Parodies and retellings: Difference between revisions

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Reinterpretations not formally published by be described as [[FanFic]].  Formally published reinterpretations have lately garnered extremely prestigious awards -- for instance, [[The Hours]] by [[Michael Cunningham]], a retelling of [[Virginia Woolf]]'s [[Mrs. Dalloway]] won a [[Pulitzer Prize]] for Literature and was adapted into a film.  [[Wicked (novel)|Wicked]] and other recastings by [[Gregory Maguire]] have been widely acclaimed, and [[Wicked (novel)|Wicked]] (a retelling of [[L. Frank Baum]]'s [[The Wizard of Oz]]) was made into a Broadway musical.  
Reinterpretations not formally published by be described as [[FanFic]].  Formally published reinterpretations have lately garnered extremely prestigious awards -- for instance, [[The Hours]] by [[Michael Cunningham]], a retelling of [[Virginia Woolf]]'s [[Mrs. Dalloway]] won a [[Pulitzer Prize]] for Literature and was adapted into a film.  [[Wicked (novel)|Wicked]] and other recastings by [[Gregory Maguire]] have been widely acclaimed, and [[Wicked (novel)|Wicked]] (a retelling of [[L. Frank Baum]]'s [[The Wizard of Oz]]) was made into a Broadway musical.  


Reinterpretations may be fiercely political, particularly in recapturing an alternative perspective or a hidden character.  For instance, [[Margaret Mitchell]]'s [[Gone With the Wind]] was recast from the point of view of Scarlett's enslaved black half-sister in [[The Wind Done Gone]] by [[Alice Randall]].  Maguire's [[Wicked]] was told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West.  In both instances, the authors sought to bring to the fore social and political issues that were present in the prior text, but glossed over, romanticized, or misrepresentative of history.  [[Lolita]] was retold from the perspective of the young girl in [[Lo's Diary]].
Reinterpretations may be fiercely political, particularly in recapturing an alternative perspective or a hidden character.  For instance, [[Margaret Mitchell]]'s [[Gone With the Wind]] was recast from the point of view of Scarlett's enslaved black half-sister in [[The Wind Done Gone]] by [[Alice Randall]].  Maguire's [[Wicked (novel)|Wicked]] was told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West.  In both instances, the authors sought to bring to the fore social and political issues that were present in the prior text, but glossed over, romanticized, or misrepresentative of history.  [[Lolita]] was retold from the perspective of the young girl in [[Lo's Diary]].


Occasionally authors have revisited their own earlier works, with many of the same purposes that third-party authors have.  [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] added a fourth book to her [[Earthsea]] trilogy years later, commenting that the earlier trilogy was like a chair with a leg missing.  In [[Tehanu]], Le Guin told the story of the grown-up [[Tenar]], exposing the sexism inherent in the Earthsea society which she had herself, unthinkingly, set up.  
Occasionally authors have revisited their own earlier works, with many of the same purposes that third-party authors have.  [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] added a fourth book to her [[Earthsea]] trilogy years later, commenting that the earlier trilogy was like a chair with a leg missing.  In [[Tehanu]], Le Guin told the story of the grown-up [[Tenar]], exposing the sexism inherent in the Earthsea society which she had herself, unthinkingly, set up.  
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Examples are particularly common within science fiction and fantasy, but have also been common outside of sf.
Examples are particularly common within science fiction and fantasy, but have also been common outside of sf.


* [[The Wizard of Oz]] ... [[Gregory Maguire]]'s [[Wicked]] and [[Geoff Ryman]]'s [[Was]]
* [[The Wizard of Oz]] ... [[Gregory Maguire]]'s [[Wicked (novel)Wicked]] and [[Geoff Ryman]]'s [[Was]]
* [[The Hobbit]] ... [[Pat Murphy]]'s [[There and Back Again]]
* [[The Hobbit]] ... [[Pat Murphy]]'s [[There and Back Again]]


Revision as of 08:30, 20 February 2007

Retellings, recuperations, reclamations; reinterpretive works.

These are works which reinterpret a previous story or concept. Commonly, reinterpretations of fairy tales, folktales, and myths; but reinterpretations of literary and media works have also become increasingly common over the past few years.

Retelling stories is a common way for critics to make a critical point about a work. The commentary might be humorous, as in a humorous parody; critical, as in a work that demonstrates the earlier work's failings of writing or perspective; or exploratory, as in a work that explores new dimensions and resonances of an early story.

While the common sense of the word "parody" implies a light or humorous tale, in US copyright law, the term has come to mean a broader critical or humorous retelling; as in The Wind Done Gone, the retelling of Gone With the Wind from the perspective of Scarlett O'Hara's enslaved half-sister. In US copyright law, parodies are often distinguished from satires: parodies mock a work or works or type of work, while satires mock society.

Reinterpretations not formally published by be described as FanFic. Formally published reinterpretations have lately garnered extremely prestigious awards -- for instance, The Hours by Michael Cunningham, a retelling of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway won a Pulitzer Prize for Literature and was adapted into a film. Wicked and other recastings by Gregory Maguire have been widely acclaimed, and Wicked (a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz) was made into a Broadway musical.

Reinterpretations may be fiercely political, particularly in recapturing an alternative perspective or a hidden character. For instance, Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind was recast from the point of view of Scarlett's enslaved black half-sister in The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall. Maguire's Wicked was told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. In both instances, the authors sought to bring to the fore social and political issues that were present in the prior text, but glossed over, romanticized, or misrepresentative of history. Lolita was retold from the perspective of the young girl in Lo's Diary.

Occasionally authors have revisited their own earlier works, with many of the same purposes that third-party authors have. Ursula K. Le Guin added a fourth book to her Earthsea trilogy years later, commenting that the earlier trilogy was like a chair with a leg missing. In Tehanu, Le Guin told the story of the grown-up Tenar, exposing the sexism inherent in the Earthsea society which she had herself, unthinkingly, set up.

Examples are particularly common within science fiction and fantasy, but have also been common outside of sf.


Some non-SF examples:

  • Gone With the Wind ... Alice Randall's The Wind Done Gone
  • Lolita ... Lo's Diary
  • Jane Eyre ... The Wide Sargasso Sea
  • Pamela Frankau, Jezebel (1937) (see Bibliography)
  • Gulliver's Travels, a parody of the travel genre, and a satire of English society
  • Nancy Clue and the Hardly Boys / Mabel Maney

See Mythological Female Characters

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