Listening order for Shakespeare?

[kate_nepveu]

If I were planning to listen to full-cast recordings of all 38 of Shakespeare's plays, what order would you recommend I do it in? Chronological order, chronological order except with the histories in historical order, thematic, worst-to-best, something else?

If it matters, I've read Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, and part of King Lear (the class hated it so much we talked our teacher out of finishing it); and seen one version or another of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Winter's Tale. And The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged. I think that's it.

Comments

[mdevnich.livejournal.com]

I have no useful information, I just wanted to say I hope you report on how this works. I think I would approach them randomly-- maybe start with a few I like, then throw in some I haven't seen-- I've actually seen most of his plays on stage, now that I think about it, which is neat.

I also hated King Lear. It may have been that I was too young, at 12 or 13 or whatever age. Or it could be, I don't know, that it's a total downer. I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions!

[kate_nepveu]

If I do it, I'll booklog each play as I go. We'll see. There's something to be said for the random approach, but I wonder how much information I would get out of a rough chronological approach in terms of changes of style? I don't know.