This entry was posted on 2009/12/16 at 9:37 am and is filed under Polls. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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I’m glad you’re doing this and not me. But I’ll happily follow along and pile on encouragement.
I love the Bard (he looks so young in that picture). It will be fun to read along and comment from time to time.
I’ll be posting a “syllabus” shortly. While I agree that reading them chronologically makes the most sense, there are some other options worth considering.
I’d love to hear your reasons why you’d like me to do this chronologically.
I’m going to post the way I’m leaning right now, and check for feedback in the coming days.
The reading officially begins January 1. I’m drafting a “syllabus” and working out a rough schedule as I type. Stay tuned for details, and thanks for stopping by!
Chronological reading would be ok…but three Henry’s in a row? Would you want to do that? Old Will wrote them three in a row; so what other goal do you have for this year of reading? Are you looking also to better understand the man himself? The chronological route would certainly be interesting as far as being in Will’s head.
What was he thinking when he wrote Titus? MacBeth?
Linda
Wow, this is great! Exactly the type of discussion I was looking for. And I haven’t even backed the shiny, new car out of the garage yet.
Actually, I’m shying away from the chronological approach for this trip, and in the following days leading up to January 1 (launch date) I’ll explain my reasons.
I’m not overly fond of the arbitrary divisions into history/comedy/tragedy that other people (it’s always other people) imposed upon the folios. I seriously doubt Shakespeare enjoys being treated this crudely.
The chronological approach has its merits, especially for anybody wishing to study the process of development he experienced. But, um, c’mon — who are we kidding? Like any mere mortal will just replicate that? He was a genius from the get-go. As was Mozart. I’m not sure studying Mozart in chronological order will help my piano playing much, either.
What I’ve never seen done, however, is a seasonal approach. Well, not exactly seasonal because he didn’t work for Hallmark. My plan is to break the canon down into questions I can ask on a monthly basis. For example, comparing Othello to King John and, yet, Titus Andronicus. What makes the one spectacular, and the others not so much?
I want to read A Winter’s Tale in January, The Merry Wives of Windsor in June, A Midsummer Night’s Dream in July, Macbeth in October… and finish up with All’s Well That End’s Well. You get the drift.
While it won’t be linear and perfect, I’m hoping that I can break the mountain down to a manageable level by asking pertinent, interesting questions as we move along. I’m also not stupid. The biggies like Hamlet et al will be parsed out. Luckily, Shakespeare had a bunch of really BIG hits everyone loves, so it’s not like I’m Def Leppard saving Pour Some Sugar on Me for the Encore. It’s more like U2 trying to weed out so many great songs from the setlist.
There is Pericles, though. And that damned Henry series that, truth be told, I’ll need either sedatives or amphetamines to get through. I’m not sure which.
A Year of Shakespeare 
2009/12/16 at 10:41 pm
I’m glad you’re doing this and not me. But I’ll happily follow along and pile on encouragement.
I love the Bard (he looks so young in that picture). It will be fun to read along and comment from time to time.
2009/12/17 at 7:49 pm
I’ll take all the support I can get. I’m planning to keep the blog fun, but the reading I’m very serious about.
You’re welcome to stop in and post your thoughts anytime!
2009/12/17 at 3:49 pm
Go in the order he wrote them
2009/12/17 at 7:47 pm
I’ll be posting a “syllabus” shortly. While I agree that reading them chronologically makes the most sense, there are some other options worth considering.
I’d love to hear your reasons why you’d like me to do this chronologically.
I’m going to post the way I’m leaning right now, and check for feedback in the coming days.
Thanks for stopping by!
2009/12/17 at 9:49 pm
When does all this reading start to happen?
2009/12/17 at 9:53 pm
The reading officially begins January 1. I’m drafting a “syllabus” and working out a rough schedule as I type. Stay tuned for details, and thanks for stopping by!
2009/12/17 at 10:33 pm
I’m floored by how much this actually looks like a real website.
2009/12/18 at 9:28 am
What, you expected a lame hackjob? Nah, I know what you mean. I’m kinda surprised myself. Actually, I’m a lot surprised. In a really, really good way!
I’m hoping that will inspire me to survive the slog ahead… Not that Shakespeare’s a slog. My modern mind needs to whip itself into shape… and quick!
2009/12/18 at 3:06 am
Chronological reading would be ok…but three Henry’s in a row? Would you want to do that? Old Will wrote them three in a row; so what other goal do you have for this year of reading? Are you looking also to better understand the man himself? The chronological route would certainly be interesting as far as being in Will’s head.
What was he thinking when he wrote Titus? MacBeth?
Linda
2009/12/18 at 9:39 am
Wow, this is great! Exactly the type of discussion I was looking for. And I haven’t even backed the shiny, new car out of the garage yet.
Actually, I’m shying away from the chronological approach for this trip, and in the following days leading up to January 1 (launch date) I’ll explain my reasons.
I’m not overly fond of the arbitrary divisions into history/comedy/tragedy that other people (it’s always other people) imposed upon the folios. I seriously doubt Shakespeare enjoys being treated this crudely.
The chronological approach has its merits, especially for anybody wishing to study the process of development he experienced. But, um, c’mon — who are we kidding? Like any mere mortal will just replicate that? He was a genius from the get-go. As was Mozart. I’m not sure studying Mozart in chronological order will help my piano playing much, either.
What I’ve never seen done, however, is a seasonal approach. Well, not exactly seasonal because he didn’t work for Hallmark. My plan is to break the canon down into questions I can ask on a monthly basis. For example, comparing Othello to King John and, yet, Titus Andronicus. What makes the one spectacular, and the others not so much?
I want to read A Winter’s Tale in January, The Merry Wives of Windsor in June, A Midsummer Night’s Dream in July, Macbeth in October… and finish up with All’s Well That End’s Well. You get the drift.
While it won’t be linear and perfect, I’m hoping that I can break the mountain down to a manageable level by asking pertinent, interesting questions as we move along. I’m also not stupid. The biggies like Hamlet et al will be parsed out. Luckily, Shakespeare had a bunch of really BIG hits everyone loves, so it’s not like I’m Def Leppard saving Pour Some Sugar on Me for the Encore. It’s more like U2 trying to weed out so many great songs from the setlist.
There is Pericles, though. And that damned Henry series that, truth be told, I’ll need either sedatives or amphetamines to get through. I’m not sure which.
Thanks for writing!
– Bryan
2009/12/24 at 9:33 pm
So if Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet end in a tie does that mean you read them at the same time?
2009/12/24 at 10:10 pm
No – that just means I get to choose with a clear conscious. 😉
Being an administrator has its privileges!