Rewriting in Literature

The concept of "rewriting" in literature refers to the act of rewriting works of art to improve the story. This rewriting could involve creating a new story from the perspective of characters who were not given much focus in a novel or any other fictional work or filling in plot holes or events that haven't been adequately addressed in the readers' view.

When I reflect on the literary approach of rewriting, which was one of the methods that caught my attention the most during my university years, I realise that many fan fiction are actually examples of rewriting. Stories written to focus on another character in the Harry Potter series can be examples of this approach. There were books I read that had stories needing more depth, but unfortunately, their authors no longer had the opportunity to expand on them as they were written centuries ago.

One of the many books where I thought, "If I were the author, I wouldn’t continue it this way—I’d steer events differently," is Jane Eyre, which actually has its own version in the literary approach of rewriting. The line 'Reader, I married him,' one of the most famous lines from Jane Eyre, is also the title of a book in the rewriting concept. When we examine Jane Eyre from a feminist perspective, it’s inevitable to notice quite disturbing and unsettling events. Even if we wanted to shout at the pages that Jane has options other than marrying Mr. Rochester, the character has already declared, 'Reader, I married him.'

Reader, I Married Him is a book edited by Tracy Chevalier, composed of stories inspired by Charlotte Brontë. There are many stories inspired by Jane Eyre, including ones where the line 'Reader, I married him' is rephrased as 'Reader, she married me,' told from Mr. Rochester’s perspective, and even a version where, instead of the madwoman in the attic, there’s a parrot because Rochester was never previously married.

In my previous article, Must Read Feminist Works, I mentioned how women’s lives have often been told through the voices of men, which doesn’t reflect reality. While the emergence of female authors—more accurately, the act of women claiming their works under their own names—has somewhat steered us away from this illusion, the literary approach of rewriting holds significant importance in correcting past misrepresentations. Let’s admit it: when we heard about the madwoman in the attic, we were all frustrated with Mr. Rochester. Who wouldn’t want to rewrite the story so that Mr. Rochester has no 'red flags,' no madwoman in the attic to make the book a romantic one, and where he is fully honest with Jane?

One of the main reasons I love the literary approach of rewriting so much is that it allows me to gain more insight into the characters I know from the classics or to read about their stories through theories developed later about them. Yes, I’m talking about The Song of Achilles—a novel by Madeline Miller that tells of the friendship and love between Achilles and his close friend Patroclus, whom we know from The Iliad. It’s also, in my opinion, one of the greatest examples of the friends-to-lovers trope. With this novel, my connection to the rewriting approach grew even stronger, and my desire to read works in this style increased.

A universe where zombies are added to the world of Pride and Prejudice, where the sisters in Little Women are vampires, a continuation of Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's perspective, a world where Hamlet has a sister, the life of Lady Macbeth's daughter—all of these offer readers a chance to explore the intriguing and captivating lives of characters they’re curious about, or characters reimagined in a newly created universe. I also believe it’s an opportunity for aspiring authors who wish to become writers. You can also read Circe and Galatea by Madeline Miller, who, in my view, is a groundbreaking author in the rewriting approach. I think rewriting is a literary style worth exploring.

If you’re interested in exploring books using the rewriting approach, you can check out this list available on Goodreads: Rewritten Classics Books.