Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Classics Education Plan: 4th 100 Days

Sketch based on 2008 Guardian review
of RSC production of Hamlet


I am looking forward to spending my next 100 days getting to know Beatrice and Benedict, Falstaff, Puck, Othello, Hamlet, the three witches, and the hundreds of other characters that Shakespeare has immortalized (How many speaking part characters inhabit Shakespeare's world? . . . 1,223?)

Based on my other “100 Days” experiences, this lesson plan is relatively loose: 

  1. use Marc Conner’s course as a guide to listen and/or watch Shakespeare’s 38 plays
  2. read the wikipedia articles as I see fit (as a minimum I’ll read a synopsis to minimize Shakespearean disorientation) 
  3. write a brief review (with 38 plays, these reviews will map me out of Muddledom). 
Just enough structure to feel not inflexible. 

With this in mind, these next two tables are the remnants of my normal planning process, included as references.

Classics Courses
CourseSchoolInstructorHrs
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareSkidmore College
(Great Courses)
Marc C Conner12
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and TragediesDartmouth College
(Great Courses)
Peter Saccio18
Shakespeare's Life and WorkHarvardStephen Greenblatt24
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: an actor's perspectiveU of Colorado, BoulderKevin Rich10
Shakespeare's Hamlet: The GhostHarvardStephen Greenblatt24
William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: comedy, conflict, and communityU of Colorado, BoulderDavid Glimp
Kevin Rich
25
Shakespeare's Othello: The MoorHarvardStephen Greenblatt24
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: ShylockHarvardStephen Greenblatt24
Shakespeare: Hamlet and the TempestHillsdale College7
TOTAL HOURS168



Classics Education Plan: Fourth 100 Days
CourseModuleReading
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareA Midsummer Night's Dream-Comic Tools
A Midsummer Night's Dream-Comic Structure
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p217-249A Midsummer's Night Dream (BBC 1981 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p524-554A Midsummer's Night Dream (BBC 1981 production)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareRomeo and Juliet-Words, Words, Words
Romeo and Juliet-The Tools of Tragedy
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1055-1099Romeo and Juliet (Franco Leffirelli's 1968 version)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p479-523Romeo and Juliet (Franco Leffirelli's 1968 version)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareAppearance versus Reality in Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night-More Comic Tools
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p403-442Twelfth Night, or What You Will(Trevor Nunn's 1996 version)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p876-909Twelfth Night (Trevor Nunn's 1996 version)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareRichard II-History and Kingship
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P800-841Richard II (BBC 1984 version)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p437-478Richard II (BBC 1984 version)
How to Read and Understand ShakespearePolitics as Theater in Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part 2-Contrast and Complexity
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P842-885Henry IV, Part 1 (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p638-677Henry IV, Part 1 (BBC 1984 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P886-929Henry IV, Part 2 (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p678-723Henry IV, Part 2 (BBC 1984 production)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareThe Drama of Ideas in Henry V
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P930-975Henry V (BBC 1979 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p758-801Henry V (BBC 1979 production)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareMacbeth-"Foul and Fair"
The Tragic Woman in Macbeth
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p1306-1342The Tragedy of Macbeth (Patrick Stewart)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1227-1261The Tragedy of Macbeth (Patrick Stewart)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareStaging Hamlet
The Religious Drama of Hamlet
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareThe Women of Hamlet
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1135-1197Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p910-961The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Kenneth Branagh)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareThe Merchant of Venice-Comedy or Tragedy?
The Arc of Character in The Merchant of Venice
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p250-285Merchant of Venice (BBC 1980 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p599-637Merchant of Venice (BBC 1980 production)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareMeasure for Measure-Is This Comedy?
Measure for Measure-Overcoming Tragedy
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p545-586Measure for Measurew (BBC 1979 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1037-1173Measure for Measurew (BBC 1979 production)
How to Read and Understand ShakespeareTools of Romance in The Tempest
The Tempest-Shakespeare's Farewell to Art
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p1606-1638The Tempest (BBC 1980 Production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1537-1568The Tempest (BBC 1980 Production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1198-1248Othello (staged in The Globe, 2005)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1090-1136The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice (staged in The Globe, 2005)
Othello (staged in The Globe, 2005)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1249-1305King Lear (1998 production starring Iam Holm)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1174-1226The Tragedy of King Lear (1998 production starring Iam Holm)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p327-364Much Ado About Nothing (directed by Kenneth Branagh, 1993)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p724-757Much Ado About Nothing (directed by Kenneth Branagh, 1993)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1100-1134Julius Ceasar (BBC 1979 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p802-838Julius Ceasar (BBC 1979 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p1564-1605The Winter's Tale (BBC 1981 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1495-1536The Winter's Tale (BBC 1981 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P708-764Richard III (Lawrence Olivier stars in this 1955 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p233-283Richard III (Lawrence Olivier stars in this 1955 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1343-1391Anthony and Cleopatra (2005 production in The Globe theater)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1262-1311The Tragedy of Anthony and Cleopatra (2005 production in The Globe theater)
The Arden Shakespeare (2021)p121-160Anthony and Cleopatra (2005 production in The Globe theater)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p365-402As You Like It (BBC 1978 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p839-875As You Like It (BBC 1978 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p79-107Comedy of Errors (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p73-101Comedy of Errors (BBC 1984 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p108-142The Taming of the Shrew (BBC 1980 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p321-363The Taming of the Shrew (BBC 1980 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p286-326The Merry Wives of Windsor (BBC 1982 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p962-998The Merry Wives of Windsor (BBC 1982 production)
The Arden Shakespeare (2021)p977-1006The Merry Wives of Windsor (BBC 1982 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p174-216Love's Labor Lost (BBC 1985 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p398-436Love's Labor Lost (BBC 1985 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p143-173The Two Gentlemen of Verona (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p364-397The Two Gentlemen of Verona (BBC 1984 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p1479-1516Pericles, Prince of Tyre (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1407-1447Pericles, Prince of Tyre (BBC 1984 production)
The Arden Shakespeare (2021)p 1097-1124Pericles, Prince of Tyre (BBC 1984 production)
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)P1019-1054Titus Andronicus
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p284-320Titus Andronicus
The Arden Shakespeare (2021)p1271-1298Titus Andronicus
The Riverside Shakespeare (1974)p1517-1563Cymbeline (BBC 1984 production)
The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare (1972)p1448-1494Cymbeline (BBC 1984 production)

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