When the Shakespeare Tale almost Becomes a Fairy Tale: Norm and Transgression in the Shakespeare Canon for Children

Abstract: I use the term “Shakespeare tale” to refer to a tradition of short narrative retellings of Shakespeare (primarily reductions or abridgements), which started with The Lambs’ Tales from Shakespeare (1807) and their Victorian and edwardian followers. In my article I argue that these retold versions can be considered generic hybrids that challenge the boundaries that should divide Shakespeare tales from fairy tales. In other words, Shakespeare tales incorporate various elements from the folktale tradition including stylistic features (such as opening and ending formulas), structure (Shakespearean plots are reordered in a sequential timeline), a fictional narrator, cautionary elements, and a clear-cut polarization between “good” and “bad” characters.