Shakespeare’s plays as networks

Shakespeare’s plays described with network visualisations and other text analysis.
for students
Shakespeare
Author

Michael C. Zeller

Published

Sunday, 31 May 2026

William Shakespeare’s plays are a continual source of fascination and delight. They also contain all sorts of features intriguing from digital humanities and data science perspectives. For a bit of fun and with very little explanation so far, below are visualisations of Shakespeare’s plays, most especially as network graphs.

# A tibble: 4 × 2
  Play_Genre Mean_Scene_Length
  <chr>                  <dbl>
1 Comedy                  151.
2 History                 136.
3 Romance                 147.
4 Tragedy                 140.
Figure 1: Distribution of Scene Lengths in Shakespeare Plays. Plays ordered by mean scene length.

The dataset contains 105,153 lines of speech that make up Shakespeare’s plays. Figure 2 shows spread of plays by their total word count and total number of speeches (as others have shown).

Figure 2: Shakespeare plays by total words and number of speeches.
Figure 3: Two-mode network of plays and their (named) characters. Naturally, the history plays share the most number of characters.
Figure 4: Most loquacious characters… .
Shakespeare's Plays Summaries
Based on data from kaggle.com & Wikipedia

A Comedy of Errors

Set in the Greek city of Ephesus, The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins who were accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.

Figure 5: Overview of A Comedy of Errors… .
Figure 6: acoe bar… .
Figure 7: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 8: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 9: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 10: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue.

Figure 11: Overview of A Midsummer nights dream… .
Figure 12: amnd bar… .
Figure 13: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 14: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 15: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 16: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

A Winter’s Tale

King Leontes’ jealousy leads him to wrongly accuse his wife of infidelity, causing tragedy. Years later, redemption, reconciliation, and miraculous reunions restore hope and family bonds.

Figure 17: Overview of A Winters Tale… .
Figure 18: awt bar… .
Figure 19: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 20: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 21: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 22: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

All’s Well That Ends Well

Helena cures the King of France’s illness and pursues her love, Bertram, through clever schemes. Challenges, misunderstandings, and social constraints are overcome, emphasizing perseverance and wit.

Figure 23: Overview of Alls well that ends well… .
Figure 24: awtew bar… .
Figure 25: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 26: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 27: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 28: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Antony and Cleopatra

The plot is based on Thomas North’s 1579 English translation of Plutarch’s Lives (in Ancient Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra’s suicide during the War of Actium. The main antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony’s fellow triumvirs of the Second Triumvirate and the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The tragedy is mainly set in the Roman Republic and Ptolemaic Egypt and is characterized by swift shifts in geographical location and linguistic register as it alternates between sensual, imaginative Alexandria and a more pragmatic, austere Rome.

Figure 29: Overview of Antony and Cleopatra… .
Figure 30: aac bar… .
Figure 31: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 32: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 33: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 34: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

As You Like It

As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle’s court, accompanied by her cousin Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy traveller Jaques, who speaks one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches (“All the world’s a stage”) and provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country.

Figure 35: Overview of As you like it… .
Figure 36: ayli bar… .
Figure 37: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 38: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 39: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 40: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Coriolanus

Coriolanus is the name given to a Roman general after his military feats against the Volscians at Corioli. Following his success, others encourage Coriolanus to pursue the consulship, but his disdain for the plebeians and mutual hostility with the tribunes lead to his banishment from Rome. In exile, he presents himself to the Volscians, then leads them against Rome. After he relents and agrees to a peace with Rome, he is killed by his previous Volscian allies.

Figure 41: Overview of Coriolanus… .
Figure 42: corio bar… .
Figure 43: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 44: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 45: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 46: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Cymbeline

Cymbeline, also known as The Tragedie of Cymbeline or Cymbeline, King of Britain, is a play by William Shakespeare set in Ancient Britain (c.10–14 AD) and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concerning the early historical Celtic British King Cunobeline.

Figure 47: Overview of Cymbeline… .
Figure 48: cymbe bar… .
Figure 49: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 50: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Hamlet

Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother.

Figure 51: Overview of Hamlet… .
Figure 52: hamlet bar… .
Figure 53: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 54: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 55: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 56: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry IV

It was composed in the later years of the reign of Elizabeth I, when questions of succession and political stability were prominent. Set in England in the early 1400s during the reign of Henry IV, the play depicts rebellion against the crown alongside the development of Prince Hal, the future Henry V, and examines themes of leadership and the formation of the heir apparent.

Figure 57: Overview of Henry IV… .
Figure 58: hiv bar… .
Figure 59: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 60: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 61: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 62: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry V

It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years’ War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled The Cronicle History of Henry the fift and The Life of Henry the Fifth in the First Folio text.

Figure 63: Overview of Henry V… .
Figure 64: hv bar… .
Figure 65: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 66: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 67: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 68: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry VI Part 1

Henry VI, Part 1 deals with the loss of England’s French territories and the political machinations leading up to the Wars of the Roses, as the English political system is torn apart by personal squabbles and petty jealousy. Henry VI, Part 2 deals with the King’s inability to quell the bickering of his nobles and the inevitability of armed conflict and Henry VI, Part 3 deals with the horrors of that conflict.

Figure 69: Overview of Henry VI Part 1… .
Figure 70: hvi1 bar… .
Figure 71: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 72: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 73: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 74: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry VI Part 2

Henry VI, Part 2 (1591) is a Shakespearean history play about King Henry VI of England’s inability to quell the bickering of his noblemen, the death of his trusted advisor Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and the political rise of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York; it culminates with the First Battle of St Albans (1455), the initial battle of the Wars of the Roses, which were civil wars between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

Figure 75: Overview of Henry VI Part 2… .
Figure 76: hvi2 bar… .
Figure 77: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 78: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 79: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 80: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry VI Part 3

Whereas 1 Henry VI deals with the loss of England’s French territories and the political machinations leading up to the Wars of the Roses and 2 Henry VI focuses on the King’s inability to quell the bickering of his nobles, and the inevitability of armed conflict, 3 Henry VI deals primarily with the horrors of that conflict, with the once stable nation thrown into chaos and barbarism as families break down and moral codes are subverted in the pursuit of revenge and power.

Figure 81: Overview of Henry VI Part 3… .
Figure 82: hvi3 bar… .
Figure 83: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 84: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 85: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 86: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Henry VIII

The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth, often shortened to Henry VIII, is a collaborative history play, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, based on the life of Henry VIII. An alternative title, All Is True, is recorded in contemporary documents, with the title Henry VIII not appearing until the play’s publication in the First Folio of 1623.

Figure 87: Overview of Henry VIII… .
Figure 88: h8 bar… .
Figure 89: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 90: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 91: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 92: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Julius Caesar

The play portrays the political conspiracy that led to the assassination of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar and Rome’s subsequent civil war. Drawing primarily (with deviations in various aspects) from Sir Thomas North’s 1579 translation of Parallel Lives by Plutarch, Shakespeare presents a dramatised account of Caesar’s growing power, his murder by a group of senators led by Cassius and Brutus, and the defeat of the conspirators by the forces of Mark Antony and Octavius at the Battle of Philippi.

Figure 93: Overview of Julius Caesar… .
Figure 94: jc bar… .
Figure 95: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 96: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 97: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 98: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

King John

The Life and Death of King John (also King John) is a history play about the reign of John, King of England (r. 1199–1216), the son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the father of Henry III.

Figure 99: Overview of King John… .
Figure 100: kj bar… .
Figure 101: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 102: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 103: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 104: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

King Lear

Set in pre-Roman Britain, the play depicts the consequences of King Lear’s love-test, in which he divides his power and land according to the praise of his daughters. The play is known for its dark tone, complex poetry, and prominent motifs concerning blindness, madness and human nature.

Figure 105: Overview of King Lear… .
Figure 106: kl bar… .
Figure 107: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 108: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 109: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 110: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Love’s Labours Lost

It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies makes them forsworn (break their oath). In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess’s father, and all weddings are delayed for a year. The play draws on themes of masculine love and desire, reckoning and rationalisation, and reality versus fantasy.

Figure 111: Overview of Loves Labours Lost… .
Figure 112: lll bar… .
Figure 113: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 114: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 115: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 116: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Macbeth

In the play, a brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by his latent ambition and spurred to violence by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. Then, racked with guilt and paranoia, he commits further murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, becoming a tyrannical ruler in the process. The violence perpetrated by the power-hungry couple leads to their insanity and finally to their deaths.

Figure 117: Overview of macbeth… .
Figure 118: macbeth bar… .
Figure 119: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 120: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 121: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 122: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Measure for Measure

The play centres on the despotic and puritan Angelo, a deputy entrusted to rule the city of Vienna in the absence of Duke Vincentio, who instead disguises himself as a humble friar to observe Angelos regency and the lives of his citizens. Angelo persecutes a young man, Claudio, for the crime of fornication, sentencing him to death on a technicality. Angelo then attempts to exploit Isabella (the sister of Claudio), a chaste and innocent nun, when she comes to plead for the life of her brother.

Figure 123: Overview of Measure for measure… .
Figure 124: mfm bar… .
Figure 125: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 126: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 127: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 128: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

The Merchant of Venice

A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan taken out on behalf of his dear friend, Bassanio, and provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, with seemingly inevitable fatal consequences.

Figure 129: Overview of Merchant… .
Figure 130: Merchant bar… .

You call me misbeliever (1.3.106–128)

SHYLOCK

Signior Antonio, many a time and oft

In the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,

For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.

You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,

And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.

Well then, it now appears you need my help:

Go to, then, you come to me, and you say

'Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so,

You, that did void your rheum upon my beard

And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold: moneys is your suit

What should I say to you? Should I not say

'Hath a dog money? is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?' Or

Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,

With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this,

'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last,

You spurn'd me such a day, another time

You call'd me dog, and for these courtesies

I'll lend you thus much moneys'?

The quality of mercy (4.1.191–212)

PORTIA

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest,

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown,

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy is above this sceptred sway,

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself,

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,

That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy,

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much

To mitigate the justice of thy plea,

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Figure 131: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 132: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 133: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 134: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Merry Wives of Windsor

It features the character Sir John Falstaff, the fat knight who had previously been featured in Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2. Tradition has it that The Merry Wives of Windsor was written at the request of Queen Elizabeth I, who watching Henry IV, Part 1, is said to have asked Shakespeare to write a play depicting Falstaff in love.

Figure 135: Overview of Merry Wives of Windsor… .
Figure 136: mww bar… .
Figure 137: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 138: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 139: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 140: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Much Ado About Nothing

The play is set in Messina and revolves around two romantic pairings that emerge when a group of soldiers arrive in the town. The first, between Claudio and Hero, is nearly scuppered by the accusations of the villain, Don John. The second, between Benedick and Beatrice, takes centre stage as the play continues, with their wit and banter providing much of the humour.

Figure 141: Overview of Much Ado about nothing… .
Figure 142: maan bar… .
Figure 143: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 144: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 145: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 146: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Othello

Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulated by his ensign, Iago, into suspecting his wife Desdemona of infidelity. Othello is widely considered one of Shakespeares greatest works and is usually classified among his major tragedies alongside Macbeth, King Lear, and Hamlet.

Figure 147: Overview of Othello… .
Figure 148: othello bar… .
Figure 149: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 150: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 151: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 152: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Pericles

Pericles undergoes perilous adventures, shipwrecks, and family separation. His journey culminates in reunion, restoration, and the triumph of endurance and providence.

Figure 153: Overview of Pericles… .
Figure 154: pericles bar… .
Figure 155: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 156: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 157: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 158: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Richard II

The Tragedy of Richard the Third, often shortened to Richard III, is a play by William Shakespeare, which depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of King Richard III of England.

Figure 159: Overview of Richard II… .
Figure 160: ricky2 bar… .
Figure 161: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 162: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 163: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 164: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Richard III

Richard manipulates, murders, and schemes to seize the English throne. His cunning ascent is followed by paranoia and downfall, illustrating ambition, deceit, and the fragility of power.

Figure 165: Overview of Richard III… .
Figure 166: ricky3 bar… .
Figure 167: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 168: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 169: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 170: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Romeo & Juliet

A Winters Tale belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. The plot is based on an Italian tale written by Matteo Bandello, translated into verse as The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562, and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1567. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both but expanded the plot by developing a number of supporting characters, in particular Mercutio and Paris.

Figure 171: Overview of Romeo and Juliet… .
Figure 172: rj bar… .
Figure 173: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 174: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 175: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 176: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Taming of the Shrew

The main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina, the headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant in the relationship; however, Petruchio “tames” her with various psychological and physical torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant, and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition among the suitors of Katherinas younger sister, Bianca, who is seen as the “ideal” woman.

Figure 177: Overview of Taming of the Shrew… .
Figure 178: tofs bar… .
Figure 179: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 180: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 181: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.

The Tempest

After the first scene, which takes place on a ship at sea during a storm, the rest of the play is set on a remote island, where Prospero, a magician, lives with his daughter Miranda, and his two servants: Caliban, a savage monster figure, and Ariel, an airy spirit. The play contains music and songs that evoke the spirit of enchantment on the island. It explores many themes, including magic, betrayal, revenge, forgiveness and family. In Act IV, a wedding masque serves as a play-within-a-play, and contributes spectacle, allegory, and elevated language.

Figure 182: Overview of The Tempest… .
Figure 183: tempest bar… .
Figure 184: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 185: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 186: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 187: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Timon of Athens

Timon lavishes his wealth on parasitic companions until he is poor and rejected by them. He then denounces all of mankind, and isolates himself in a cave in the wilderness.

Figure 188: Overview of Timon of Athens… .
Figure 189: timon bar… .
Figure 190: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 191: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 192: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 193: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Titus Andronicus

Titus, a general in the Roman army, presents Tamora, Queen of the Goths, as a slave to the new Roman emperor, Saturninus. Saturninus takes her as his wife. From this position, Tamora vows revenge against Titus for killing her son. Titus and his family retaliate, leading to a cycle of violence.

Figure 194: Overview of Titus Andronicus… .
Figure 195: titus bar… .
Figure 196: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 197: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 198: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 199: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Troilus and Cressida

At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. Meanwhile, the Greeks endeavour to lessen the pride of Achilles.

Figure 200: Overview of Troilus and Cressida… .
Figure 201: tandc bar… .
Figure 202: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 203: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 204: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 205: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Twelfth Night

The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (disguised as a page named Cesario) falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.

Figure 206: Overview of Twelfth Night… .
Figure 207: twelfth bar… .
Figure 208: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 209: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 210: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 211: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Two Gentlemen of Verona

The play deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity, the conflict between friendship and love, and the foolish behaviour of people in love. The highlight of the play is considered by some to be Launce, the clownish servant of Proteus, and his dog Crab, to whom “the most scene-stealing non-speaking role in the canon” has been attributed.

Figure 212: Overview of Two Gentlemen of Verona… .
Figure 213: tgov bar… .
Figure 214: Interactive network visualisation of characters and scenes in which they appear.
Figure 215: Network based on coappearance in scenes.
Figure 216: Network with edges/links based on coappearance in scenes and the number of lines spoken by the two characters in those scenes.
Character interactions over the course of the play, accumulating over the course of Acts (aggregated in slices of 10 play lines). Character nodes’ sizes increase as they speak more lines.
Figure 217: Alluvial diagram of play acts and the number of lines by characters (only the top-10 characters in terms of total lines).

Extant Shakespeare network resources

The original data of most of Shakespeare’s plays that I used is available on Kaggle (https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/kingburrito666/shakespeare-plays?resource=download). There are similar datasets that have been compiled (e.g., https://github.com/Pseudomanifold/Shakespeare?tab=readme-ov-file).

Of course, digital humanities researchers and data scientists have already worked with data on Shakespeare’s plays and produced valuable graphics and analysis. These include: