Hi about 10 years ago I signalled my intention to watch all the Shakespeare Plays However this project stalled. Recently however a friend of mine asked me to list my favourite Shakespeare plays and give a recommended order of what ones to watch. Whilst I am no expert I have loved Shakespeare since my student days over 40 years ago when I was enthralled by the BBC Shakespeare Series especially Derek Jacobi playing Hamlet. It was the first time I had really understood a Shakespeare play. Anyway as a bit of a distraction I will attempt to resume my project but narrow the focus down to concentrate on the more well known ones following the list below then maybe fill the rest later. Anyway as a start here is the list
Comedies
A MidSummer Nights Dream
Twelfth Night. We did this at school and I played Sir Toby Belch, the drama teacher obviously thought it would bring me out of myself as I was one of the school swots.
There are of course plenty more such as As you like it or Loves Labours lost, but these are representative and whilst the Comedies are entertaining, they aren't really what Shakespeare is about.
Dark Comedies (Problem plays)
The Merchant of Venice. This is a truly problematic play one wonders why it was classed as a comedy it raises all sorts of issues to do with the Anti-Semitism of the time. In mitigation Shylock has the best speech where enraged by the taunts of two Viennese citizens he utters the immortal lines 'If you prick us do we not bleed...'; Which can be seen as Shakespeare endorsing the common humanity of all people. On the other hand Shylock is definitely a caricature of the Jews as they were perceived in late Elizabethan England. I will explore the issues raised in a later post.
Measure for Measure
Another problematic play, in the light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, it shows up the abuse of those in postions of power have those in power with regard to those in more vulnerable positions especially women. Probably my favourite of the problem plays.
The so called Histories
Shakespeare obvously knew what side his bread was buttered on and wrote these plays essentially to justify the Tudor line. Thus Richard III is made to be a villain rightly deposed by the Duke of Richmond, who later became Henry VII and who wasn't exactly free from Tyranny himself. However the plays whilst having dubious claims to historical accuracy make good drama. I have just invested in the Hollow Crown and look forward to watching it. Despite their obviously sympathetic view of the Tudors it is interesting that Richard II was staged just before the Essex rebellion against Queen Elizabeth in her later years.
Shakespeare wrote his histories in two installments the first set written in his early career as a playwright involved the three parts of \Henry VI followed by his greatest history Richard III, then a few years later he wrote the series starting with Richard II then the two parts of Henry IV and culminating in Henry V. These plays are far more mature than the parts of Henry VI and also introduce a bunch of rogues Bardolph, Pistol and Shakespeare's greatest comedy character John Falstaff, These characters are seen as drinking companions of the young Prince Hal and often make Falstaff the butt of their jokes. Having said that for all Falstaff's buffonery he probably has the most pragmatic attitude to war and the dubiousness of military glory enshrined in his speech which includes the lines
"Who hath honor then, Why he who died on Wednesday, doth he feel it No, doth he hear it No 'Tis insensible then. Yea to the Dead ... I'll have none of it"
Needless to say despite those sentiments, it doesn't prevent Falstaff from falsely claiming that he killed Hotspur to get a bit of glory for himself.
Of course when Prince Hal becomes King Henry V he has to disown himself from Falstaff and his companions which he does most brutally. Henry V relates how he won the battle of Agincourt and defeated the French, It borders on bombastic Nationalism but is mitigated by scenes before the battle of Agincourt where soldiers debate the fact that whilst they know nothing of the rights or wrongs as to why they are fighting, they will bear no responsibility but the responsibility lies with the Monarch who has led them into battle.
As a break between the end of Henry IV part II and Henry Vth, the Merry Wives of Windsor provides comic relief where Falstaff short of money (as always) attempts to persuade two rich women Mistress Page and Mistress Ford to marry him even though they are already married, Needless to say his attempts fail badly. In itself this play isn't that significant but as light relief to the history plays it is worth watching now and again
Jumping ahead chronologically to Richard III then, Shakespeare portrays him as a villain. but attributes this to his jealousy compared to his other brothers that he is not attractive to women due to his physical deformities. In one of the most brilliant opening speeches, Richard III decries the fact that whilst he is not made for 'sportive tricks' his brother Edward IV, currently King, capers nimbly in his mistresses chamber. Thus long before Freud, Shakespeare has identified a psychological motive for a persons evilness. Of course historically it's all tosh. The recent finding of the body of Richard III in Leicester has established that he had no real deformity, but of course the Tudors needed someone to justify their somewhat dubious ascension, to the throne. Despite the lack of historical accuracy, no one can deny the powerfulness of the play as drama, just take it with a pinch of salt.
So in my humble opinion I would suggest that those wanting to familiarise themselves with the Shakespeare historical plays should start with Richard II then work systematically through the plays culminating in Henry V. Then jump to Richard III. The parts of Henry VI can come later to fill in background to the character of Richard III, It is interesting to note that the Hollow crown has reduced the three parts of Henry VI to two so I suspect that there will be many cuts I will let you know
The Roman Plays
Julius Ceasar and Cleopatra, Whilst these plays are interesting they aren't exactly mainstream but still worth watching or reading. I will give more details as to what I think in future posts
The Tragedies
Now we come to the core of Shakespeare, In comedy despite a temporary disruption everything returns to so called normal reinforcing the status quo however unjust. Thus Midsummer nights dream poses no real challenge to the patriarchal view that daughters should marry men whom the father chooses. The Merchant of Venice ends with a conversion of Shylock to Christianity and no challenge to the Anti-Semitism of Venice at the time and so forth.
Tragedy blows this consensus apart, there is no normality to return to as practically everyone is killed at the end. Thus if the Arts are to be more than entertainment, tragedy has the potential to make people question the status quo. Hence in my opinion tragedy, speaks more powerfully to us, than comedy ever will. Shakespeare's tragedies provide a powerful critique of society as it was without the sycophancy of the history plays or the facile resolutions in many of the comedies. In recommended order I would single the following
Romeo and Juliet - Shakespeare's first big hit, but fairly youthful it has inspired many composers such as Berlioz and the theme formed the basis for Leonard Bernstein's West side story
Macbeth Written in 1606 just after the gunpowder plot and the ascension of James VI of Scotland at first sight it might seem surprising that Shakespeare managed to escape censure for this until one realises that James claimed to be descended from Banquo and not Macbeth. So another sycophantic play.
Othello We have seen Shakespeare as Anti-Semitic now he is racist. Having said that Shakespeare shows how jealousy arises from a persons basic insecurity and the tragic consequences that follow In Iago we have along with Richard III Shakespeare's greatest villain. There is a good production from the RSC with Iain McKellan as Iago
Hamlet. It is a cliche but this is probably Shakespeare's greatest play the psychological depth of the characters prefigures Freud by almost 300 years. My favourite version is that by Kenneth Branagh with a close second being the BBC production that got me into Shakespeare in the first place with Derek Jacobi. The advantage of the Brannagh Version as opposed to the one starring Laurence Olivier is that it doesn't cut the political scenes involving Fortinbras. Plus some absolutely gorgeous music.
King Lear Probably the bleakest of all Shakespeare's tragedies. The BBC production has Michael Horden playing King Lear, There is also a Russian Version which emphasises the bleakness by the director Kozintsev. Just as Hamlet is something that anyone who aspires to be a leading actor must pass through King Lear is for actors at the end of their career.
Pastoral Plays
This is a genre that Shakespeare came too late in life, and represent the autumn of his working life the two main ones are a Winter's tale and the Tempest. In the Tempest Prospero can be seen as Shakespeare leaving the stage. I will write more about them in later posts
So there we have it a rough guide to the greatest sexist, racist, anti-Semitic, royalist sycophantic, bombastic nationalistic playwright that ever lived 😊😊
