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. These gentle spirits were ever after obedient to the will of Prospero. 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. She came to this island so young, that she had no memory of having seen any other human face than her father’s. 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. Simple and compelling, these vibrant retellings of the great playwright's timeless tales will undoubtedly charm readers of all ages.

To teach courtesy, benignity, generosity, humanity: for of examples, teaching these virtues, his pages are full.' 'What these tales shall have been to the young readers,' Charles Lamb wrote, 'that and much more it is the writers' wish that the true plays of Shakespeare may prove to them in older years - enrichers of the fancy, strengtheners of virtue, a withdrawing from all selfish and mercenary thoughts, a lesson of all sweet and honorable thoughts and actions. This selection from their 1807 publications features The Tempest A Midsummer Night's Dream As You Like It The Merchant of Venice King Lear Macbeth The Taming of the Shrew Romeo and Juliet Hamlet and Othello. The following Tales are meant to be submitted to the young reader as an introduction to the study of Shakespeare, for which purpose 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.Charles Lamb, a distinguished English essayist, collaborated with his sister, Mary, to create enthralling prose retellings for young readers of some of Shakespeare's most beloved works. Download cover art Download CD case insert Tales from ShakespeareĬharles Lamb (1775 - 1834) and Mary Lamb (1764 - 1847)

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