Last July, I read Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and tossed out the comment that now I had to read all of Shakespeare’s plays, which would be a good goal for 2025.
The thought stayed with me and then in November I found this at Value Village:
A sign, obviously.
So, on January 1, I duly began and have read some Shakespeare almost every day since. I am doing this purely for pleasure and will not try to say anything intelligent or insightful or scholarly about any of it. Just vibes, as everyone seems to say now.
Here’s what I’ve read to date:
1. The First Part of King Henry the Sixth
I truly enjoyed this and didn’t find it boring at all, as I had feared. Favourite quotation:
O, were mine eyeballs into bullets turn’d,
That I, in rage, might shoot them at your faces!
-Sir William Lucy, Act IV, scene vii
2. The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth
Another good one. Favourite quotation:
Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I’ld set my ten commandments in your face.
-Duchess of Gloucester, Act I, scene iii
3. The Third Part of King Henry the Sixth
Fast-paced and full of horrible schemers, like the first two parts. There are several to choose from, but I think my favourite quotation from this one is:
Thou hast spoke too much already; get thee gone.
-Queen Margaret (to King Henry, hilariously), Act I, scene i
4. King Richard the Third
As much as I enjoyed all the backstabbing melodrama of the first three plays, I found it a bit much in this one. “Too nasty” is all I’ve written in my notebook about it.
5. Titus Andronicus
Roman general Titus Andronicus returns from a long war fighting the Goths and kicks off a seemingly endless series of unspeakably violent acts ruining the lives of everyone in sight.
Blech. Did not enjoy at all. “Grim and depressing,” I wrote at the time.
6. The Comedy of Errors
Twins, separated at birth, end up in the same city, where continual mistaken identities convince everyone they are mad.
It was silly, of course, but I liked it.
7. The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Two friends compete for the love of the same woman, even though one of them already has a fiancée. Creep.
Annoying, unlikeable characters. Not a favourite.
8. Love’s Labour’s Lost
Four young men fall in love with four young women and much flirty wordplay ensues.
Tiresome and tedious. The romance-y ones are definitely not my thing.
9. Romeo and Juliet
Two teenagers with bad judgement and no impulse control make unfortunate life choices. Actually, everyone in this is pretty terrible, come to think of it.
Fun when you can appreciate the ridiculousness of it all.