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

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I'd start with the most appealing casts and go from there--except keep the histories in some semblance of historical order. Actually I'd divide theme in two arcs: 1) Henry VI (all parts) to Richard III and 2) Richard II, Henry IV (both parts), Henry V.

I started to listening to these really cool recordings with really famous casts last fall but I never kept up with it. (Only got through The Tempest, which had Jennifer Ehle among others.) I never have problems following stage versions, but purely audio versions are hard to follow--even when you're familiar with it--without the text. Well, at least for me. I wonder if you're planning on listening to the same. Of course, the name escapes me now.

I always liked King Lear. I hate Macbeth, though. I blame a bad teacher in 11th grade.

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

I've never listened to all of the plays (that sounds like fun!), but when I read them, I tend to do it thematically (comedies, tragedies, histories, romances) and chronologically within each theme. I do this with the histories even though that puts them out of historical chronological order, because the plays he wrote later (Richard II, Henry IV 1 and 2, and Henry V) are really better than the earlier set, and I find it disconcerting to go from those to the three Henry VI plays.

Do you have particular recordings in mind? I wonder if I could talk my husband into some of them for car trips.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Are you really planning on doing that? I hope you report on it.

I wouldn't go in strict chronological order, because you'll end up with several less-than-good plays in a row. Loose chronological order, however, might be interesting because you'll see how his writing improves, how he tries versions of certain characters and themes early on and then does them better later.

For instance, I would conclude with The Tempest, which may not technically be his last but thematically works as a conclusion. And I would begin with one of his better early plays, like The Comedy of Errors or Richard III, rather than slogging through all three Henry VI plays, which might put you off the entire project.

[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!

[texas-tiger.livejournal.com]

I'd say do the histories in historical order and the comedies and tragedies in chronological order. I'd start with the histories and then alternate comedies and tragedies.

Then I'd do the sonnets and the rest of his poetry. *wink*

Well...

[seawasp]

I don't have a specific order. If you prefer to get the good stuff at the end, though, save The Tempest for last.

[montoya.livejournal.com]

Do 'em in internal chronological order, not publication order. The world-building works better that way.

[thormation.livejournal.com]

Do them in alphabetical order.

No, I'm serious. You're unfamiliar with most of them, so most of them will not stick the first time through anyway, due to the antiquity of the language at the very least. Don't try for anything "deep" at this point. Just let them wash over you to get a feel for the shape of the story. Some of these you really aren't going to want to listen to again anyhow. There's a reason that half of the plays are performed a lot and half of them are performed as stunts or by obsessed enthusiasts. Alphabetically will give you a variety of comedies and tragedies, and will put off the dreadful historical plays for the first third, giving you plenty of time to reconsider the whole project.

And now that I think about it, scrap all that. Random selection would be much better. Not so many Henrys in a row for one thing. But save _The Tempest_ for last, just for the closing bits.