Spectator competition winners: #MeToo lit

Anthony Horowitz’s reflections on creating female characters for his latest Bond novel prompted me to invite you to provide an extract from a well-known work that might be considered sexist by today’s standards and rework it for the #MeToo age. Highlights in a thoroughly enjoyable entry included Brian Allgar’s Constance Chatterley instructing Mellors in the importance of foreplay, Paul Freeman’s recasting of Orwell’s antihero as Weinstein Smith and Hugh King addressing the gender stereotyping in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The worthy winners, printed below, earn £20 each.

Sylvia Smith/Sonnet 18 ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’; Well, frankly, Will, I’d rather you did NOT. You’ll find some fanciful poetic way Of tarting up the message: ‘Babe, you’re hot!’ It will, no doubt, be finely written stuff By one who’s at the summit of his powers, But honestly, instead of all that guff, I’d rather have some chocolates or flowers. When offering a ‘gift’ of poetry, The writer tends to have himself in view, And though ostensibly addressed to me, I’m sure we’ll find the subject’s really you.