An interpretation of shakespeare's character additions

Abstract

Four years ago I had the opportunity, which I accepted, of reading a friend's new play before it was offered for production. It was a fantasy, and was based on a story by a well-known contemporary English writer. The play was not a particularly good one and was not accepted, the author, as he told me, being far too busy to re-write it "a fifth time," incorporating new suggestions. But I was acquainted with the story on which the play was based and, struck with two characters in the play, dug out the story and re-read it. As I had suspected, the two characters who had interested me in the reading,- a humourous Air Force pilot and his willing girl friend, were not in the source. Yet these two characters were the most significant and memorable people in the play.