136 Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro layer to the publishing history of Brazilian literary translations of Canadian authors, this new volume breaks the chain of Atwood’s translations that up to now were being published by Rocco as pointed out in Carneiro (2018 and forthcoming). This recent addition to Atwood’s translations casts us three years back to review her compelling retelling of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. Before I move on, you will be pleased to know that you need not be acquainted with the original The Tempest to enjoy Hag-Seed. However, if need be, you shall find a handy synopsis of Shakespeare’s play at the end of the book. Even so, some passages of the novel may become more The good, the bad, and the ugly meaningful if you are familiar with the particular phrasing of the play. sides of revenge in Hag-Seed. This is not the first time Atwood ATWOOD, Margaret. Hag-Seed. retells a well-known tale. As part of the London: Hogarth, 2016. 293p. Canongate Myth Series, a project aimed Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro¹ at reimagining ancient myths from various cultures, she wrote The Penelopiad (2005) Submetido em 27 e aprovado em 28 de agosto de 2019. in which she revisits Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey from the female characters’ Margaret Atwood’s novel Hag-Seed perspectives. This time, Hag-Seed is part was translated into Brazilian Portuguese of the Hogarth Shakespeare Project (2015) in 2018 as Semente de Bruxa. It was which honours the Bard of Avon’s 400th published by Morro Branco and translated anniversary by commissioning authors to by Heci Regina Candiani. Adding another reimagine his plays as prose novels to a Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 19, n. 2, 2019, p. 136-140. The good, the bad, and the ugly sides of revenge in Hag-Seed. ATWOOD, Margaret. Hag-Seed. London: Hogarth, 2016. 293p. 137 contemporary readership. As of 2018 the and choices. No sort of black and white collection includes The Gap of Time (2015, character is to be found in her works The Winter’s Tale) by Jeanette Winterson, either, but then again, how colourful and Shylock is My Name (2016, The Merchant beauteous mankind is, huh? of Venice) by Howard Jacobson, Vinegar In Hag-Seed, Atwood lingers on Girl (2016, The Taming of the Shrew) by the theme of imprisonment and liberty Anne Tyler, New Boy (2017, Othello) by with a take on the morality of revenge Tracy Chevalier, Dunbar (2017, King through a retelling of Shakespeare’s Lear) by Edward St Aubyn, Macbeth comedy The Tempest, but this time set in (2018, Macbeth) by Jo Nesbø, and Hamlet the innards of a slammer where inmates (forthcoming) by Gillian Flynn. restage the play. She seizes readers’ Atwood has sung the structures and attention from the get-go with a tense and strictures of social life in her numerous elliptical prologue styled as a play. Then novels. In The Handmaid’s Tale, for in prose she introduces Felix Phillips, instance, freedom, particularly women’s bereaved husband and father, once a freedom, becomes a much coveted asset big name as theater artistic director in in the theocratic dictatorship it portrays. Canada, now failed, despondent, and bent Freedom is also at stake in The Heart on exacting revenge. After being wronged Goes Last, in which the combined by his co-worker Tony and his associates, collapse of a capitalist society and the he lies low for twelve years in a fairy-like greed of corporatists mislead its citizens hovel until the time is ripe for effecting into being voluntarily locked up in a city, his vengeful scheme. What goes around a social experiment that promised to be comes around, right? a real boon to their lives, but that turns Leaving the dark backward and out to be more of a bane really (cf. XXX, abysm of time, he begins tutoring inmates 2018). Moral and ethical conundrums are of a correctional institution, where every also lurking between the lines of Atwood’s season he and his pupils – thieves, drug stories, that is, how her characters and, dealers, embezzlers, man-slaughterers, by extension, her readers are morally fraudsters, con men – study a Shakespeare’s and ethically implicated in their actions play and mount a full production of Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 19, n. 2, 2019, p. 136-140. 138 Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro it (special effects and all), that is then that this makes for some hilarious moments. recorded and broadcast in the cells’ closed- Setting the humorous side apart, Felix’s circuit TVs. It is while staging The Tempest teaching strategy contributes to developing that Felix seizes the opportunity to avenge the inmates’ literacy. As he thinks, “Your himself on his wrongdoers. The play also profanity, thinks Felix, has oft been your represents an outlet for Felix’s remorseful whoreson hag-born progenitor of literacy” feelings upon the death of his beloved (ATWOOD, 2016, p. 89). Not only that, three-year-old-daughter Miranda, named the use of literature to promote literacy after Prospero’s daughter. in a context of incarceration is a relevant Now, you may be thinking, how can issue to be considered by educators and a play possibly provide room for someone policy-makers in the real world as it can seeking revenge? It is just a fictional contribute to inmates general wellbeing performance, isn’t it? Well, think again, as (cf. CANNING, 2017). you are well in for a surprise! Then again, Thus, despite his vengeful the play is the thing, don’t you think? feelings, manipulative tendencies, and Although Atwood always keeps unwholesome ends, Felix ends up doing her ear to the ground, she does not break good to other people, especially to his very new ground with this novel, as it students. The inmates’ lives are somewhat resembles some of her other ones in form changed in the production of the play. As and tone, especially the preceding one, The life in prison can be grim and gloomy, Felix Heart Goes Last (cf. CARNEIRO, 2018). gives them something to aspire to and long Nevertheless, her ironic, playful, pacy, for. In the course of reading, rehearsing and humorous style makes for one of the and acting the plays, he instils discipline funniest novels you are likely to come by. and confidence in them, helping them hone The very title, for instance, stems from a their skills, exercise their empathy, and bunch of Shakespearean swear words, above all realise their self-worth, which which Felix’s students are required to are important concerns for those who will compile while reading the play and use supposedly get a second chance at life in during rehearsals; no other usual swearing society. Art embodied in literature and is allowed, though. It goes without saying acting is a key element in this process as the Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 19, n. 2, 2019, p. 136-140. The good, the bad, and the ugly sides of revenge in Hag-Seed. ATWOOD, Margaret. Hag-Seed. London: Hogarth, 2016. 293p. 139 following hopeful extracts illustrate: “the Now, does Felix manage to brew limelight shone briefly and in an obscure the perfect storm and create the ultimate corner, but it shone” (ATWOOD, 2016, p. illusion to ensnare his foes? If he does, 58); “watching the many faces watching does it make him feel any the better? their own faces as they pretended to be And, would you dismiss him altogether or someone else – Felix found that strangely give him a storm of applause? Once your moving. For once in their lives, they loved revels are ended you will see that Hag- themselves” (ATWOOD, 2016, p. 58). Seed is a veritable lead-in to thoughtful The dated chapters heighten the reflections on many a topic, including art, tension as the evil day for The Tempest fictional immersion, literacy, the dreams performance, and Felix’s revenge, you are made on, the transient nature of approaches. The chapters are cast as if your endeavours, the parts you play, and in the grey half-light of dawn, mingled the everyday prisons you put yourself with Felix’s inner scurvy monster’s into. Like Shakespeare, Atwood leaves the desire, the illusory presence of his final reckoning to you, who should make deceased daughter, and the hope of a new a choice, or not, as to how worthwhile beginning. As the inmates progress on vengeance can be. As you near the end their study of the play, creating rap lyrics of the novel, and the staged world of the for the scenes and adapting the dialogues, play merges with the world outside it, you they are required to pinpoint nine different cannot help but wonder how close or how forms of imprisonment in it, the last one far apart life is from art. After all, as the of which is held back until the end. They Bard has it “All the world’s a stage,/And are also required, as a last assignment, to all the men and women merely players.” tell what happens to the characters they So go on, play your parts, break played once their act is over. In sum, they a leg! are made to interact and respond to the References: play in the most creative possible way, which renders their reading experience ATWOOD, M. Hag-Seed. London: Hogarth, 2016. more meaningful and immersive. CANNING, P. Text World Theory and real world readers: From literature to life in a Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v.