This close study of film adaptations of King Lear looks at
several different versions (mainstream, art-house and cinematic
`offshoots') and discusses: the literary text in its historical
context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is
adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the
original text.
There are many references to the literary text and screenplays and
the book also features quotations from directors and critics. There is
plenty of discursive material here to support student work on both film
and literature courses.
Yvonne Griggs is Lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of New England, Australia. Her research interests include adaptation studies, screenwriting, Shakespeare on screen and neo-Victorian metafiction. She is the author of the book Screen Adaptations: Shakespeare's King Lear (Methuen Drama, 2009).
Deborah Cartmell is Professor of English and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, at De Montfort University, UK. A founding member of many organisations (including Literature on Screen and the Association of Adaptation Studies), she is Secretary of the Council for College and University English. As well as being general editor of the Screen Adaptations series, in 2010 she authored Screen Adaptations: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (2010).