Retelling in the context of media and literary studies refers to works that are significantly based on other works, but present the story in a somewhat different way from its predecessor.[1] [2]
"Maid Marian, the Forest Queen, being a companion to 'Robin Hood.'". From a 1849 book.
Retelling in literature involves a purposeful remaking of a story so that it is similar but not identical its predecessor.[3] [4] Some retellings can evoke only minor changes; other can be more significant - retold stories can change genres, styles and points of view of narration, or mediums; for example, a written story can be retold through illustrations, or told through a point of view of an antagonist or a side character. Retold stories will often be shaped by metanarrative (major aspects of culture) relevant to a culture and time of the retelling. Some retellings have simplified material; others have changed it to make it more appealing and relevant to the changing audience (for example, by focusing on female characters to reflect the feminist perspective; something that has been common for example in recent Disney retellings, such as Maleficent). Some retold stories can be parodies of the original material.
A properly retold story should convince the reader to see the new version as more correct. A number of stories have indeed been significantly shaped by retellings, leading to major and enduring changes. For example, the tale of Robin Hood in the last few decades have seen the increased significance of the character of Maid Marian; while the story of Aladdin has, in similar time frame, changed to include the motif of three wishes.
The concept of retelling stories has been discussed by literary scholars as early as in the 10th century.
Retelling is common in cases of works that are seen as "traditional" or "classic", i.e. stories that have significant cultural impact, such as myths and legends (ex. Greek myths, Sanskrit epics or Arthurian legends), modern classics (such as works of Shakespeare) as well as religious texts such as the Bible.[5] It is also common in children's literature, fairy tales and folklore stories. Fan fiction is often based on retelling stories.[6]
It is also the tool used to transform children's literature into fantasy literature, removing simplified fairy tale elements but leaving magic and other supernatural aspects. Many works of urban fantasy are retellings, through portraying classic myths, legends or fairy tales in the modern setting.
Examples of retellings include:
The concept of retelling in literature is similar to that of a remake (or reimagining, as well as reboot) in the film, movie and video game industry; it has also been suggested that the concept on remake focuses on technological advances in those industries, while retelling refers to culturally-driven changes in the plot).[7] Retelling stories can also imply the simpler concept of abridgement, and in this context is used in education studies.[8]