April is National Poetry month (at least in the U.S.) and I think it’s the perfect month for it. Spring has arrived; the flowers are blooming and the birds are perched in trees cheerfully chirping. This season is just asking to be spent reading romantic poetry in a park, isn’t it?
Another reason April is the perfect month to be called Poetry Month is because it is the presumed month in which William Shakespeare was born (April 23rd also marks the anniversary of his death). Shakespeare was the author of my absolute favorite play, Hamlet, and I believe I also have him to thank for sparking my interest in poetry to begin with (Byron helped as well). Therefore, to celebrate Poetry Month as well as the life of the world’s most influential writer, I have decided to spend the next four weeks reading and blogging about the three Shakespearean plays I have on my Classics Club List. I like to combine reading challenges and events so I can cross books off of my TBR list :)
So check back later this week for my thoughts on Macbeth, but for now, tell me: What is your favorite Shakespearean work (be it play or sonnet)?
Happy Sunday!
Great choice for National Poetry Month! I’m not sure if I could choose a favorite Shakespeare play – there are so many I love. Macbeth is probably my favorite of the tragedies, and as for the comedies, I’d have to call it a tie between A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of the Shrew. Although I saw Love’s Labour Lost performed and loved that too.
I love Taming of the Shrew! I’ll be interested and hearing your thoughts about my Macbeth post later this week :)
So far I think King Lear is my favourite but I love Julius Caesar and was very surprised to be able to include Corionalus near the top of my list. However, I still have a number to read so the jury is still out.
I have woefully neglected my 2014 Shakespeare Challenge so thanks for the timely reminder! I’ll be looking forward to reading your thoughts on the plays you read!
I really liked King Lear as well. I would like to reread it sometime soon. I haven’t read Julius Caesar or Corionalus but I will eventually!
Hamlet is my favorite as well, and I’m hoping to watch a new-to-me version later this month :-)
Which version is that?
Christopher Plummer (!) with Michael Caine and Robert Shaw (!!) at Elsinore in 1964 (!!!). I’ve owned the DVD for months and just haven’t managed to watch it yet.
Michael Caine as Horatio?? Yes please! I’ll have to add that to my To Be Watched list. Let me know what you think about it after you get around to watching it :)
I know, right?!?! He’s the main reason I got it. I’ll try to remember to post here again once I’ve seen it, but even if I forget, I’m sure I’ll post about it on my Soliloquy blog.
I follow your blog so I’ll see it when you post it :)
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