Fan fiction is a fascinating genre. Someone writes a book which becomes so beloved that fanatical readers cannot get enough of the characters and the world in which they live. Some of these fanatics start dreaming up new stories and other devoted fanatics gobble up these stories.
Truth be told, fan fiction is not particularly well-noted for the quality of the prose or the stories. It is mostly juvenile writing with adolescent plots.
A question which I had never pondered ere now is: Who is the Greatest Fan Fiction author of all time? The answer is surprisingly easy: William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare is a guy from some obscure town in England named after a popular cosmetic line of all things. He read George Martin’s Game of Thrones (or, to be pedantic, A Song of Ice and Fire) and obviously loved it. As is well known, Martin is a very annoying author. Only five of the seven books in the series have been published; and as Martin is growing long in tooth, there is a race between his inevitable demise and the completion of the remaining books. I don’t think anyone is betting on the latter at this point.
Game of Thrones is really good; the HBO series made it UberFamous, but, as with all such things, the books are even better. Young Billy Shakespeare was clearly so excited about the books that he couldn’t leave well-enough alone, so he started filling the void Martin has created.
Shakespeare’s first bit of fan fiction was Henry VI, part 2, which gives you a good idea of the ambitions of these fan fiction types. Later on, Shakespeare would write a prequel to his own work, cleverly entitled Henry VI, part 1. (I’m not making that up; part 1 was written after part 2.)
Now Shakespeare tries to mask his fan fiction a bit, presumably for copyright related reasons. So instead of the Lannisters vs the Starks, Shakespeare gives us the Lancasters vs the Yorks. Yeah, those name changes will confuse people.
The Lancasters are on the throne. The head of the Yorks thinks he should be on the throne. Civil War ensues. But wait! There are about a half-dozen other people with aspirations to the throne. All sorts of shifting alliances and betrayals. The King is a rather weak fellow, who clings to the throne because his father was Great. The Queen is a scheming woman, having an affair with another guy with royal ambitions. There are warring armies, pirates at sea, and beheaded people galore. One particularly upright lord has a wife who dabbles in black magic, hoping to advance his cause. She summons a spirit from “where Pluto is his fiery wagon sits,”—a veritable lord of fire. (Are you admiring Shakespeare’s shocking originality yet?)
Not content with just the single book, Shakespeare, like all fan fiction writers, finishes his book with the perfect set-up for a sequel. (Guess the title of the sequel to Henry VI, part 2.)
As far as fan fiction goes, Henry VI, part 2 is good. Actually, as hard as it is to believe, it is actually more than good. It is outstanding. The writing is superb. Honestly, it is better than even Martin’s prose. Shakespeare has this incredible way to take even tired ideas for scenes and overused witticisms and make them into something that feels fresh.
Consider Act IV, in which a new pretender to the crown shows up. In the midst of the rebellions and court intrigue, a clothier, Jack Cade, decides to rise up with a band of workingmen and claim the throne for himself. It is a popular rebellion! The people, tired of the games the nobility play, will take matters into their own hands. Cade promises a veritable worker’s paradise:
Cade: Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hooped pot; shall have ten hoops and I will make it felony to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in common; and in Cheapside shall my palfrey go to grass: and when I am king, as king I will be,—
All Cade’s Followers: God save your majesty!
Cade: I thank you, good people: there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my score; and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers and worship me their lord.
Dick (the Butcher): The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.
Cade: Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable thing that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment? That parchment, being scribbled o’er, should undo a man? Some say the bee stings: but I say, ’tis the bee’s wax; for I did but seal once to a thing, and I was never mine own man since.
OK, so that bit about killing all the lawyers has been done to death. But, note how Shakespeare turns a tired phrase into a much deeper point about how laws and contracts are made and how those who did not make the laws can suffer thereby.
Note also the preceding bit where Cade repeats the kinds of slogans we have been hearing from utopians for a couple of hundred years. Abolish money and have the government provide what is needed! Get rid of conspicuous consumption! There is no need for allowing a difference of opinion once the right people are in charge! All shall agree!
Like many a utopian leader, Cade meets his end when the people prove fickle. Cade laments, “Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this multitude?” Therein lies the question which runs through this tale. Who should sit on the throne? In this game is there a claim which supersedes all others? Or is it merely a question of who plays the game best? In the game of thrones, you either win or you die? Shall we play? If you were the Kingmaker, who wins?
Ah, you are glad we no longer play such games where nobility engage in endless maneuvers moving up and down the halls of power. Popular sovereignty is best? You want Jack Cade as your leader? But alas, your people inevitably end up running to the person who promises them the most. Maybe you don’t trust the people after all.
A tricky problem, this question of who should rule. Let us hope that William Shakespeare is encouraged by his earliest efforts and will bring us more tales wrestling with questions of leadership. For ideas, I might suggest Plutarch’s Lives. (There is an excellent translation by North he could use.) I suspect it will provide even better source material than A Song of Ice and Fire.
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