The title basically. However I really don't want to spend anymore money, but I also want the best reading of the bard I could have. My 2 questions.
1 The Title
2 What order should I read them in
Also could you please up-vote it would help a lot.
Thanks a ton :)
Hello
I recently was ordered, and am hopefully receiveing soon, a three volume set of the Complete Works of the Bard from the Folio Society. This will be by no means by first foray into the works of the bard as I have a read and watched a small number of his best plays, albeit repeatedly. These are, in no particular order.
Hamlet (Watch - Film - Nation Theater version from earlier this year ((2026)) while I have heard its not the best version it was the one my local art-house cinema was screening)
Macbeth (Read - Really liked it moved very fast and was very enjoyable)
Romeo & Juliet (Read - For school - I thought this one was pretty good solid 7-7./10 I \have been told for this one its better to watch though)
As You Like It (Watch - Live - Stratford staging ((from their 2025 season)) I enjoyed this one but wasn't my favourite, however, that said, it is always great to see one live.
Twelfth Night (Watch - Live - Stratford staging ((from their 2024 season) most of the same comments apply here as for As You Like It though I did have a headache on the day so perhaps that dampened the experience...
Anyway all this to say I have a good familiarity with Shakespeare works, though I would like to know more which is why I ask for this three volume set. That long preamble out of the way I can get to the meat of my question(s).
1 My set doesn't have any annotations, will this be an issue? I, perhaps naively, consider my-self pretty good and engaing with complex texts without extensive guides and the like. Just so that you can get your bearings with what I can read (I really hope this doesn't come off as me braging) here are some of the things I have read to a level I would consider relatively deep or, in other terms, well.
War & Peace
Moby Dick (Just finished this one so still a lot to mull over)
The Iliad
The Odyssey
Beowulf (I did read this sick so it might not have deep as good a reading as I would have hoped)
Heart of Darkness (again didn't get as deep a read as I would have liked and should come back to it soon)
The Orestia
Blood Meridean (AMAZING BOOK by the way go read it)
First 2 of LOTR (and the Hobbit which I'd say doesn't really count)
Alright, if your still here thank you SO much :)
If you have other suggestions feel free to put them.
Thank you so much
Have a great day
I am soon going to be graduating from school, for this big milestone my parents have allowed me a graduation present. I had been eyeing some Folio Society books for some time and after some consideration have narrowed it down to two. The new editions of the Iliad and Odyssey, and the Complete Works of Shakespeare. I have thought long and hard and simply cannot come to a good decision. Both look beautiful however I only have it within by aloted budget for one. For those who have 1 or both which one do you prefer? And which would be better as a first buy from the Folio Society.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you.