Length of Shakespeare Plays
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 |