two doorways with an elegant woman standing in one and a large tiger head in the other

The Lady, or the Tiger?

by Francis Richard Stockton

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Media Adaptations

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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" was transformed into a three-act operetta on May 7, 1888, at Wallack's Theatre in New York, with Stockton attending the opening night. Simultaneously, another company premiered the play at the Elephant and Castle Theatre in London. Neither production enjoyed a lengthy run, although the American version saw a brief revival in the 1890s.

In 1970, the Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation adapted "The Lady, or the Tiger?" into a film. The story was reimagined in a space-age setting, and an additional 11-minute discussion about the story, led by Clifton Fadiman, was produced concurrently. Both short films are available on videotape through Britannica Films.

Bibliography and Further Reading

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Sources

Golemba, Henry L., "Frank R. Stockton," in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Vol 74: American Short-Story Writers Before 1880, Gale, 1988, pp. 341-47.

Pattee, Fred Lewis. The Development of the American Short Story: An Historical Survey, Harper & Bros., 1923, pp. 296-98.

Quiller-Couch, Sir Arthur. "Mr. Stockton," in Adventures in Criticism, Putnam, 1925, pp. 211-15.

Further Reading

Golemba, Henry L., Frank R. Stockton, Twayne, 1981, pp. 144-46. This work provides insightful criticism on "The Lady, or the Tiger?," focusing on its themes and techniques.

Howells, William Dean. "Stockton's Stories," in The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. L1X, No. 351, January 1887, pp. 130-32. This review evaluates two of Stockton's short story collections, highlighting his achievements as a short fiction writer.

For Further Reference

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Bowen, Edwin W. "The Fiction of Frank R. Stockton." The Sewanee Review XXVIII (summer 1920): 452-62. Bowen explores several of Stockton's major works, drawing broad conclusions about the author's style and technique.

"Francis Richard Stockton." Harper's Weekly XLVI (May 3, 1902): 555. Reprinted in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism, vol. 47, edited by Laurie Dimauro. Detroit: Gale, 1993, pp. 310-33. The anonymous critic analyzes Stockton's unique blend of the exotic and the real, creating a distinctive narrative voice.

Griffin, Martin I. J. Frank R. Stockton: A Critical Biography. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1939, pp. 64-68. Griffin provides an overview of "The Lady or the Tiger?" and delves into the philosophical questions raised by the story's final scene.

Howells, William Dean. "The Novels and Stories of Frank R. Stockton." The Atlantic Monthly LXXXVII (January 1901): 136-38. Howells discusses Stockton's perspective on life and its impact on his writing.

May, Jill P. "Francis Richard Stockton." In Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 42: American Writers for Children before 1900, edited by Glenn E. Estes. Detroit: Gale, 1985, pp. 332-38. An overview of Stockton's works targeted at children.

Pforzheimer, Walter L. "The Lady, the Tiger, and the Author." The Colophon I (Autumn 1935): 261-70. The critic offers insights into the publication and reception of Stockton's short story.

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