All the Tales from Shakespeare (Illustrated Edition) E-Book

Charles And Mary Lamb

• Herausgeber: Bauer Books
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The book reduced the archaic English and complicated storyline of Shakespeare to a simple level that children could read and comprehend. However, as noted in the author's Preface, "his words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in; and in whatever has been added to give them the regular form of a connected story, diligent care has been taken to select such words as might least interrupt the effect of the beautiful English tongue in which he wrote: therefore, words introduced into our language since his time have been as far as possible avoided."

The following plays were selected and adapted into tales:
The Tempest (Mary Lamb)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mary Lamb)
The Winter's Tale (Mary Lamb)
Much Ado About Nothing (Mary Lamb)
As You Like It (Mary Lamb)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (Mary Lamb)
The Merchant of Venice (Mary Lamb)
Cymbeline (Mary Lamb)
King Lear (Charles Lamb)
Macbeth (Charles Lamb)
All's Well That Ends Well (Mary Lamb)
The Taming of the Shrew (Mary Lamb)
The Comedy of Errors (Mary Lamb)
Measure for Measure (Mary Lamb)
Twelfth Night (Mary Lamb)
Timon of Athens (Charles Lamb)
Romeo and Juliet (Charles Lamb)
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Charles Lamb)
Othello (Charles Lamb)
Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Mary Lamb)

Leseprobe

Charles

All the Tales from Shakespeare (Illustrated Edition)

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Table of contents

Tales from Shakespeare

There was a certain island in the sea, the only inhabitants of which were an old man, whose name was Prospero, and his daughter Miranda, a very beautiful young lady. She came to this island so young, that she had no memory of having seen any other human face than her father’s.

They lived in a cave or cell, made out of a rock; it was divided into several apartments, one of which Prospero called his study; there he kept his books, which chiefly treated of magic, a study at that time much affected by all learned men: and the knowledge of this art he found very useful to him; for being thrown by a strange chance upon this island, which had been enchanted by a witch called Sycorax, who died there a short time before his arrival, Prospero, by virtue of his art, released many good spirits that Sycorax had imprisoned in the bodies of large trees, because they had refused to execute her wicked commands. These gentle spirits were ever after obedient to the will of Prospero. Of these Ariel was the chief.

WHEN CALIBAN WAS LAZY AND NEGLECTED HIS WORK,

ARIEL WOULD COME SLILY AND PINCH HIM The lively little sprite Ariel had nothing mischievous in his nature, except that he took rather too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly monster called Caliban, for he owed him a grudge because he was the son of his old enemy Sycorax. This Caliban, Prospero found in the woods, a strange misshapen thing, far less human in form than an ape: he took him home to his cell, and taught him to speak; and Prospero would have been very kind to him, but the bad nature which Caliban inherited from his mother Sycorax, would not let him learn anything good or useful: therefore he was employed like a slave, to fetch wood, and do the most laborious offices; and Ariel had the charge of compelling him to these services.

When Caliban was lazy and neglected his work, Ariel (who was invisible to all eyes but Prospero’s) would come slily and pinch him, and sometimes tumble him down in the mire; and then Ariel, in the likeness of an ape, would make mouths at him. Then swiftly changing his shape, in the likeness of a hedgehog, he would lie tumbling in Caliban’s way, who feared the hedgehog’s sharp quills would prick his bare feet. With a variety of such-like vexatious tricks Ariel would often torment him, whenever Caliban neglected the work which Prospero commanded him to do.

Having these powerful spirits obedient to his will, Prospero could by their means command the winds, and the waves of the sea. By his orders they raised a violent storm, in the midst of which, and struggling with the wild sea-waves that every moment threatened to swallow it up, he showed his daughter a fine large ship, which he told her was full of living beings like themselves. “O my dear father,” said she, “if by your art you have raised this dreadful storm, have pity on their sad distress. See! the vessel will be dashed to pieces. Poor souls! they will all perish. If I had power, I would sink the sea beneath the earth, rather than the good ship should be destroyed, with all the precious souls within her.”

“Be not so amazed, daughter Miranda,” said Prospero; “there is no harm done. I have so ordered it, that no person in the ship shall receive any hurt. What I have done has been in care of you, my dear child. You are ignorant who you are, or where you came from, and you know no more of me, but that I am your father, and live in this poor cave. Can you remember a time before you came to this cell? I think you cannot, for you were not then three years of age.”

“Certainly I can, sir,” replied Miranda. “By what?” asked Prospero; “by any other house or person? Tell me what you can remember, my child.” Miranda said, “It seems to me like the recollection of a dream. But had I not once four or five women who attended upon me?” Prospero answered, “You had, and more. How is it that this still lives in your mind? Do you remember how you came here?” “No, sir,” said Miranda, “I remember nothing more.” “Wherefore,” said Miranda, “did they not that hour destroy us?” “O my father,” said Miranda, “what a trouble must I have been to you then!” “Heaven thank you, my dear father,” said Miranda. “Now pray tell me, sir, your reason for raising this sea-storm?” “Well, my brave spirit,” said Prospero to Ariel, “how have you performed your task?” “Ariel,” said Prospero, “thy charge is faithfully performed: but there is more work yet.” “Sir, in Algiers,” said Ariel. “Pardon me, dear master,” said Ariel, ashamed to seem ungrateful; “I will obey your commands.” “Miranda,” said Prospero, “tell me what you are looking at yonder.” “Come on, young man,” said Prospero to the Prince; “you have no power to disobey me.” “O my dear lady,” said Ferdinand, “I dare not. I must finish my task before I take my rest.” Ferdinand inquired her name, which she told, saying it was against her father’s express command she did so. Prospero prevented Ferdinand’s thanks by appearing visible before them. “O wonder!” said Miranda, “what noble creatures these are! It must surely be a brave world that has such people in it.” “Then I must be her father,” said the king; “but oh! how oddly will it sound, that I must ask my child forgiveness.” Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.” The wood, in which Lysander and Hermia proposed to meet was the favourite haunt of those little beings known by the name of . Oberon the king, and Titania the queen of the Fairies, with all their tiny train of followers, in this wood held their midnight revels. Oberon then sent for Puck, his chief favourite and privy counsellor. “What thou seest when thou dost wake, Do it for thy true-love take.” The ladies, who before had always been the dearest of friends, now fell to high words together. When they found the gentlemen had left them, they departed, and once more wandered weary in the wood in search of their lovers. “Why, mistress,” said the foolish clown, “if I have wit enough to find the way out of this wood, I have enough to serve my turn.” She then called four of her fairies: their names were, Pease-blossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustard-seed. “Here, sir,” said little Pease-blossom. “Scratch my head,” said the clown. “Where is Cobweb?” “Here, sir,” said Cobweb. “Here, sir,” said Mustard-seed: “what is your will?” This she could not deny, as the clown was then sleeping within her arms, with his ass’s head crowned by her with flowers. Oberon likewise took the ass’s head from off the clown, and left him to finish his nap with his own fool’s head upon his shoulders. At length, after repeated invitations, Polixenes came from Bohemia to the Sicilian court, to make his friend Leontes a visit. The king then left them in great wrath, and ordered Camillo to follow him with Prince Florizel. And as if nothing should be wanting to complete this strange and unlooked-for joy, King Polixenes himself now entered the palace. “I will make her come, I warrant, presently,” said Margaret. Benedick, in astonishment at what he heard, said, “This looks not like a nuptial.” The stranger said his name was Orlando, and that he was the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys. duke’s dominions. “My lord,” replied Proteus, “it is a letter from my friend Valentine, at Milan.” “Lend me the letter,” said his father: “let me see what news.” “And how stand you affected to his wish?” asked the father. “As one relying on your lordship’s will, and not depending on his friendly wish,” said Proteus. “Be they of much import?” said the duke. “No more, my lord,” said Valentine, “than to tell my father I am well and happy at your grace’s court.” Valentine, wondering where all this would end, made answer, “And what would your grace have me to do in all this?” “Why then,” said Valentine, “you must visit her by night.” “But at night,” said the artful duke, who was now coming to the drift of his discourse, “her doors are fast locked.” She gladly accepted the offer of the host to go with him, and hear the music; for she secretly hoped she might meet Proteus by the way. “Content,” said Antonio: “I will sign to this bond, and say there is much kindness in the Jew.” Bassanio proving successful in his suit, Portia in a short time consented to accept of him for a husband. “With all my heart, Gratiano,” said Bassanio, “if you can get a wife.” “Ah!” said Antonio, “I am the unhappy cause of these quarrels.” ——while he lived, he’d fear no other thing “This is true,” said Posthumus; “but this you might have heard spoken of without seeing.” “This is a thing you might have likewise heard,” said Posthumus; “for it is much talked of.”