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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
This edition has really great footnotes and explanations that make the text come alive. It doesn't shy away from the real meanings and double entendres behind Shakespeare's text, and gives a lot of attention to wordplay. Every time I read a play from this edition, I feel like I've gained so much more appreciation for the language than previous attempts with other editions that tried to present it as a "great [and stuffy] work".
I only read Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Midsummer’s Dream.
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
2023 Shakespeare Complete works challenge
#29.5 & 37.5 - A Lover’s Complaint, The Passionate Pilgrim, and The Phoenix and the Turtle.
Read - 9/30/23 - 10/1/23
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—————————————————-
I enjoyed Shakespeare’s narrative poems much more than I expected. Not to be missed if one is reading Shakespeare!
Next play will be [b:Troilus and Cressida|187518|Troilus and Cressida|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331563609l/187518._SY75_.jpg|370310]
#29.5 & 37.5 - A Lover’s Complaint, The Passionate Pilgrim, and The Phoenix and the Turtle.
Read - 9/30/23 - 10/1/23
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—————————————————-
I enjoyed Shakespeare’s narrative poems much more than I expected. Not to be missed if one is reading Shakespeare!
Next play will be [b:Troilus and Cressida|187518|Troilus and Cressida|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331563609l/187518._SY75_.jpg|370310]
I challenged myself at the beginning of this year to read [b:The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|764563|The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371515067l/764563._SY75_.jpg|3000541]
[bc:The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|764563|The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371515067l/764563._SY75_.jpg|3000541]
I have reviewed each play individually and have shelved them here on GR so won’t comment here about any specific play.
I wasn’t sure when I started this that I would be able to persevere and finish. This was indeed a challenge - it took quite a bit of time and dedication to get through all this material in one year. I’m thankful I made the effort.
As a lifelong reader, to me, this is kind of the Mount Everest of reading. It can be difficult to follow the dialogue and plot in many parts. Fortunately, there are numerous resources out there about [a:William Shakespeare|947|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1654446514p2/947.jpg]’s works. From Cliffsnotes, Sparknotes, Folgers Shakespeare, and Wikipedia to The Shakespeare Network on YouTube, I admittedly leaned very heavily on about every summary and synopsis that I could. I have to give a special shout out to The Shakespeare Network on YouTube. Excellent audio productions of everything Shakespeare - it was invaluable.
Collectively, Shakespeare’s works are epic. Comedies, dramas, historical plays, beautifully crafted poems and sonnets. It’s been a very worthwhile reading challenge.
I read [b:The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|764563|The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371515067l/764563._SY75_.jpg|3000541] in this order(credit Benjamin McEvoy for the list - which does well in starting big and allows the reader to get used to Shakespeare which helps on some of the more obscure plays).
☑️ 1. Hamlet - 1/1/23 — 5 Stars
☑️ 2. King Lear - 1/7/23 — 3 Stars
☑️ 3. Much Ado About Nothing 1/14/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 4. Romeo and Juliet - 1/20/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 5. Othello - 1/30/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 6. The Tempest - 2/22/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 7. Macbeth - 2/25/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 8. Richard II - 2/26/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 9. A Midsummer Night's Dream -3/1/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 9.5 - Poem Break - Venus and Adonis - 3/12/13 - 4 stars
☑️ 10. Julius Caesar - 3/16/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 11. King Henry IV, Part 1 - 4/6/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 12. King Henry IV, Part 2 - 4/27/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 13. As You Like It - 5/6/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 14. The Merchant of Venice - 5/10/23 - 4.5 stars
☑️ 15. King Henry V - 5/12/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 16. Twelth Night - 5/20/23 - 2 stars
☑️ 17. King Henry VI, Part 1 - 5/21/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 18. All's Well That Ends Well - 5/28/23 - 2.5 stars
☑️ 18.5 Poem Break - The Rape of Lucrece - 5/28/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 19. King Henry VI, Part 2 - 6/7/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 20. The Winter's Tale - 6/12/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 21. Love's Labour's Lost - 7/3/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 22. King Henry VI, Part 3 - 8/25/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 23. Measure for Measure - 8/27/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 24. King Richard the Third - 9/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 25. The Taming of the Shrew - 9/10/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 26. Coriolanus - 9/13/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 27. Titus Andronicus - 9/20/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 28. Timon of Athens - 9/23/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 29. King John - 9/30/23 - 2.5 stars
☑️ 29.5 Poem Break - A Lover's Complaint - 10/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 30. Troilus and Cressida - 10/3/23 - 1 star
☑️ 31. The Comedy of Errors - 10/5/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 32. Cymbeline - 10/8/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 33. The Merry Wives of Windsor - 10/21/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 34. King Henry VIII - 10/22/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 35. The Two Gentlemen of Verona - 10/25/23 - 2 stars
☑️ 36. Pericles - 10/26/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 37. Antony and Cleopatra - 10/27/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 37.5 - Poem Break - The Passionate Pilgrim and The Phoenix and the Turtle - 10/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 38. Shakespeare's Sonnets - 9/6/23 - 2.5 stars
Perhaps I’ll try this challenge again someday. I’ll at least revisit many of these plays. This was great.
I have reviewed each play individually and have shelved them here on GR so won’t comment here about any specific play.
I wasn’t sure when I started this that I would be able to persevere and finish. This was indeed a challenge - it took quite a bit of time and dedication to get through all this material in one year. I’m thankful I made the effort.
As a lifelong reader, to me, this is kind of the Mount Everest of reading. It can be difficult to follow the dialogue and plot in many parts. Fortunately, there are numerous resources out there about [a:William Shakespeare|947|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1654446514p2/947.jpg]’s works. From Cliffsnotes, Sparknotes, Folgers Shakespeare, and Wikipedia to The Shakespeare Network on YouTube, I admittedly leaned very heavily on about every summary and synopsis that I could. I have to give a special shout out to The Shakespeare Network on YouTube. Excellent audio productions of everything Shakespeare - it was invaluable.
Collectively, Shakespeare’s works are epic. Comedies, dramas, historical plays, beautifully crafted poems and sonnets. It’s been a very worthwhile reading challenge.
I read [b:The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|764563|The Complete Works of William Shakespeare|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371515067l/764563._SY75_.jpg|3000541] in this order(credit Benjamin McEvoy for the list - which does well in starting big and allows the reader to get used to Shakespeare which helps on some of the more obscure plays).
☑️ 1. Hamlet - 1/1/23 — 5 Stars
☑️ 2. King Lear - 1/7/23 — 3 Stars
☑️ 3. Much Ado About Nothing 1/14/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 4. Romeo and Juliet - 1/20/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 5. Othello - 1/30/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 6. The Tempest - 2/22/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 7. Macbeth - 2/25/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 8. Richard II - 2/26/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 9. A Midsummer Night's Dream -3/1/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 9.5 - Poem Break - Venus and Adonis - 3/12/13 - 4 stars
☑️ 10. Julius Caesar - 3/16/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 11. King Henry IV, Part 1 - 4/6/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 12. King Henry IV, Part 2 - 4/27/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 13. As You Like It - 5/6/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 14. The Merchant of Venice - 5/10/23 - 4.5 stars
☑️ 15. King Henry V - 5/12/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 16. Twelth Night - 5/20/23 - 2 stars
☑️ 17. King Henry VI, Part 1 - 5/21/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 18. All's Well That Ends Well - 5/28/23 - 2.5 stars
☑️ 18.5 Poem Break - The Rape of Lucrece - 5/28/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 19. King Henry VI, Part 2 - 6/7/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 20. The Winter's Tale - 6/12/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 21. Love's Labour's Lost - 7/3/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 22. King Henry VI, Part 3 - 8/25/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 23. Measure for Measure - 8/27/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 24. King Richard the Third - 9/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 25. The Taming of the Shrew - 9/10/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 26. Coriolanus - 9/13/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 27. Titus Andronicus - 9/20/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 28. Timon of Athens - 9/23/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 29. King John - 9/30/23 - 2.5 stars
☑️ 29.5 Poem Break - A Lover's Complaint - 10/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 30. Troilus and Cressida - 10/3/23 - 1 star
☑️ 31. The Comedy of Errors - 10/5/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 32. Cymbeline - 10/8/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 33. The Merry Wives of Windsor - 10/21/23 - 3.5 stars
☑️ 34. King Henry VIII - 10/22/23 - 3 stars
☑️ 35. The Two Gentlemen of Verona - 10/25/23 - 2 stars
☑️ 36. Pericles - 10/26/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 37. Antony and Cleopatra - 10/27/23 - 4 stars
☑️ 37.5 - Poem Break - The Passionate Pilgrim and The Phoenix and the Turtle - 10/1/23 - 5 stars
☑️ 38. Shakespeare's Sonnets - 9/6/23 - 2.5 stars
Perhaps I’ll try this challenge again someday. I’ll at least revisit many of these plays. This was great.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
slow-paced
My reading Shakespeare journey is complete!
I started with the plays back in 2010, and then again in 2015. It took me until the end of 2018 to finish all of the plays, and it was quite an amazing journey. I found that I am a sucker for the tragedies but don't often love the comedies. Histories were hit and miss, I loved Henry the Fourth Parts I & II, Henry V and Richard III. In fact, Richard III is in the running for my all time favourite, up there with Macbeth and King Lear. I have a side project to watch adaptations of all the plays, which is taking longer than I thought (some aren't done very often), but it's been a fun experience as well.
After I finished the plays, I took a break from reading Shakespeare. Than in 2019 I thought it was time to finish off the complete works! So I tucked into reading the sonnets and the poems, and the last thing to read was The Phoenix and Turtle (just 1 page!) on April 23rd - Shakespeare's Birthday! It felt like a fitting time to complete the journey.
I started with the plays back in 2010, and then again in 2015. It took me until the end of 2018 to finish all of the plays, and it was quite an amazing journey. I found that I am a sucker for the tragedies but don't often love the comedies. Histories were hit and miss, I loved Henry the Fourth Parts I & II, Henry V and Richard III. In fact, Richard III is in the running for my all time favourite, up there with Macbeth and King Lear. I have a side project to watch adaptations of all the plays, which is taking longer than I thought (some aren't done very often), but it's been a fun experience as well.
After I finished the plays, I took a break from reading Shakespeare. Than in 2019 I thought it was time to finish off the complete works! So I tucked into reading the sonnets and the poems, and the last thing to read was The Phoenix and Turtle (just 1 page!) on April 23rd - Shakespeare's Birthday! It felt like a fitting time to complete the journey.
Finished!!
This took me 4 years. I feel like I should get a plaque or be allowed to put this on my resume or something.
--Favorite plays:
Henry V, Macbeth, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
--Favorite lines:
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. —Hamlet
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time. —Macbeth
Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the deaths of kings. —Richard II
Sit by my side and let the world slip: we shall ne’er be younger. —The Taming of the Shrew
Everyone can master a grief but he that has it. —Much Ado About Nothing
--Favorite sonnet:
#116
This took me 4 years. I feel like I should get a plaque or be allowed to put this on my resume or something.
--Favorite plays:
Henry V, Macbeth, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
--Favorite lines:
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. —Hamlet
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time. —Macbeth
Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the deaths of kings. —Richard II
Sit by my side and let the world slip: we shall ne’er be younger. —The Taming of the Shrew
Everyone can master a grief but he that has it. —Much Ado About Nothing
--Favorite sonnet:
#116