Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare is a collection of stories of some plays by William Shakespeare and is re-told by Edith Nesbit. It contains twenty stories and so attractively presented that readers of every age group can enjoy them. In her inimitable way, the author tries to capture the readers imagination. Nesbit always felt that children and young ones should be introduced to Shakespeare in an easier and enjoyable way. In the book, a glossary of difficult names in the plays and a guide on how to pronounce them are also included. Nesbit has also added useful inclusion of memorable quotations from Shakespeares plays.
Nesbits retelling comprises plays like King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello. While retaining the milieu of the plays, she makes the text simpler for children to understand. For example, in Macbeth, the witches, the crimes and the final tragic climax are wonderfully recreated. Also, while retelling comedies like A Midsummer Nights Dream, As You Like It, Measure for Measure and Twelfth Night, the author strikes a lighter note.
