Shrek is one of the most famous and beloved animated franchises of all time, but before the famous ogre made it to the big screen, he made his debut back in 1990 with a book by cartoonist William Steig. Punctuated as Shrek!, the comedic picture book is a simple, yet clever story, making fun of classic fairy tale tropes. For starters, the character who would normally be the monster of the tale is now the hero. He also gets his happy ending, but not exactly the way most fairy tales would have it.
Plenty of the familiar characters fans love from the films have some analogue or counterpart in the original book. However, they often go in different directions. Some characters have completely different personalities or have different roles in the story than their more famous animated counterparts. In the end, however, they both tell a subversive fairy tale about the importance of being true to yourself. That said, some cut characters and ideas were brought back for the sequels and other spin-off media.
8 Shrek Could Breathe Fire in the Book
Early on in the films, Shrek doesn’t need to do much to scare people, as most write him off as a scary ogre on sight. In the book, however, Shrek is shown to have a variety of supernatural abilities, such as shooting fire beams from his eyes, eating lightning, and even breathing fire.
Heat Vision Comes in Handy at Lunchtime
In the films, Shrek is never shown to have any magical abilities, though being an ogre naturally makes him stronger and gives him more endurance than an average human. Interestingly, Shrek Forever After establishes that Shrek doesn’t know about all the things ogres are capable of, suggesting he might have some latent powers he simply never knew he could use.
7 Lord Farquaad Wasn’t in the Book
In the films, Shrek never expected to fall in love with Princess Fiona. After Lord Farquaad banished the kingdom’s fairy tale creatures to the swamp, Shrek ventured forth to bring Farquaad the princess in exchange for getting his swamp, as well as his peace and quiet, back. However, Farquaad isn’t in the book at all, meaning this plot device didn’t exist, either.
Even Anti-Heroes Need Villains
Instead, the book had Shrek interested in the princess the second he hears about her from the witch and this is what starts his journey to meet her. That said, unlike in the movie, the witch makes clear the princess is the girl for Shrek early on. The introduction of Lord Farquaad helps give the story a more proper villain. This makes sense for the film, since, while Shrek was something of an anti-hero in both the book and the film, he was made much more sympathetic for the animated adaptation.
6 Shrek’s Parents Made an Appearance in the Book
Shrek’s mother and father are mentioned early on in the original book. They are both described as ugly, but Shrek is said to outdo both of them put together in that regard. In time, they think that their son is ready to leave the “nest,” which is actually described as more of a “black hole,” and literally “kick” him out into the world.
They Were Brought Back for the Broadway Show
Shrek’s parents don’t appear in the animated films, though an early draft of the first movie kept them as major characters. This version would’ve portrayed them as overly protective of their son, even trying to convince him that humans love ogres. This would’ve inspired Shrek to leave home and prove himself as a knight.
In Shrek the Third, Shrek mentions his father tried to eat him. This is also the reason Shrek has reservations about becoming a father himself. In Shrek Forever After, Shrek is unaware of certain ogre abilities, suggesting he didn’t spend too long with his parents.
Supplementary material has occasionally explored the characters. The Broadway musical, for example, similarly has them throw Shrek out of the house. Unlike the book, however, they do this when Shrek is still a child, though they are acting out of the “ogre tradition.” Shrek’s parents also appeared in an issue of the comic series released to promote Shrek Forever After. This version is worried that Shrek might not be teaching their grandchildren to be proper ogres, although Shrek eventually sets them straight.
5 There Was an Important Witch in the Book
In the book, while on his way to find his fortune, Shrek encounters a witch, who leads him on the way he needs to go. After trading her some lice, the witch gives Shrek his fortune. She advises him to find a donkey that will lead him to a knight. After fighting the knight, Shrek will have a chance at marrying a princess who is even uglier than him. The witch also advises Shrek to use the magic words, “Apple Strudel.”
Shrek 2’s Fairy Godmother Is Believed to Be a Reimagining of the Character
The concept of the witch as a main character was dropped in the animated film, but a figure named Dama Fortuna would have appeared in earlier drafts. This version of the character would’ve given Fiona a potion that allowed her to transform back and forth between human and ogress form. The villainous Fairy Godmother who appears in Shrek 2 is believed to be a reimagining of the character, notably also possessing a potion that allows both Shrek and Fiona to switch between human and ogre forms.
4 Shrek Was Less Fond of Being Alone in the Book
In general, Shrek comes off a bit more nuanced in the film than in the book. At the start of the first film, Shrek has accepted his lot in life as an ogre. He generally likes his own company and is reluctant to make new friends. On the surface, this makes him closer to his book counterpart, who reveled in ugliness and being scary.
Shrek Was Also a Bit of a Romantic in the Book
However, in the films, there’s a feeling of resentment over how people treat him and is particularly hurt when he thinks Princess Fiona called him “hideous and ugly,” little realizing she was talking about herself. That said, when people do start to accept him in the sequels, he starts to yearn for the “good old days” when people feared him.
Shrek is also notably more of a romantic from the start in the book, being the one who wants to meet the princess for his own sake. This also suggests, unlike his film analogue, this early version of the character wasn’t too fond of being alone in his swamp.
3 Shrek’s Fight With the Dragon Goes Differently in the Book
Shrek’s adversarial encounters play out a little differently in the book than they do in the film. While on his journey, he encounters a dragon in the forest. The beast proves to be a strong enough threat, much to Shrek’s amusement. However, he ultimately overcomes the dragon by producing a blue flame. The dragon survives the attack, but is left unconscious for the rest of the day.
Shrek Also Fought a Knight in the Book
In the film, the dragon guards Princess Fiona in her tower and proves much more threatening, with Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey barely escaping with their lives. On the other hand, the dragon becomes a more complex character in the film, eventually becoming Donkey’s love interest.
In the book, the character guarding the castle is a knight, who threatens to “smite” Shrek’s head. The ogre, however, is able to subdue him with his fire breath. Much like the dragon, the knight lives to tell the tale, but finds himself jumping into the moat to cool off his armor.
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2 Donkey Was a Minor Character in the Book
The first Shrek film establishes Donkey as the title character’s faithful friend and sidekick. Donkey first meets Shrek after he scares off Farquaad’s guards, who plan to collect him with the other fairy tale characters. Donkey takes it upon himself to always be by Shrek’s side, although the previously friendless ogre takes a while to warm up to him.
Donkeys Were Kind of a Steig Staple
Donkey appears in the book, and indeed serves as Shrek’s sidekick, but is a relatively minor character. Shrek is advised to find a donkey by the witch’s orders, as he is the one who knows the way to the princess’ castle. The book’s donkey is noticeably larger than his animated counterpart, as Shrek is able to ride him. Funnily enough, when enraged, Shrek calls the animal a “jackass” in both the book and the animated film.
While the donkey likely functions as a parody of a fairy tale hero’s noble steed, something acknowledged in the animated film, this wouldn’t be the first time a donkey played an important role in a William Steig story. Another donkey serves as the hero of his picture book, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.
1 Princess Fiona Never Appears as a Human
Princess Fiona might just be one of the most famous animated princesses outside of Disney. As fans of the film remember, she was cursed by a witch to be human during the day and an ogress at night. True love will end the constant transformation. To her surprise, however, Shrek’s love permanently transforms her into an ogress, all the while assuring her that she is beautiful.
Human or Ogre, She’s Shrek’s True Love
Fiona seems to be based on the princess Shrek is searching for in the original book. The princess is only revealed at the end of the book, where she is shown to be Shrek’s equal in ugliness, which causes the two to fall in love at first sight and immediately marry. There is no hint in the book that the princess can assume a human form and she actually takes pride in her ugliness, notably having more confidence than her animated counterpart.
