Guignol parodies Shakespeare: A case study of <i>Guignol et Juliette</i> and <i>Hamlet</i> by Pierre Rousset

This article examines the parodies of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet written by Pierre Rousset for the Guignol Theatre (Lyon, France) in the second half of the nineteenth century. The first part analyses the process of writing the parody, which involves a double transposition from Shakespeare's play to the opera libretto and from the libretto to the puppet play. The second part focuses on the complex encounter between Guignol theatre types and the Shakespearean character. Through these two questions, the article seeks to show that parody does not ‘destroy’ Shakespeare or Guignol, but rather offers an ironic take on both.