1623 Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio 1 . The dates given for plays, of course, are only approximate. The actual composition date is rarely know for certain. The list of Shakespeare's works given in column three is in very rough approximate order of composition. There are significant disagreements among scholars about the actual order of composition and in most cases no firm dates.
Works listed in column four are usually by date of publication.
The Spanish Tragedy , for instance, was probably composed around 1586, but not published until 1592. For web resources related to Shakespeare's contemporaries, see the page titled Renaissance at this site.