Liberating Shakespeare

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The collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital shaming, violence against women, and racial injustice are just a few of the pressing issues faced by young adults today. This collection explores how adaptations of Shakespeare's plays can empower young audiences by addressing themes of oppression, trauma, and resistance. Over the past 25 years, the number of adaptations targeting adolescents has significantly increased. The book examines various forms, including YA novels, teen films like *10 Things I Hate About You* and *Romeo + Juliet*, video games such as *Elsinore* and the *Life is Strange* series, all of which invite young audiences to see themselves in Shakespeare's characters. It also highlights recent digital adaptations that reimagine Shakespeare's works as first-person video diaries, tackling contemporary cultural issues like violence and race relations. The chapters discuss whether these representations can serve as empowering models for students and how they might be integrated into educational settings. Ultimately, it argues that YA adaptations of Shakespeare reflect the diverse concerns of today's youth and should be recognized as significant art that addresses the complexities of a fractured world while offering hope for the future.