A Christmas Carol is a wonderful and immortal holiday tale by the English playwright, William Shakespeare. This article is based off William Shakespeare's Christmas Carol, by Ian Doescher. All right reserved. No copyright intended.
Plot
The story stars a stingy and selfish theater owner named Ebeneezer Scrooge. Who also hated Christmas and never found any meaning for it (since it didn't provide more money). His clerk Benedick Cratchit, and his nephew Ferdinand, however, both love Christmas. One Christmas Eve, seven years following the death of Scrooge's partner, Christopher Marlowe (inspired from the real playwright of the same name), Scrooge is visited by his nephew, who wishes him a 'Merry Christmas' and invites him to dinner with him and his wife. Scrooge declines and replies 'Christmas, Bah Humbug'. After Ferdinand leaves, Scrooge is visited by 2 gentlemen who are looking for a money donation for the poor and homeless. But Scrooge refuses to give one, saying his taxes support the prisons and the badly off should go there. Upon hearing that many can't and would rather die, Scrooge claims they'd better die to decrease the surplus population.
After allowing Benedick Cratchit the day off on Christmas, Scrooge goes home. But upon preparing for bed, he's visited by the spirit of his partner, Christopher Marlowe, wrapped in chains. Marlowe tells Scrooge his chains were forged in life from his acts of greed and that Scrooge would befall the same fate. Scrooge, however, still has a hope to escape it; to be visited by 3 other spirits and that the 1st would arrive at 1am. At that time, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Christmas past, in the form of a little girl, dressed in white with a bright glow. The spirit show Scrooge how he was left alone at school during childhood, until he was brought home by his sister, Fran (who eventually dies a woman and gave birth to Scrooge's nephew). The spirit continues to Scrooge's apprenticeship under Fezziwig and the Christmas party where he found true love with Belle and became engaged. However, Scrooge's love of money overtook him and Belle left him with a broken heart.
After returning home, Scrooge encounters the Ghost of Christmas Present, a jolly bearded figure in a sleek red robe, wearing a wreath on his head. The spirit show Scrooge Christmas in London; carolers, families, and feasts. The spirit then takes Scrooge to the home of his clerk, Benedick Cratchit, along with his wife and 4 children. There Scrooge sees how much the Cratchits have with the money he pays Ben, along with their weak yet pure-hearted son, Timothy. When Scrooge asks what becomes of the child, the spirit answers that if the present isn't changed, the child would die. Later, Scrooge visits his nephew and niece-in-law and sees how they have fun and include Scrooge, despite what he did. The spirit then reveals to Scrooge, 2 children from beneath his robe, claiming they belong to those who deny their own existence in the world. A boy named 'Ignorance' and a girl named 'want', who both spell trouble for those invisible in the world.
Left alone, Scrooge sees the final spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, a tall, dark and frightful, cloaked figure with no face. The spirit guides Scrooge to the future, where he sees and hears some gentleman talking about someone's death that occurred and that no one may mourn for him. Scrooge then witnesses 3 thieves (who'd stolen from the house of the dead man) bringing in their loot for money (including bed curtains and blankets). Scrooge realizes this unhappy man's case may be his own because his life already plays out that way. The spirit then brings Scrooge to a morgue, where he sees the corpse of the dead man covered by a blanket. The spirit urges Scrooge to reveal the face, but he wouldn't. Scrooge demands to see tenderness with death, so he's shown the Cratchit family, miserable over the death of Tiny Tim. The spirit brings Scrooge to a cemetery, pointing to the grave of the dead man with no mourners. First, Scrooge asks if someone's life changes, so do the ends to it. Scrooge uncovers the grave, revealing his own name and that he was the man upon the bed. Scrooge pleas to the spirit for mercy and vows to change, keep Christmas always, and never shut out the spirits' lessons.
Scrooge wakes up back in his own room. He starts to keep the promises he made and thanks Marlowe on his knees. Scrooge happily opens a window and asks a child what day it is. When he hears it's Christmas, Scrooge realizes he didn't miss it and the spirits did it all in one night. He then gives the boy money to go buy the prize turkey, he then sends it to the Cratchits by cab under anonymous. While walking through the streets, Scrooge encounters the gentlemen again and whispers a large donation he plans to give them. Scrooge then visits his nephew and his wife, they gladly welcome him. The next day, Cratchit arrives late for work and Scrooge fakes anger with him and surprises Cratchit with a raise in his salary. Scrooge then gleefully offers to help the Cratchits anyway he can. Scrooge keeps all his promises and does more, he becomes a 2nd father to Tiny Tim, who doesn't die. Scrooge became as good a friend, master, and man as the city ever had and he knew how to keep Christmas well.
Rumors and Origins
It was said that Shakespeare came up with the story to help show people how Christmas can be celebrated. In his time, Christmas was a prayer and carnival holiday. Also, religious reformers were losing patience and tolerance for the rowdy part of the holiday. After A Christmas Carol was performed at the globe theater, many people (including religious reformers) started to see that Christmas could be a time of opening hearts to others and gathering the family.
Another theory is that Shakespeare got it from a rumor that Oliver Cromwell, leader of the religious reformers at the time, had the exact ghostly hauntings: That he'd been visited by the ghost of Protestant promoter, Martin Luther, along with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. With them, Cromwell was said to have seen the history of the Christmas holiday, how it affects other people's lives (especially families), and a snowbound apocalypse that God would send down should Cromwell intervene with the holiday.
Adaptations
The story was destined for immortality and to be retold to every new generation. The 1st ever adaptation of the story was in 1843, courtesy of England's most popular writer of the time, Charles Dickens. Dickens reinterpreted Shakespeare's great tale and brought it into the Victorian Era. Nevertheless, the original concept of the story continued to endure. Both the 'Shakespeare' and 'Dickens' versions of the story would be performed on stage and on screen for decades to come.
Literature
Timothy Cratchit's Christmas Carol, 1917 (1998) - a sequel to the Victorian version with 'Tiny' Tim Cratchit in the starring role.
Film
There have been many versions of the story turned into movies, mostly of the Victorian version. However, the 1st ever film adaptation of the story was based off the Elizabethan version, courtesy of Thomas Edison, inventor of the first motion pictures.
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) - an animated version of the story, starring Mister Magoo (the 1st ever animated Christmas TV special)
A Looney Tunes Christmas Carol (1979) - a Looney Tunes special with Yosemite Sam playing Scrooge.
An American Christmas Carol (1979) - an American version of the story set in Depression-era New England.
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - an animated version with all Disney all-stars, including the debut of Scrooge McDuck.
A Jetsons Christmas Carol (1985) - a Christmas special for the Hanna-Barbara TV show, starring Mr. Spacely as Scrooge.
Scrooged! - (1988) - a modernized version of the story, starring Bill Murray.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - a musical film where the story incorporates the Muppets (Dedicated to Jim Henson, directed by his son, Bryan Henson)
A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994) - an animated special of the "Flintstones" show, where the characters put on their own play version of the story, starring Fred as Scrooge.
All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998) - an animated special of the story incorporated into All Dogs Go to Heaven.
Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2001) - a 'Winnie the Pooh' version of the story adapted for Easter, starring Roo and Rabbit.
Bah Humduck, A Looney Tunes Christmas (2006) - Another 'Looney Tunes' version fo the story, starring Daffy Duck.
Barbie in A Christmas Carol (2008) - a 'Barbie-ized' all female version of the 'Victorian story'.
An American Carol (2008) - an American take on the film where a documentary film maker tries to boycott Independence Day for America's warring situations. After a warning form his idol, John F. Kennedy, he's visited by 3 spirits of America (Past - George S. Patton, Present - George Washington, and Future - Trace Adkins) to show him other views of America.
A Christmas Carol (2009) - a performance-capture animated version starring Jim Carrey as Scrooge and the 3 ghosts.
Television
Other than TV movies, the story of A Christmas Carol has been made into special episodes of many different TV franchises.
Xmas Marks the Spot - a Christmas special for the animated TV show, The Real Ghostbusters. On Christmas Eve, the Ghostbusters end up mistakenly going back in time to London, Christmas Eve, 1837. There, they unknowingly encounter Scrooge and the 3 Christmas ghosts and capture the ghosts before they could redeem Scrooge. When they get back, the Ghostbusters realized that Christmas was gone and Scrooge wrote a book, A Christmas Humbug. Realizing they changed the past, they had to go back and fix things (by posing as the Christmas ghosts for Scrooge until Harold Ramis' original character gets them out of the containment unit to bring them back). Then, the ghosts send the Ghostbusters back to their rightful timeline.
A Dickens of a Christmas - a Christmas special for the Back to the Future animated series. When Marty and the Browns visit Victorian England for a 'Christmas in July', Clara gets arrested and sent to prison by Ebiffnezer Tannen (a 'Scrooge' Tannen ancestor), and Jules and Verne chase a pick-pocket for the DeLorean keys. While Doc and Einstein go after the boys, Marty tries to help Clara by 'redeeming' Tannen as the 'Ghost of Christmas'. The going was tough, but it turns out briefly successful by Christmas.
An Easter Carol - a Veggietales special version of the story, starring Mr. Nezzar and adapted for Easter. Which teaches Nezzar and the viewers the real reason we celebrate Easter.
A Witchmas Carol - a Christmas special for Sabrina: the Animated Series, where Sabrina and her aunts try to 'redeem' Gem Stone by playing the 3 Ghosts of Christmas.
A Christmas Cruella - a Christmas special for the 101 Dalmatians: the Animated Series with Cruella as Scrooge and the starring pups as the ghosts (Cadpig - Christmas Past, Rolly - Christmas Present, and Spot - Christmas Future).
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol - a direct-to-DVD adaptation with Oscar getting the ghostly visits with some 'Sesame flare', including clips from other Sesame Street holiday specials (Elmo's World: Christmas, Elmo Saves Christmas).
Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure - a holiday special for Dora the Explorer where Swiper and Dora go through time (as Scrooge and the Ghosts did), visiting past and future versions of themselves while trying to redeem Swiper when he gets on Santa's 'naughty' list.
A Lost Claus - a holiday special for the Cartoon Network animated series, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. After seeing multiple 'imaginary' Santas (imagined by excited kids every Christmas season) at Foster's, Mac loses faith that there's a 'real' Santa Claus. Meanwhile, Bloo is upset that Mr. Herringman is only buying every friend at Foster's 1 Christmas present. Remembering 'A Christmas Carol', Bloo dresses like the ghosts of Bob Marley (the Jamaican Reggae musician in place of Jacob Marley), 'A' Christmas Present (a moving and talking gift box), and Future (a futuristic scary robot possibly based off Terminator) to scare Mr. Herringman to buy more gifts. It's misunderstood, however, but fixed in the end.
A Hearth's Warming Tale - the holiday special (and 8th episode) for the 6th Season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, with a title and plot similar to the story. The newest character, Starlight Glimmer (Princess Twlight Sparkle's enemy-turned-friend and sole pupil), has holiday blues and doesn't find real purposes for celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve (the Equestrian version of Christmas), so Twilight and Spike try to lift her spirits by reading her a story, A Hearth's Warming Tale, with Starlight depicting the star character (and other mane characters portraying others in the story (ghosts: Applejack - past, Pinkie Pie - present, and Luna - future, each with their own musical number)). After hearing the story, Starlight starts to see the meaning of Hearth's Warming Eve and takes part in the celebrations at Twilight's castle.
Scroogey-Doo - The holiday special (and 10th episode) for the 2nd season of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo. The gang appears in London at the time of Scrooge's hauntings, when they investigate, Victorian Velma is also visited by the 3 ghosts, who convince her that her brilliant mind is wasted solving mysteries with her friends (Past - how her 'destiny' diverted when she joined the gang, Present - how her friends don't really care about her dreams, and Future - how she may 'become a mystery' herself as revenge for her squandered life'). However, she realizes what's really happening and the 'Future' ghost is revealed to be a doctor who's been taking advantage of Scrooge's fear to diagnose him for more money and wanted to expand his patient list by getting Scrooge to care about others'. So he dresses up as Marley and the 3 Christmas ghosts to scare Scrooge into redemption, and because Velma (as the brains of the group) presented a threat to his plans, does the same to her. By using a 'reflective' method of hypnosis on them. After that, Velma realizes she can be who she wants and solve mysteries. On the downside, Scrooge remains stingy, believing nothing bad will happen to him. Notes: 1st time hypnosis is put in the series (so far), 1st real incorporation of A Christmas Carol in the Scooby-Doo franchise, 2nd time a popular group of ghost catchers ruins a Christmas Carol (1st in The Real Ghostbusters; Xmas Marks the Spot), 5th time hypnosis is used on Velma (1st: What's New Scooby-Doo? - Mummy Scares Best, 2nd: Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy, 3rd and 4th: Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated - Dance of the Undead and Nightmare in Red)