The Shakespeare OnGoing Challenge

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Brianna wrote: "((My Progress So Far...))..."

Brianna I think your dong quite well with the list! Congratulations!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Anyone thinking about adding some of these to their reading list for 2022?

[John]

Lesle wrote: "Anyone thinking about adding some of these to their reading list for 2022?"

I hadn't noticed this challenge Lesle, so I'm glad you reminded us of it.
Next year's reading list is already looking very crowded, but I think I'll tackle three of the plays - Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear.

[Chad]

I stumbled across mass market paperbacks of The Merchant of Venice, Richard II and King Lear this summer for a dollar each. I’m going to read them this year.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

John R and Chad, welcome to the challenge. Happy to have you join in!

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I must look at this seriously too. :) So far I've only read 5 comedies and 3 tragedies. I'm very much BOOKED for next year, but I'll try to accomodate a few.

[Joseph]

Macbeth October 9--21, 2021

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Joseph wrote: "Macbeth October 9--21, 2021"

Excellent Joseph!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Chad wrote: "I stumbled across mass market paperbacks of The Merchant of Venice, Richard II and King Lear this summer for a dollar each. I’m going to read them this year."

Sounds like a great find Chad!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

John wrote: "I hadn't noticed this challenge Lesle, so I'm glad you reminded us of it. ..."

Your welcome John!

It is an on-going challenge so it does not have to be finished in a year!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

It is just a reminder and on-going Piyangie!

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I'm glad of it. I have tentatively planned a Shakespeare year for 2023. :) I'll try to accommodate a few towards later the year. I bought the complete works of Shakespeare two years ago, so want to get at it. This year I'm determined to clear up some of the unread books in my library.

[Kathy]

Shakespeare Challenge
✔read

COMEDIES

All's Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
Comedy of Errors
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure
✔Merchant of Venice - finished 3/31/24
Merry Wives of Windsor
✔Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado about Nothing
Taming of the Shrew
✔Tempest
✔Twelfth Night
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Winter's Tale

HISTORIES

Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part II
Henry V
Henry VI, Part I
Henry VI, Part II
Henry VI, Part III
Henry VIII
King John
Pericles
Richard II
Richard III

TRAGEDIES

Antony and Cleopatra
Coriolanus
Cymbeline
✔Hamlet
✔Julius Caesar
✔King Lear
✔Macbeth
✔Othello
✔Romeo and Juliet
Timon of Athens
Titus Andronicus
Troilus and Cressida

Goal for 2022
Othello
The Tempest

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Nice job Kathy!

[Mandy]

Shakespeare Challenge
Progress: 11/52

KOMÖDIEN:
Ende gut, alles gut
Wie es euch gefällt
Die Komödie der Irrungen
Verlorene Liebesmüh
Maß für Maß
Der Kaufmann von Venedig
Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor
Ein Sommernachtstraum
Viel Lärm um nichts
Perikles, Prinz von Tyrus
✔ Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung
✔ Der Sturm
Was ihr wollt
Zwei Herren aus Verona
Die beiden edlen Vettern
Ein Wintermärchen

HISTORIEN:
König Johann
Richard II
Heinrich IV, Part 1
Heinrich IV, Part 2
Heinrich V
Heinrich VI, Part 1
Heinrich VI, Part 2
Heinrich VI, Part 3
Richard III
Heinrich VIII

TRAGÖDIEN:
✔ Romeo und Julia
Coriolanus
Titus Andronicus
Timon von Athen
Julius Cäsar
✔ Macbeth
✔ Hamlet
Troilus und Cressida
✔ König Lear
✔ Othello
Antonius und Cleopatra
Cymbeline

GEDICHTE:
✔ Die Sonette
Lucretia
Der verliebte Pilger
Der Phoenix und die Turteltaube
Der Liebenden Klage

---------------------

HOGARTH SHAKESPEARE PROJEKT

✔ Der weite Raum der Zeit (Ein Wintermärchen) | Jeanette Winterson
Shylock (Der Kaufmann von Venedig) | Howard Jacobson
✔ Die störrische Braut (Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung) | Anne Tyler
✔ Hexensaat (Der Sturm) | Margaret Atwood
Der Neue (Othello) | Tracy Chevalier
Dunbar und seine Töchter (König Lear) | Edward St. Aubyn
Macbeth: Blut wird mit Blut bezahlt (Macbeth) | Jo Nesbø
Hamlet (Hamlet) | Gillian Flynn (bisher unveröffentlicht)

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

A really good start Mandy. Best wishes!

[Liane]

I enjoy watching Shakespeare performed, but struggle
to read it. That said, I am motivated to read some Shakespeare this year - at least another 2-3, I hope. It’s a process - I read two versions simultaneously to make sure I’m getting the story, plus prefaces, notes, etc. and watch performances.

So far, I have only read the following, to my recollection:
- [x] Much Ado about Nothing last decade…or 2?
- [x] Hamlet 1/2022
- [x] Macbeth 9/2021
- [x] Romeo and Juliet 2017

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Kuddos to you Liane. Most would give up on the struggle and not try to use all avenues to understand his works.

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

I haven't read any Shakespeare in forever but I read Twelfth Night tonight and enjoyed it. Hopefully I'll read more this year.
What are everybody's favorite comedies?

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

My favourite comedy is Twelfth Night! By far!

[Cleo]

I'm going to jump in on this one. I've had a challenge going for years so hopefully it will inspire me to pick up the pace!

Cleo's Shakespeare Challenge


COMEDIES

All's Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
✔ Comedy of Errors
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure
Merchant of Venice
Merry Wives of Windsor
✔Midsummer Night's Dream
✔ Much Ado about Nothing
✔ Taming of the Shrew
✔ Tempest
✔Twelfth Night
Two Gentlemen of Verona
✔ The Winter's Tale

HISTORIES

✔ Henry IV, Part I
✔ Henry IV, Part II
✔ Henry V
Henry VI, Part I
Henry VI, Part II
Henry VI, Part III
Henry VIII
King John
Pericles
✔ Richard II
Richard III

TRAGEDIES

Antony and Cleopatra
✔ Coriolanus
Cymbeline
✔ The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
✔ Julius Caesar
✔ King Lear
Macbeth
✔ Othello
✔ Romeo and Juliet
Timon of Athens
Titus Andronicus
Troilus and Cressida

OTHERS

1. ✔ A Lover’s Complaint
2. ✔ The Phoenix and the Turtle
3. Rape of Lucrece
4. Venus and Adonis
5. Sonnets
6. The Passionate Pilgrim Poems

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

You've completed a considerable number, Cleo. Good luck with the rest of the challenge!

[Cleo]

Now you're all making want to re-read Twelfth Night! It wasn't my favourite when I read it but I must confess I prefer his tragedies and histories more.

[Cleo]

Thanks, Piyangie! I think next up will be The Merchant of Venice.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

You have a wonderful amount read Cleo!

Good luck and I hope you consider a re-read of the Twelfth Night, at some point, it might strick you differently the second time around.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

This is sort of out of the subject question. But have any of you read Shakespeare's plays in prose format as opposed to play dialogue format?

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

I didn't know there was such a thing. I do have Hamlet in the original Klingon.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I've finally read another Shakespeare play new to me, one of his earliest works, The Two Gentlemen of Verona. One of the gentlemen wasn't much of a gentleman!

[Luís]

Books read by William Shakespeare:

- Hamlet
- Macbeth - read in Portuguese and in English
- Otelo
- Romeu e Julieta
- O Mercador de Veneza
- Twelfth Night
- O Rei Henrique V
- Cimbelino: Rei da Britânia
- Sonho de uma Noite de Verão
- Medida por Medida
- O Rei Lear
- A Tormenta

To read:

- Othello - to read in English
- Comédia de Equívocos
- Titus Andronicus
- Muito Barulho por Nada
- Tróilo e Cressida
- Ricardo II
- Como Vos Aprouver
- Ricardo III
- The "A.L." Bright Story Readers - Grade VI - Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare
- Os Sonetos
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- O Conto de Inverno
- Coriolano

[Melanie]

These are the plays I've read so far with my reading group:

The Tempest
King Lear
Much Ado About Nothing
Twelfth Night
Richard III
The Winter's Tale

I think I enjoyed Twelfth Night the most, and then Much Ado About Nothing. I preferred the comedies over the tragedies. I didn't really enjoy The Winter's Tale, since it started out as a tragedy and ended as a comedy. I'm looking forward to reading the histories.

[Luís]

My second reading of Othello:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Five Stars.

[Melanie]

Luis, that’s great! I’ll be starting it soon with my Shakespeare reading group.

[Luís]

Melanie wrote: "Luis, that’s great! I’ll be starting it soon with my Shakespeare reading group."

Yay. I'm waiting for your review.

[Melanie]

Luis, you'll be waiting for a while for my review because my group will read and discuss one act per month.

[Luís]

Melanie wrote: "Luis, you'll be waiting for a while for my review because my group will read and discuss one act per month."

Ok.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I'm thinking of taking this challenge on 2025. I'm not too sure about his historic plays. But first will tackle the comedies and tragedies.

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

I'm thinking about getting serious about this next year too and maybe squeeze in a couple this year.
I've read 18/37 so far, mostly the tragedies.
I'd like to watch them all too. Hopefully there are performances of them all on youtube.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Book Nerd
I had not thought about Youtubing them!! Great idea

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

Lesle wrote: "Book Nerd
I had not thought about Youtubing them!! Great idea"
I've watched a couple. One with Patrick Stewart. But they're usually about three hours so it's hard to find the time to watch them straight through.

I also found a video of She Stoops to Conquer that I want to watch next.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Book Nerd wrote: "One with Patrick Stewart. But they're usually about three hours so it's hard to find the time to..."

Soundsd interesting too!
Thanks

[Nancy]

The Taming of the Shrew

by William Shakespeare

Pg 60-87
Spent the first few hours....just sorting out the The induction that takes place before the first act of the play + Act 1 scene 1,2. Who's who?
Seems everybody is trying to fool the other body...changing clothes and identies. Start: "confusing" typical for a Shakespeare Comedy!

[Nancy]

Taming of the Shrew in the media:

Shakespeare in the media: I watched Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton film version from 1967. Unforunately it felt like a Cliff’s Notes version of the play. I love Burton’s thundering voice but rather in a serious classic like Hamlet. This film was a cringe-inducing experience!

I watched the Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo perform The Taming of the Shrew (2017). Act 1-2-3 was 45 min. Act 4-5- 30 min: Decor was minimalist with shades of blue. Bianca is dressed in white, Kate dark green. Kate is a very passive-agressive dancer. At times she is clenching her fists then looking secretly and lovingly at Petruchio. Petruhio enters in a coat of feathers and with lots of jumping and chest thumping! Both weddings (Kate and Bianca) were very nicely done! The story was easy to follow but you have to know what TShrew is about before watching the ballet. Boy, dancing is hard work!

Another film that will get you in the mood to read Shakespeare is The Dresser (1983, AppleTV) with Albert Finney and Tom Courtaney. Personal assistant Norman struggles to get deteriorating veteran actor through a difficult performance of King Lear. It’s not a “big” movie, and doesn’t try to make a big splash, but my goodness, the brilliance of the two leads leaves me just about speechless. Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay are nothing less than amazing in this movie

[Nancy]

Reading Romeo & Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Act 2 finished:

Friar Laurence warns Romeo that passion is the source of desire and violence. " These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triuimph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume." (Act 2,6, line 9-10-11)

[Nancy]

Finished : Romeo and Juliet

FINISHED: Audible book - with Albert Finney and Claire Bloom (2 hr 18 min) dd. 2011. Recording was word for word Shakespeare’s text. The dialogue is spoken very quickly so you have to listen and read the play carefully.

FINISHED: National Theatre Romeo and Juliet starting Josh’ O’ Connor and Jessie Buckley. The production was filmed in 17 days during global pandemic 2021. Film version contains a very abridged text...having skipped many, many eleoquent speeches and scenes
…like the preparations for the wedding and a comic relief scene about the musicians hired for the wedding.
Ms Burns skipped one of my favorite speeches “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks…“. Friar Laurence was robbed of may of his lines! Surprise Mecrutio and Benvolio at one point kiss!
This was definitely not in the play!

FINISHED: Ballet by Australian Ballet Company, dd. December 2011 December at the Sydney Opera House. Choreographer: Graeme Murphy

Act 1: = 1 hr Fights between Capulets and Montegues Impressive costumes… but opening scene looked like set from Dungeons and Dragons.….and can those swords get any bigger?
The Balcony scene (10 minute scene). No words so it is a challenge to express in dance how it feels to be “truly, madly, deeply” in love. Many lifts between Romeo and Juliet were similar dance movements that you might see in pairs figure skating. I was very impressed by Friar Laurence. His costume had a whiff of Kyoto (kimo-ish for men) and probably a signature item…from Australian/Japenese costume designer Akira Isogawa.

Act 2: = 57 min
Play shifts scene to town center with a touch of Bomby India! Juliet is wearing a sari! Not a fan of this interpertation.
Fight scenes are too long and over-the-top.
Wedding night of the star-crossed lovers failed to impress.
Tomb: Oh, my…the tomb is made out of a collction of skulls, very lugubrious! Death scene….is quick. Russian composer Prokofiev was right, dead people cannot dance.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Wow, Nancy-the second and third versions sound bizarre, especially the ballet.

[Nancy]

Rosemarie wrote: "Wow, Nancy-the second and third versions sound bizarre, especially the ballet."

2nd version - filming of National Theatre London production was a disappointment, very low budget.
3rd version - ballet in Australia was stunning! Graeme Murphy's choreography was excellent, imaginative and clever use of the costumes (wedding dress with long train) in the dance moves! As I said many "lifts" are similar to figure skating, GM worked with the British couple Torvill and Dean.

[Nancy]

Reading: Julius Caesar - Shakespeare
Watching: Julius Caesar (1953) starring Marlon Brando Dvd was $$..but worth every penny to see this great actor again.
I'm collecting The Pelican Shakespeare paperbacks...the bookcovers are amazing!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Nancy I love when they reissue a series and the covers are outstanding and a real draw to the books.

[Nancy]

FINISHED:

by William Shakespeare


Good News:
Magnificent play..it took me 3 days to research it and read it deeply, and slowly!
Timeline: 15 Febr 44 BC - 23 Oct 42 BC
Body count: 8 ( ...plus in letter we hear 100 senators were killed after assassination)
Tragic hero: Brutus
Tragic flaw: believe everyone has his idealism and his stubborn refusal to gauge reality (..."read the room.")


Good News:
Best part: Antony's funeral speech for Caesar.
Verbal irony: Antony transforms the word "honorable" to mean exact opposite (funeral speech)
Dramatic irony: Reader knows what will happen when Julius Caesar arrives at the Senate...JC does not.
Situational irony: Conspirators expect peace after JC's assassination but war breaks out.
Irony: Antony says (Act 3, 2 line 211) "I'm am no orator as Brutus is." Antony is a skillful orator and is determined to incite the mob againt the consipratiors during Caesar's Funeral speech.

Personal:
I realize just by reading this Shakespeare play in 2020...how much I missed! This play is one of WS best. Take the time...to look up notes (Sparknotes can help). I was amazed by the allusions, all the animals mentioned, the pathos, the understatement and many famous quote that we use in our lives "It is Greek to me!" (don't understand) or "Mischief, thou art afoot." (something is in progress....).
I even memorized the first 12 lines of Caesar's funeral speech. I had to do it in high-school...so I tried again!

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

This has always been one of my favourite tragedies, Nancy.
Great review!