What are the essential Shakespeare plays and which plays can I safely skip?

What are the essential Shakespeare plays and which plays can I safely skip?

Essential, Titus and Coriolanus, Hamlet, Macbeth (fuck the comedies)

SKIP THESE: Timeon of Athens. Two Gentlemen.

is Julius any good?

how's King Lear?

never heard of it

Yeah but Julius Caesar himself is a bit of a disappointment.

Overrated and overly long.

I haven't seen Othello mentioned. Loved that one, but I don't know if it's 'essential' for everybody.

It's pretty great. Some parts seem a bit too long, but it has some masterful use of language.

>Titus
user...

Everything by Shakespeare is essential

It depends on what exactly you mean by "essential." Do you want to understand as much allusion to his works while reading as little as possible? In that case, probably something along the lines of Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello would get you a good way there (although would still leave gaping holes). Romeo and Juliet probably belongs on that list as well, but if you grew up in the English speaking world you probably don't actually have to read it if you're just trying to understand allusion.

If you're asking which ones are just worth reading in general: pretty much all of them.

>Titus
Memes aside, Titus is not extremely terrible but it's one of the weaker plays and definitely not an essential.

>essential
If by essential, you mean the absolute minimum you need to say that you've read Shakespeare, go for the well-known tragedies (R&J, Macbeth, Hamlet, Julius Caesar).

But otherwise, you can't go wrong with reading more Shakespeare, you'll find something enjoyable in all the plays, even Titus.

Titus was considered as Shakespeares greatest play during his lifetime.

Not to mention, Romeo and Juliet is just the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe (which is also referenced as the play the mechanicals set up).

Yes, but I'd say that Titus isn't exactly the peak of Shakespeare either. I just don't think that anyone reading Shakespeare for the first time should start with Titus. Even among the scholars who defend Titus, there is still general agreement that it's not in the league of Hamlet and Macbeth. Still, I'd say that Titus is a good supplement once you've read the big tragedies.

Dumb question but from what I remember from reading Romeo and Juliet in Grade 9, is that there are a lot of contemporary allusions in his writing and these often need to be explained. I have a large collection of his work I bought from Value Village but there aren't any notes in them. Should I go for SparkNotes or nah?

Why does everyone forget Antony and Cleopatra?

Hamlet, Otelo, The king Lear, Macbeth, Antonio and Cleopatra, Henry IV 1 & 2, As you like it and Twelft night.

Should I be orating the dialogue?

there's some really good poetry even in the weaker plays so there isn't anything you can "safely" skip, imo

yes


its ok.

yes
YES

Please read it.

his best.

Sad!

>skipping Timon of Athens

Absolutely plebeian.

Its awful, about 1 hr of feast scenes and very unsatisfying.

A
SCOTTISH
PLAY

Skip: Timon, Verona, Titus, Merry Wives.
Essential: Everything else, though obviously some are more essential than others.

what up nael

Thisbut add Tempest.

Is this the new Crash or enemy?