blount, William Jaggard and Isaac Jaggard. Performance dates and publication dates are also problematic insofar as many of the plays were performed several years before they were published. For example, Titus Andronicus was performed in 1592, but not published until 1594, Othello was performed in 1604 but not published until 1622, King Lear was performed in 1606 but not published until 1608. Performance and publication dates can thus be used only to determine terminal dates of composition, with the initial dates often remaining so much more speculative. In addition, some scholars dissent from the conventional dating system altogether. A notable scholar to do so is E. A. J. Honigmann, who has attempted to push back the beginning of Shakespeare's career four or five years to the mid-1580s, with his "early start" theory. Honigmann argues that Shakespeare began his career with Titus Andronicus in 1586. Most scholars, however, adhere to a more orthodox chronology, and some, such as Gary Taylor and Sidney Thomas, argue that the early start theory causes more problems than it solves.
Scholarship
E.K. Chambers
The chronology presented by E.K. Chambers in 1930 is as follows:
Additionally, as with Oxford, Arden, Pelican and the RSC, the New Cambridge Shakespeare, the New Penguin Shakespeare, the Signet Classic Shakespeare, the Dover Wilson Shakespeare, the Shakespeare Folios and the Folger Shakespeare Library all publish scholarly editions of individual plays, although none have issued a complete works volume. Arden presents the plays alphabetically without any attempt to construct an overall chronology. Oxford, Riverside, Norton and RSC all present chronologies which differ from one another and which attempt to construct only approximate dating. The following list is based on that of The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works and the accompanying William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion, edited by Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor. However, none of the major chronologies has any real authority over any of the others.
