We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(9) Mount Everest
We'll admit it: Timon of Athens is known to be one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays. The plot itself isn't overly complicated—it's basically: man spends too much money on shallow friends; man is betrayed by all his friends; man goes into woods, becomes super cynical, and dies.
On the other hand, there are a ton of characters with similar names floating around, and the language can be kind of brutal. Some plot twists—like the takeover of Athens or the discovery of gold—seem to come out of left field. But it's worth the climb: Timon of Athens may be super dark and twisty, but it asks us some big questions that still seem relevant today in our credit-card culture.
If that isn't enough, then check out the subtle but really deep way the play talks about human nature. It's worth a read, even if it's just to see what Shakespeare has to say about men, money, and misanthropes.