Twisted Tales From Shakespeare

by Richard Armour, Campbell Grant (Illustrator)

Shakespeare's plays are presented in a new, very humorous light. A fun read for anyone interested in the Classics.

Genres: Humor, Shakespeare, Fiction, Books About Books, Plays, Theatre, Short Stories

151 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Richard Armour, a college professor of English who specialized in Chaucer and the English Romantic poets, was best known as a prolific author of light verse and wacky parodies of academic scholarship. He was a professor of English at Scripps College in Claremont from 1945 to 1966.

Armour was raised in Pomona, California, where his father owned a drugstore. He graduated from Pomona College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, then obtained his master's and Ph.D. in English literature at Harvard. He was a Harvard research fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum library in London.

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a high school sophomore, I was desperate. They were having us read Shakespeare (Hamlet, I believe). To me, the Bard's plays were to be experienced, not read. But this was the early 70's and we didn't have the internet. We had Cliff Notes, but when I read them, they weren't any better. Then I found this lovely, silly, irreverent book in the bookstore and suddenly, much of what Shakespeare wrote made sense. My teacher noticed that I was participating in class (albeit "with a wry sense of humor and the absurd" as she put it). I passed English lit because of this book and I've read it a dozen times since then.

[Persephone · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am for you!" cries Tybalt, trying to mix (Romeo) up, being really against him.

Lady Macbeth rubs her hands with Glee, a Scottish detergent of those days . . . .

"Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,/Sing willow, willow, willow." Try singing any song in this position.

If you know a lot about Shakespeare, this book is hysterical; if you don't, this book is actually not a bad place to start. Below the sly comments and outrageous puns, there's actually a reasonable amount of scholarship, but the laughter blows pretensions sky-high.

[James Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Armour clearly loves the work of Shakespeare, and knows it well. In Twisted Tales from Shakespeare, he turns his talents to the mockery of six of Shakespeare's most famous plays, along with the sonnets.

The results are not to be missed. Here is Armour on A Midsummer Night's Dream:

Quite obviously, A Midsummer Night's Dream was written for the court, where people could be ordered to attend.... The central theme, it is often pointed out, is "the irrational nature of love," but let us not overlook the possibility of the irrational nature of Shakespeare. And what, the reader may ask, of the characters? If they seem a bit wooden, it may be that Shakespeare wished them to feel at home in the forest, where most of the action takes place.

Followed by this gem:

An odd lot of people are assembled in Peter Quince's carpenter shop in another part of Athens. They are Quince, Nick Bottom (a weaver, especially when he is drunk), Francis Flute (a bellows-mender), Robert Starveling (a tailor), and Tom Snout (a tinker, though we are not told what he tinks about). Also in the company, naturally enough, is Snug, a joiner. If the names of these people seem rather peculiar, one must remember, as Shakespeare didn't, that they are Greeks.

I think this next one, though, is the one that gives the best sense of what it's like to read Armour:

"I'll run from thee [Helena] and hide me in the brakes," threatens Demetrius. The brakes will stop her, he thinks to himself cunningly.

Some of the best laughs come from the study questions. Here's the last one on A Midsummer Night's Dream:

10. Suggest a more appropriate title for this play. For instance, Much Ado about Nothing. Or All's Well That Ends.

OK, I can't resist one more study question, this one on Romeo and Juliet:

9. After viewing the corpses of Romeo and Juliet, express your candid opinion of the critic who said that "at the close of the play both hero and heroine are stronger and finer than at the beginning."

[cloudyskye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply hilarious. If you read just one book about Shakespeare's works, let this be the one.
When I was younger, so much younger than today ... I was lucky enough to come across a photocopy of the Macbeth chapter of this book. I was hooked. Sadly, I lost the chapter and all information on the book's title and author ...
Now, decades later, I remembered my enjoyment and thanks to my librarian superpowers actually found it, bought it, read it, loved it.
Must find other books by Richard Armour.

[NinjaMuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

In brief: Shakespeare’s greatest hits, told by an English major who’s only sort of paid attention and never leaves a pun unturned.

Thoughts: This is pretty relentlessly silly, but it still gets at the crux of the plays, or at least makes good points about traditional interpretations of them. It’s not something I’d recommend to a Shakespeare newbie unless I’m pairing it with the play(s) in question, simply because the stories don’t quite line up, some of the jokes will fly over the head of someone who doesn’t know the stories already, and I’m a bit of a Shakespeare purist. But it’s still fun and entertaining and holds up surprisingly well considering it’s sixty-something years old.

The humour and satire here are a mix of pithy quips, puns and deliberate misunderstandings of Shakespeare’s words, and modernisations of some of the scenes. So you get “Juliet withdraws (her lips)” and comments about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern being completely interchangeable and “[Lysander] has an aunt who lives in a town some distance away, where the marriage laws are more lax than Athens. The town isn’t named, but it’s probably in Nevada.” Taken a bit at a time, they’re worthy of a snort or an eye roll, but reading the whole book, with a joke every line or two, got wearing.

Another note: I think I’ve read this before, actually. It’s from my dad’s library and he loaned it to me over Christmas, and I have vague memories of reading a book like this in high school. If I did, I think I found it funnier then, so “slightly bored teenage book nerd” is probably the perfect audience. On the other hand, I have a good memory as a rule and the fact that I’m not sure if I’ve read this or not, well. That says something too.

In sum: this lasted me an amusing few days but I’m probably going to find it pretty forgettable in the long run. I’d rec it if you’re interested or you happen to like Shakespeare and see it secondhand somewhere, but it’s not really something to rush out and get. English teachers will probably find a winner, though.

6/10

To bear in mind: The humour is very 1950s, so not every joke lands well on 21st century ears. Especially some of the jokes about the women.

[Cricket Muse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irresistible. Seriously, Shakespeare shouldn’t be taken as seriously as he tends be. After all, he knew how to have pun with words. Richard Armour also knows his way around puns and takes on Hamlet,Macbeth,A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet,The Merchant of Venice, and Othello and paraphrases these well-known plays with wit and plenty of wordplay.

A gem of amusement of both students and scholars. A four only because some of the punnery became a wee bit extreme. I can laugh at Shakespeare just so much. I am a Bardinator after all, mocking him becomes a fine line.

[Caitriona Riding · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting little read!! I enjoyed having little bits of history shrewd into a broad outlining of some of Shakespeares works. I’m not a fan of his, so this was a much easier way for me personally to read and learn a bit more of his works in a fun way.

[Becky Loader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm. I have read several of Armour's books, and some were really humorous. This one didn't captivate me.

[Matt Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, pun-laden, and sometimes cringeworthy. This was great brain candy.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My English teacher handed this to me right after our class finished Hamlet. I soon garnered a lot of sideways glances from people who were in her room to work on essays because I was in the corner giggling like a lunatic. I promptly read the Macbeth section, as I was just as intimately familiar with that play, and was equally delighted. Each chapter can only be fully enjoyed, however, if all the references to the plays are understood. Because of this, I watched Othello and Merchant of Venice on my computer, simply so I could enjoy their chapters in this book. After performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream this summer, I reread that chapter and was just as amused as when I read it the first time only a few months ago. I wish Armour's books were easier to find.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recent Goodwill find! I LOVE Armour's silliness. I remember using this book when I student taught...a 21-year-old, teaching 18-year-olds. I had one class of gifted kids, a couple of 'traditional' college bound, and one class of 'sweathogs' -- kids who HAD to pass English (only three years were required, so most kids didn't even take English 4) or they wouldn't graduate. One boy read 80 words a minute and one boy ONLY came to school on Fridays.

Teaching MACBETH to those three very different groups of kids cemented my love for struggling learners. My Sweathogs were prepared every day (kids were expected to read outside of class, and they did!), they understood the over-the-top emotions. I remember one day finding a phonograph record (yes, I am OLD) of the scene where MacDuff discovers his children and wife have been murdered...the Sweathogs were the only group to really connect with that horrible loss. I was in love.

I shared Armour's version of MACBETH with all my classes, but again, the privileged kids in Miller High School were unmoved. I instinctively knew even then, one of the reasons to read great literature was to be able to laugh at the inside jokes, like Armour's twisted tales.

This book connects me right back to those kids and the strong bonds that MACBETH (or the SCOTTISH PLAY) created for us all...My kids giggled over the jokes about Lady Macbeth, because they KNEW the original.

Finding this book, published in 1957, with a price of $1.75 printed on the front, took me back instantly to that hot fall in Northwest Indiana...

This time I read all his retellings, and see HAMLET and ROMEO AND JULIET would be equally successful in our classrooms. Will be taking this to school!

Makes me smile that I own a copy again!

[Moonkiszt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything by R Armour is HILARIOUS! If you love words. . . .read Armour. If you love to read out loud to a loved one in bed who is of a certain age. . . .read Armour.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this funny; enough that I laughed aloud a few times. I highly recommend reading the complete works of Shakespeare before reading this book. Also, you should join a conspiracy theory regarding the actual authorship of the plays attributed to Shakespeare, take three or four classes on the various plays, read up on the life of Shakespeare (Wikipedia is insufficient, even if you improve the entry with learned edits), learn the details of Shakespearean signature verifications (dotted S and all), and have any residual ire over possible dishonorment of Shakespeare's genius surgically removed. The prep is definitely worth the result. I'd rate this book 3.79, rounding up to a four.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great way to introduce novice students to Shakespeare. Richard Armour is witty and he gives the substance of the story somehow including the feelings students, or anyone brought up in 20 th and 21st century might have in response to the story. My students loved it. We made a performance out of Hamlet, in which we included key monologues for the students to learn. I recommend it, and whomever has the rights should re-publish. It's well worth it.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retelling of some of Shakespeare's plays with lots of puns and silly footnotes. Loved it. It helps if you're familiar with some of the plays, but these are the most popular ones. Since this was written in the 1960's, some of the jokes are someone dated, but I think someone could enjoy 90% of them.

[Oktay Yagiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious in a very Shakespearian style.

[Rajat Narula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parodies of Shakespeare's plays. Funny.

[Czarny Pies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted Tales from Shakespeare like all good comedy aims low It works very well with teenagers who are are reading Shakespeare in high school because it makes fun of the very things that they find absurd.

I read this book before I read anything by Shakespeare. However, I had seen several movies including the notorious Julius Caesar with Marlon Brando. In the sixties there was only one TV station available on the the antenna and so children were introduced to Shakespeare at a very early age. My older sister was also obliged to take me along if she wanted to go to see one of the cinematic versions.

I suppose what this book taught me was that Shakespeare and other classical authors really could be absurd if one did not make the effort to adapt oneself to the literary conventions of the era. In high school many of my classmates protested at being forced to read Shakespeare who on first reaction appeared to be out of date and irrelevant to contemporary society. Richard Armour in opportunistic fashion wrote this book to feed on their resentment.

However, reprehensible the Twisted Tales are still very funny for anyone not appalled by crude parody.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful rendering of six of Shakespeare's best. Author Armour presents the plays in his own inimitable style. Wordplay, mangled text, puns, and satire are rife. If one has had contact with the plays, these become evident. If not, much of the humor is missed. Personally, the highlights were the "footnotes." For example, Lady Macbeth, upon hearing of Duncan's murder, has a "studied" reaction...[footnote: "Especially by young tragic actresses."]. Each play is followed by a ten question "quiz." These are priceless. All in all, an enjoyable, light-hearted read.

[MsAprilVincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a spoof of some of Shakespeare's plays. Armour summarizes them and makes fun of them at the same time.

I first read this when I was in college, and my best friend and I snickered over it when we discovered it in a local library. (She later stole it.)

At times it is humorous, yes, but it's no longer as laugh-out-loud funny as it was when I was showing it to my non-English major friends and watching the puzzled looks on their faces when they didn't get the jokes.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Armour must have been a marvelous professor. What a delight to have an amusing prof talking about Shakespeare, poking mild fun at the heap of actors onstage at the end of a tragedy. And of course, reading his books, I enjoy all the silly footnotes. It's a bit like Terry Pratchett, without the plot.

Interlibrary loan.

[Chasmom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned how much fun it was to read aloud with friends, since whoever didn't have a side-stitch restricting sensible breathing had to take over from the stricken lector. This book was good for late-night silliness from high school through college and beyond. Another book I have to keep replacing due to excessive wear.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of laugh out loud fun for any fan of the Bard. Also lots of grins those who were bored out of their minds studying Shakespeare's plays in high school or college. Armour's book is hysterical and simultaneously rooted in decent scholarship. He twists Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello.

[Lynne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is howling funny as Armour messes with Shakespeare's books. The book stays faithful to the plot then takes off, full speed ahead. Anyone who has taken a course about Shakespeare will love how Amour twists the stories.
I bought it in hard cover and read it so many times, the binding broke. One of my all time favorites!

[Glenn Proven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was read by everyone in my house growing up. My father, an english teacher, loved the humor. My brother got his son in trouble because the boy would always hear his dad state, "McDuff, McDuff, I've had enough." The lad thought it was actually a line from MacBeth.

The humor is clever and quick, but don't use this book as cliff notes.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hysterical - kind of like cliffsnotes for comedians/nnes. If you can find a copy, buy it. Definitely worth owning - for every work by Shakespeare you should read, but would rather not, this is a silly, classic way to get the basic plot.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have thought this was very funny in junior high. I always enjoy retellings, especially of Shakespeare. However, this guy thought he was a comedian, and I got tired of rolling my eyes. I'm even a pun collector, but his were tiring.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it when I read it while at university and I still had a good laugh when I read it this weekend. It's a nice quick read and now that I have a copy again, I will dip into it from time to time and keep it along with my Rumpoles and Woody Allens and Stephen Piles.

[Fenil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes from this one. But most of the jokes are very subtle and others pretty average. All in all, I enjoyed reading it.

Also, did you know that most of Shakespeare's plots suck? If it weren't for the language, I'm not sure he'd have been The Bard.

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny then, funny now. Oh Matt Kelly and reading enrichment!