A comedy, on the other hand, is a drama in which the characters are placed in more or less humorous situations. The movement is light and often mirthful, and the play ends in general good will and happiness. The historical drama aims to present some historical age or character, and may be either a comedy or a tragedy. The following list includes the best of Shakespeare's plays in each of the three classes; but the order indicates merely the author's personal opinion of the relative merits of the plays in each class. Thus _Merchant of Venice_ would be the first of the comedies for the beginner to read, and _Julius Cæsar_ is an excellent introduction to the historical plays and the tragedies. Comedies. _Merchant of Venice, Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Winter's Tale, The Tempest, Twelfth Night_. Tragedies. _Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello_. Historical Plays. _Julius Cæsar, Richard III, Henry IV, Henry V, Coriolanus, Antony and Cleopatra_. DOUBTFUL PLAYS. It is reasonably certain that some of the plays generally attributed to Shakespeare are partly the work of other dramatists. The first of these doubtful plays, often called the Pre-Shakespearian Group, are _Titus Andronicus_ and the first part of _Henry VI_. Shakespeare probably worked with Marlowe in the two last parts of _Henry VI_ and in _Richard III_. The three plays, _Taming of the Shrew, Timon_, and _Pericles_ are only partly Shakespeare's work, but the other authors are unknown. _Henry VIII_ is the work of Fletcher and Shakespeare, opinion being divided as to whether Shakespeare helped Fletcher, or whether it was an unfinished work of Shakespeare which was put into Fletcher's hands for completion. _Two Noble Kinsmen_ is a play not ordinarily found in editions of Shakespeare, but it is often placed among his doubtful works. The greater part of the play is undoubtedly by Fletcher. _Edward III_ is one of several crude plays published at first anonymously and later attributed to Shakespeare by publishers who desired to sell their wares. It contains a few passages that strongly suggest Shakespeare; but the external evidence is all against his authorship. SHAKESPEARE'S POEMS. It is generally asserted that, if Shakespeare had written no plays, his poems alone would have given him a commanding place in the Elizabethan Age. Nevertheless, in the various histories of our literature there is apparent a desire to praise and pass over all but the _Sonnets_ as rapidly as possible; and the reason may be stated frankly. His two long poems, "Venus and Adonis" and "The Rape of Lucrece," contain much poetic fancy; but it must be said of both that the subjects are unpleasant, and that they are dragged out to unnecessary length in order to show the play of youthful imagination. They were extremely popular in Shakespeare's day, but in comparison with his great dramatic works these poems are now of minor importance.