ABSTRACT
Interpreting Shakespeare’s plays has inspired, intrigued, and often infuriated scholars, audiences, and directors for centuries. Like a stage production, a picture book adaptation of a Shakespeare play offers the audience an interpretive glimpse into the playwright’s original work. Authors attempting to introduce children to Shakespeare’s plays may encounter many of the difficulties that directors face when staging a production. Like directors, writers must consciously and carefully decide how to incorporate or preserve the spirit of the original without stifling personal creativity or sacrificing a child’s comprehension. Authors of adaptations must utilize a diverse set of techniques to convey fluid meanings and interpretations within a fixed medium. By manipulating troublesome chronology and infusing authentic language into the text, authors create original adaptations that educate and entertain young readers. Through a careful consideration of various adaptations of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, including those of Bruce Coville, Ann Keay Beneduce, Leon Garfield, and Lois Burdett, I will explore some literary devices employed in each adaptation which enable the author to preserve Shakespeare’s original play while offering children a unique reading experience.
