We get novelisation of films, but what about plays? I know I can freely read his plays anywhere online, but surely reading a script is less ideal than reading a novelised version written for people who were born sometime after Bach, assuming you’re not planning a word-for-word performance yourself of course.
I don’t even enjoy reading the scripts for my favourite films, and I understand all of the words, phrasings and allusions in those. With Shakespeare, I need to do a 4-year college course just to know what the fuck he’s on about.
This isn’t me being anti-intellectual, I respect anyone who can read through Shakespeare and enjoy it, it’s more about life being too fucking short and I’d like to experience the stories in a less torturous manner if possible.
If this has been attempted, can you recommend any authors?
Cheers!
There are elements of David Foster Wallace’s (brilliant) Infinite Jest that echo parts of Hamlet, but it’s in no way a novelisation. And even if it was, it certainly wouldn’t be less tortuous…