King John by William Shakespeare
King John, written by William Shakespeare, tells the story of a king who abdicates his throne and his subsequent struggles to regain power. The play explores themes of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal, as well as the consequences of political machinations.
By William Shakespeare · First published 1598 · Genre: Historical Drama, Tragedy, Political Drama · 16 chapters · 39,709 words
First lines
King John's palace.
Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Essex, Salisbury, and others, with Chatillon.
What this Textopian page supports
King John is listed on Textopian as a play by William Shakespeare, dated 1598 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: William Shakespeare
- Date: 1598 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Drama, Tragedy, Political Drama, War Drama, Shakespearean Drama
- Length: 39,709 words
- Structure: 16 chapters, 650 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for King John by William Shakespeare
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering King John?
- How does this play by William Shakespeare fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Drama first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Henry Vi Part Ii by William Shakespeare
- Henry Vi Part Iii by William Shakespeare
- Richard Iii by William Shakespeare
- Richard Ii by William Shakespeare
- Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
- Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
Genres
- Historical Drama — The work is a dramatization of historical events, focusing on the reign of King John of England.
- Tragedy — Key elements of tragedy are present in the story such as downfall of the protagonist, King John, and his tragic character flaws.
- Political Drama — The play delves into political intrigue and the power struggles during King John's reign.
- War Drama — The narrative portrays the political and military conflicts of the time, including the war with France.
Tags
Tragedy · Historical Fiction · Political Intrigue · Power Struggles · Royalty · Machiavellian · betrayal · Deception · Revenge · Loyalty · Drama · Rivalries
Contents
- SCENE I
- SCENE I
- SCENE I
- SCENE I
- SCENE I
- SCENE II
- SCENE II
- SCENE II
- SCENE III
- SCENE III
- SCENE III
- SCENE IV
- SCENE IV
- SCENE V
- SCENE VI
- SCENE VII