Shakespeare Portrait

Length of Shakespeare Plays

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Here is a list of the length of all Shakespeare’s plays. As a rule of thumb, 1000 lines of Shakespeare’s text converts to about one hour of stage time, when performed. Most plays, however, are cut down for performance. It is unlikely, even in Shakespeare’s day, that he would have performed the full version of his plays. Don’t let the length of the plays deter you, though long, they are gripping and unmissable. Check out our list of best shakespeare plays if you want some suggestions on the best plays to read.

Play Approximate Number of lines
Hamlet 4030
Coriolanus 3824
Cymbeline 3753
Richard III 3718
Antony and Cleopatra 3573
Othello 3560
King Lear 3499
Troilus and Cressida 3486
Winter’s Tale 3362
Henry IV (Part II) 3255
Henry VIII 3239
Henry V 3227
Henry VI ( Part II) 3125
Romeo and Juliet 3093
Henry IV ( Part I) 3041
Henry VI (Part III) 2932
All’s Well That Ends Well 2928
Measure for Measure 2839
Richard II 2803
Love’s Labour’s Lost 2758
Henry VI ( Part I) 2702
As You Like It 2670
Merchant of Venice 2662
King John 2648
Taming of the Shrew 2641
Julius Caesar 2636
Merry Wives of Windsor 2612
Much Ado About Nothing 2581
Titus Andronicus 2558
Timon of Athens 2512
Twelfth Night 2482
Macbeth 2477
Pericles 2464
Tempest 2274
Two Gentlemen of Verona 2233
Midsummer Night’s Dream 2165
Comedy of Errors 1785