Just to clear the air? I’m NOT a Shakespeare fan! At all. I took a Shakespeare class in college, and had a professor who sounded like Winnie The Pooh when he spoke. And literally ALL I remember from that class is him telling the class that at one time, epileptics weren’t allowed to have sex. Then he said that since he was an epileptic and had two children, he was some kind of lawbreaker or something. That should tell you about how much I got out of THAT class!

I’ve read a few of his plays in my life. And I didn’t like a single one of them. I actually struggled to get through them, TBH (yawn).   I have, however, liked some of the modern film adaptations of his films, like 10 Things I Hate About You. But that’s mainly because I thought Ledger was kind of “hunky” in that one, lol.

As for Shakespeare’s works? I think he’s overrated, probably didn’t even write most of the things he’s credited for and most of the stories – especially the comedies – all seem to mirror each other. Let’s see…mistaken identity, men dressing as women, women dressing as men. Why did he write 16 comedies when he really could have written just one? They’re all the same…only the names will change!

All of that said, I’m going to at least take a look at a list of his comedies, histories, and tragedies. And here I go with the list…

Shakespeare’s Comedies

A scene from a “Futurama” episode entitled “Love’s Labour’s Lost In Space.” Leela gives Zapp Brannigan a pity f—

1. The Tempest
2. Two Gentlemen of Verona
3. The Merry Wives of Windsor
4. Measure for Measure
5. The Comedy of Errors
6. Much Ado About Nothing
7. Love’s Labour’s Lost
8. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
9. The Merchant of Venice
10. As You Like It
11. The Taming Of The Shrew
12. All’s Well That Ends Well
13. Twelfth Night
14. The Winter’s Tale
15. Pericles, Prince of Tyre
16. The Two Noble Kinsmen

Shakespeare’s Histories

Al Pacino in the 1996 film Looking For Richard, which chronicled his attempt to make a film adaptation in documentary style.

1. King John
2. Richard II
3. Henry IV, Part I
4. Henry IV, Part II
5. Henry IV, Part III
6. Henry VI, Part I
7. Henry VI, Part II
8. Henry VI, Part III
9. Richard III
10. Henry VIII
11. Edward III

Shakepeare’s Tragedies

American TV writer/producer Norman Lear, born in 1922, was the undisputed “king” of early ’70s television. Some of his credits include All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. Yes, I know Norman Lear has nothing to do with Shakespeare! I just always think of Norman Lear when I see the name King Lear. I can’t help the way my brain works!

1. Troilus and Cressida
2. Coriolanus
3. Titus Andronicus
4. Romeo and Juliet
5. Timon of Athens
6. Julius Caesar
7. Macbeth
8. Hamlet
9. King Lear
10. Othello
11. Antony and Cleopatra
12. Cymbeline