Over many years, I have taught Shakespeare’s great tragedies dozens of times & have been asked this question hundreds of times by students. For the first time, I offer my humble opinion.
#5
Romeo & Juliet
You will find some brilliant passages on the nature
of love from a variety of perspectives, but comparatively, this is a fledgling, rambling
play.
#4
MacBeth
#3 Othello
This is a dark, brooding cautionary tale, but for
contemporary audiences, the play’s dramatic impact is hampered by its
supernatural elements.
#3 Othello
This is probably the most accessible of Shakespeare’s
tragedies but it lacks the profundities of his best work. That said, the scheming Iago is
amongst the finest of Shakespeare’s creations.
#2
King Lear
This is a brilliant philosophical play, but in parts,
such as Lear’s storm sequence, totally incomprehensible, even to a close observer
of the play.
#1
Hamlet
This is clearly Shakespeare’s
greatest work. Hamlet’s inner struggle, as embodied in his soliloquies and
philosophical diatribes, are unparalleled in Western literature.