Take a look at Frederick Beiser's works on Hegel & German Idealism overall, as he's very clear and competent about this whole period of German philosophy:
Also, it's much easier to start with Hegel's lectures (on aesthetics, history, religion etc.) and just go read the Phenomenology & Science of Logic after one has a sense of his style and general philosophy. It's foolish to start by the most difficult texts.
And don't take Schopenhauer's criticisms of Hegel too seriously, as they are mostly due to personal misgivings and envy (Sch. couldn't stand Hegel's popularity, while Sch. barely managed to get any students for his classes).
Thank you for the rec I'll check them out. It's true Schopenhauer didn't have as many students at his lectures because Hegel was a celebrity at the time. That doesn't take away from his criticisms I still think they stand.
I don't believe in bombastic word vomit, especially when that person deliberately chose to make his prose more incomprehensible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_C._Beiser#Works
Also, it's much easier to start with Hegel's lectures (on aesthetics, history, religion etc.) and just go read the Phenomenology & Science of Logic after one has a sense of his style and general philosophy. It's foolish to start by the most difficult texts.
And don't take Schopenhauer's criticisms of Hegel too seriously, as they are mostly due to personal misgivings and envy (Sch. couldn't stand Hegel's popularity, while Sch. barely managed to get any students for his classes).