Tales from Shakespeare is a beloved collection of prose adaptations of William Shakespeare’s plays, written by Charles and Mary Lamb. Originally published in 1807, the book was created to make Shakespeare’s works accessible to children and young readers while retaining the richness, moral depth, and poetic essence of the original plays.
The Lambs retell 20 of Shakespeare’s plays in a simplified, narrative style. Charles Lamb wrote the tragedies, while his sister Mary focused on the comedies and romances. Their adaptations remain faithful to Shakespeare’s plots, characterizations, and themes but are rewritten in clear, elegant English suitable for younger audiences or those unfamiliar with Elizabethan language.
