Much Ado About Nothing
Much about “Much Ado About Nothing” will feel familiar to a modern reader new to Shakespeare. With a standout active female character in Beatrice and a plot akin to a contemporary romantic comedy, this play feels more accessible than Shakespeare’s other works. It also has many film adaptations, catering to a wide range of preferences among audiences.

The Comedy of Errors
“The Comedy of Errors,” one of Shakespeare’s first plays, is an easier read than most of his many other plays, making it an easy training play and a good starting point. It also has a less convoluted plot than many other plays (see “Twelfth Night”). It is also his shortest play of all at a mere 14,701 words, compared to Hamlet’s hefty 30,557.

Pericles
“Pericles” is an often-forgotten play since it was omitted from the First Folio, but despite its obscurity, it is a great play to start with. It is one of the shortest plays in his collection, making it more approachable than many others. Pericles is also unusual for its engaging and familiar episodic structure, reminiscent of a modern-day sitcom.

Macbeth
“Macbeth” also has a low word count at only 17,121 words. It has all of the engaging and immersive qualities of his best tragedies like “Hamlet” and “King Lear” with none of the fluff or length. It also has one of his best and most fascinating female characters, Lady Macbeth. The play’s plot concentrates on familiar and thrilling themes, which contributes to its enduring relevance and universal appeal. It also offers no shortage of film adaptations, which can helpfully supplement the reading experience.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” his second shortest play, is one of his most well-known, with a plot that may be familiar to today’s readers. It also features many familiar elements, such as love triangles, forbidden love, and even fairies. The lighthearted tone and abundance of comedic interludes keep it easy and fun to read the whole way through. It is also perhaps his best executed comedy, with an unmatched sense of timelessness and an effortless blend of the ethereal and the mundane.

Titus Andronicus
Saturated with blood and gore, Titus Andronicus, one of his most gruesome plays, would be a great start for horror fans. Just one of the many outlandish occurrences present in this play is the death of Alarbus, ritually sacrificed by Titus’s sons, and that is not even the craziest (see the pie). The formidable Tamora, Queen of the Goths is truly one of the most fearsome female characters of any of his plays, and she and the play’s eponymous protagonist are the sort of gritty anti-heroes popular and relevant.