A history play, also known as a chronicle play, is a dramatic work where the events of the plot are either partially or entirely drawn from people and events of the past. It is also considered a theatrical genre. William Shakespeare wrote ten of these plays, each loosely based on an English monarch and the period in which he reigned. Importantly, these plays remain works of fiction, whether based on an historical figure or not. This page contains a curated selection of resources on this topic. – Justin Cash
History Play Resources
Excellent article for students of theatre about the characteristics of a Shakespearean play in this genre and the differences to other Shakespearean dramas with historical settings.
Comprehensive article detailing the origins of the genre and its development through the centuries.
Resources from Encyclopaedia Britannica about the chronicle play.
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Comprehensive discussion about the chronicle play in English theatre history from TheatreHistory.com.
Characteristics of Shakespeare’s examples of this type of drama.
Explanation of Shakespeare’s history plays from No Sweat Shakespeare.
Article discussing English ‘chronicles’ and their influence as sources for some of Shakspeare’s history plays.
Interesting article on Shakespeare’s works of this genre.
Wikipedia entry on the this theatrical genre through the ages.
Useful account of why the chronicle play was popular in England in the late 1500s and early 1600s.
Scan of 1902 text The English Chronicle Play by Felix E Schelling. Includes discussion on different types of chronicle plays such as the legendary and the biographical plays.
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