The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

What it is

This is a complete collected edition of William Shakespeare's plays and poems, bringing together his tragedies, comedies, histories and sonnets in one volume. It is a modern compiled text rather than an original manuscript or early printed book.

Why it matters

Because so few of Shakespeare's original manuscripts survive, collected editions like this are how most readers encounter the full range of his work. Having tragedies such as Hamlet and Macbeth alongside comedies and histories in one place shows the sheer scale of what he wrote and helps students see patterns across his career.

Look closer

• Why do you think editors group the plays by tragedy, comedy and history?
• What might be lost or changed when old plays are reprinted centuries later in a single modern volume?
• Which titles in the list are familiar to you, and which are not — why might that be?