The Periodic Table of Shakespeare [infographic]

You know me, always thinking about graphics. And I was thinking of how to best represent the totality of Shakespeare’s writing. What would be the best metaphor?

Then I got sidetracked clicking around one of my favorite websites, Mental Floss, and found this collection of what they called periodic table parodies.

And you know what happened then…

A new infographic!

To create it, I needed to think beyond mere genre. But how to do it?

There are so many plays. Some obvious collaborations (The Two Noble Kinsmen and the like). Some lost to time (Love’s Labor’s Won). Those pesky “problem plays” (a distinction that I’m growing less and less fond of). And stuff that isn’t theatrical at all. Plus, I wanted to layer over it some kind of historical progression of his writing (we don’t know the actual chronology of composition, but we have some rough ideas).

And thus, The Periodic Table of Shakespeare was born…

The Period Table of Shakespeare (click for watermarked view; available for purchase at Teachers Pay Teachers)
The Period Table of Shakespeare (click for watermarked view; available for purchase at Teachers Pay Teachers)

It’s now available for purchase at TeachersPayTeachers.

3 Replies to “The Periodic Table of Shakespeare [infographic]”

  1. Edmund Ironside doesn’t belong in this chart. If you need more plays try Arden of Faversham (Act III) or Mucedorus (additions) or Spanish Tragedy (additions).

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