Tales From Shakespeare
Author: Charles & Mary Lamb
Pages: 342
Language: English
"Tales from Shakespeare" is a retelling of Shakespeare's plays in prose form, adapted to be more approachable for younger readers. Charles Lamb wrote the tragedies, while Mary Lamb focused on the comedies. The book serves as an introduction to Shakespeare's works, offering simplified versions of plays such as "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "The Tempest," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and many more.
The Lambs aimed to retain the essential plots, characters, and themes while making the language more straightforward and the stories easier to understand. This adaptation retains the spirit and moral lessons of the original plays, providing readers with an engaging way to learn about Shakespeare's timeless stories and the complexities of human nature.
Highlights of "Tales from Shakespeare":
Simplified Retellings of Classic Plays: The book provides concise and easy-to-understand versions of Shakespeare's famous plays, making them accessible to a broader audience, especially younger readers and those unfamiliar with Elizabethan English.
Preservation of Themes and Morals: While the language is simplified, the retellings retain the core themes, moral lessons, and emotional depth of the original plays, allowing readers to grasp Shakespeare's insights into human nature, love, ambition, revenge, and power.
Educational Value: The book serves as an excellent educational tool for introducing Shakespeare's works in schools or at home, providing a foundation for understanding and appreciating his original plays later on.
Balanced Collaboration Between Siblings: The collaboration between Charles and Mary Lamb, with Charles handling the tragedies and Mary the comedies, provides a balanced and varied reading experience, ensuring that both dramatic and light-hearted elements of Shakespeare's work are represented.
These highlights make "Tales from Shakespeare" a valuable resource for readers of all ages who want to explore the world of Shakespeare through accessible and engaging retellings.
