I always found the prospect of Shakespeare intimidating in high school and college, until a few dedicated courses gave me the tools to really understand and enjoy it. My experience inspired me to make a list of some plays that are good starting points if you’re interested in Shakespeare.
Hamlet
Hamlet is a very introspective and contemplative work. As a tragedy, it delves into themes of inaction, madness, grief, loss, and family. But, looking at the context behind Hamlet's world, the historical impact of being a firstborn son and inheritance also becomes more apparent in Hamlet's choices. It's one that will keep you in suspense until its final scene, and leave you contemplating the characters' reasons and motivations.
Hamlet still resonates thematically and presents an interesting premise to explore. It's also easy to follow, though it might take some time to remember the characters; I mistook Polonius for Claudius for about three years.
Macbeth
Similarly to Hamlet, Macbeth is a well-known tragedy. What makes Macbeth stand out are the interconnected explorations of choice versus prophecy, supernatural inclusions, and human psychology. That keeps you guessing as you try to stay ahead of the characters, while they constantly keep you on your toes. Different parties are motivated by love, power, family, and safety, which often misalign even among allies. Macbeth's tragic route is in itself a story about facing the consequences of your own actions.
Macbeth is another good place to start because of its dark and enticing atmosphere, engrossing plotline, and exploration of morality.
Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is a breezy comedy, which might take some time to unravel, but is certainly worth it. Following three main plotlines, different groups of characters interact and face themes of unrequited love, loss, deception, disguise, class, and madness. Fueled with dramatic irony as the audience knows more than the characters, Shakespeare keeps the audience on their toes as they await to find out what will happen with this information and what the result will be when it is finally revealed.
Twelfth Night is a nice starting point because it has all of the elements of Shakespeare's comedies, and can serve as both an entertaining and thought-provoking piece. Also, this is perfect for any fans of She's The Man, which is actually an adaptation of Twelfth Night!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Midsummer) is another Shakespearean comedy, which is full of whimsy and magic. Following humans on a quest for true love and Faeries who get involved when they probably shouldn't, Midsummer takes the audience on a dramatic journey. Its characters explore love, longing, magic, and fighting, in a take that's subversive when we follow which characters have or come into power and agency.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a good play to pick up because of its relatively easy to follow, has a cast of characters who are easy to root for (well most of them), and presents meaningful themes on class, power, and life.
Julius Caesar
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is certainly a tragedy as the audience eerily follows the encroaching days to a life-altering plot. A political drama drawing from the events of Ancient Rome, Shakespeare brings to life a cast of characters with their own innate motivations and goals. With everyone vying to get the upper hand, plots are hatched, betrayals are made, and consequences are sewn. Julius Caesar is an exploration of ambition, guilt, and politics.
The events of This play both presents audiences with something they may already know, and shows a lot about Shakespeare's writing in terms of genre and his thematic interests.
These are some Shakespeare plays that I enjoyed, and found easier to digest and analyze. Hopefully, one of these can be the play that helps you fall in love with Shakespeare!