Pre-21st century Classics You Should Read
A list of twenty incredible books
Hello and welcome to a new blog post. This one will be quite short, because it is only a list. I’ve seen reading lists circulating on Substack, so I thought I’d add one myself. So let’s dive into it, shall we?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. A tale of passion, love, hatred, and obsession set in Yorkshire, this is one heck of a novel that you do not want to miss. I am perpetually torn between Wuthering Heights and The Lord of the Rings when it comes to choosing my favourite book. However, I may avoid answering that question, because The Lord of the Rings is a series, and Wuthering Heights is a standalone novel.
Paradise Lost by John Milton. To be very honest, I haven’t read all of it yet, but I am progressing, and I am completely in love with it. It isn’t a novel, but you can find it in a book format. Paradise Lost is an epic poem depicting the Fall, and Satan’s fight with God. Words don’t do this masterpiece justice. I’m beginning to think that Paradise Lost may start to rival Tolkien’s works- at least, for me. Perhaps I should do a blog-post comparing the two….
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Yes, I know that this trilogy is popular, and perhaps over-chewed by consumer culture. I’m also aware that it is a trilogy and not a book on itself. However, this is an incredible series and clearly written by a genius. Lovers of fantasy will like it, but its academic nature may appeal to those who do not like fantasy. This is because it was written by an Oxford professor who had done years and years of research. I’d even go as far as to say it is ‘academic fantasy’, if such a genre exists. Those who have studied the Middle Ages will enjoy making connections between The Lord of the Rings and medieval works, e.g. Beowulf.
Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. This work is unique and important because it is a Victorian novel, written by a feminist Victorian man. Yes, you read that correctly! Hardy’s depiction of misogyny, cruelty, obsession, and rape is handled in a sensitive, remarkable way, especially because the time in which he lived was far from feminist. Sometimes I believe Tess to carry a stronger feminist message than our contemporary ‘feminist’ books. I’d say that this book has an age rating of 18+, as it deals with themes such as rape, tragedy, and murder, or else, strong parental guidance.
Precious Bane by Mary Webb. Mary Webb is one of the lesser-known English writers, but goodness me, does she write well! The book is set in rural Shropshire, featuring an ostracised heroine who falls in love with a man whom she believes to be unattainable. Infused with Christianity, old, pagan countryside beliefs and deeds, stunning landscape descriptions, this is one gem of a book. However, because it does deal with the theme of murder, sex, and suicide, (and a very shocking one at that), I would strongly recommend parental guidance for young readers.
Tales of Murder and Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott. Sir Walter Scott was a famous Scottish writer, known predominantly for Ivanhoe. However, he also published a collection of ghost stories, as well as a rational, scientific treatise on why the very ghosts he wrote about do not exist. Scott’s ghost stories are unique for their literary quality, rather than their ‘horror’ quality. His stories are not very frightening, but they are beautifully and intelligently written and therefore enjoyable. His letters on witchcraft and demonology refute such occurrences, and he debunks the existence of ghosts. Scott happens to be poetic as well as rationalist, which is a unique and praise-worthy combination.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. A classic Gothic novel about a governess in a large and spooky house, Jane Eyre is a novel that mostly concerns freedom. We follow our heroine, Jane, from a cruel orphanage to an old and sinister castle, and to her eventual exile and return. During these phases, Jane discovers what it is to be free from possessive, cruel authorities.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. Perhaps you have already noticed that I love the Brontës!
I remember reading this book when I was studying at the University of shadowed by her family- and for no good reason. In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, our main character, a man, is befriended with a mysterious young woman called Helen, and her young son. Although Helen does her utmost best to keep the narrator at bay, he soon discovers that she is a married woman, who has fled her abusive and hedonistic husband.
I remember reading this book when I was studying at the University of York. Although the book depicted serious and disturbing issues- domestic abuse, predominately taking the form of psychological abuse- I enjoyed it immensely. Anne was just as talented as her sisters, and she writes with the dark and intense genius so typical to the Brontës. For my fans of Gothic literature, you will not be disappointed: although the book is less ‘aesthetically’ dark than Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, there are Gothic themes and symbols, rendering it a classic Brontë novel.
Anne was not only talented, but also a tireless champion of women’s rights. In her book, she describes the trauma of domestic abuse and of sexism. Helen wages a predominantly psychological war against her husband, who destroys her artwork and seeks to separate her from her son.Anne Brontë, the sister of Emily and Charlotte Brontë, is often overshadowed by her family- and for no good reason. In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, our main character, a man, is befriended with a mysterious young woman called Helen, and her young son. Although Helen does her utmost best to keep the narrator at bay, he soon discovers that she is a married woman, who has fled her abusive and hedonistic husband.
I remember reading this book when I was studying at the University of York. Although the book depicted serious and disturbing issues- domestic abuse, predominately taking the form of psychological abuse- I enjoyed it immensely. Anne was just as talented as her sisters, and she writes with the dark and intense genius so typical to the Brontës. For my fans of Gothic literature, you will not be disappointed: although the book is less ‘aesthetically’ dark than Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, there are Gothic themes and symbols, rendering it a classic Brontë novel.
Anne was not only talented, but also a tireless champion of women’s rights. In her book, she describes the trauma of domestic abuse and of sexism. Helen wages a predominantly psychological war against her husband, who destroys her artwork and seeks to separate her from her son.
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I really don’t know what genre this book is in! Sometimes it seems like a pastoral romance, but it also has satirical elements. Set in Hardy’s fictional Wessex, it follows the complicated life of Bathsheba Everdeen, a stubborn, naive, and creative young woman who has a talent for being successful- and foolish. It also concerns the significantly less complicated life of shepherd Gabriel Oak, who loves Bathsheba from afar, and watches her romantic intrigues and developing personality with gentle curiosity.
Incorporating societal criticism, pastoral elements, and satire, Far From the Madding Crowd is a lovely novel. It is lighter than Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, which are darker, more intense novels.
The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A brilliant, slim classic about Puritanism, marriage, and motherhood, this gripping little novel concerns the demonisation of Hester Prynne, a young woman who has conceived a child out of wedlock. What is particularly difficult for Hester is the fact that she lives in seventeenth century New England- amongst seventeenth century Puritans. She and her daughter are outcasts, and both are regarded to be damned. A stunning book about morality, religion, and 17th century ‘cancel culture’, if I may be so bold, it is a must-read. I would even go as far as to say that it is a feminist book- written by a 19th century man. So much for the idea that all men back then were terrible.
Silas Marner, by George Eliot. This book makes me think of Precious Bane in the sense that it is about a weaver and concerns themes of exile. The embittered weaver Silas Marner becomes a surrogate father to an abandoned child. A beautiful book, it is an enjoyable and informative read.
A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful by Edmund Burke. Although not a novel, this book is quite important because it concerns aesthetics. I have loved reading this and it has had a great influence on me regarding concepts such as beauty and emotions like sympathy, fear, joy, and grief.
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. This book reminds me of Wuthering Heights, because of the passionate, quasi-forbidden romance between Margaret Hale and the proud Mr Thornton. However, it isn’t dark, like Wuthering Heights, and it is less disturbing (considering there is no dangerous obsession between the two lovers). It is also one of my favourites because it features the Industrial Revolution, and the problems that it brought with it- e.g. the exploitation of factory workers, the defilement of the cities with smoke and filth.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. This book is a traditionally Gothic mystery, featuring a shadowy house, a dark, forbidding countryside, and a legendary, supernatural hound. This is a very entertaining and beautifully-written classic, and if you like Gothic literature, this one is for you!
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. I really enjoyed this adventure book, but what struck me the most was Stevenson’s portrayal of something akin to PTSD at the end. I generally avoid copy-pasting modern concepts and ideas onto classic fiction, but I make an exception for this one. A somewhat rough novel about islands and pirates, this classic is a short, enjoyable read.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. One of my favourite books of all time, this novel is the classic medievalist masterpiece. Depicting crusades, Robin Hood, and chivalry, this novel has defined our modern concepts of the Middle Ages. What is particularly interesting is Scott’s depiction of sexism, abduction, rape, and anti-semitism. His main character, Rebecca, is a Jewess who is abducted by a Christian Templar, who threatens to rape her and force her to convert. Rebecca, however, defies him. I’d rank Scott as an incredible writer because he depicts the cruelty of anti-semitism and the horrors of (potential) rape. Another male feminist writer, and one who lived hundreds of years before feminism was actually invented!
Vanity Fair by William Thackery. This one long, witty tome of a book! Thackery’s masterpiece concerns two heroines, Becky Sharpe and Amelia Sedley, and neither of them are particularly heroic- especially the unpleasant and manipulative Becky. I interpret his book as social satire, one that pokes fun out of our conventions. What I like the most about this book is how realistic it is- there are no epic, heroic characters, there are only flawed humans acting in comical, and often pathetic, ways.
Unfinished Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien. For anyone interested in stories about Middle Earth ‘outside’ of the trilogy, I would highly recommend reading this collection. Unfinished Tales is a collection of stories that Tolkien wrote about Middle Earth, but did not publish. In this volume, you can find stories about the Palantirs, the Hunt for the Ring from the Ringwraith’s perspective, and the final battle of Isildur before he was betrayed by the Ring and murdered.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London. This unconventional book is written from the perspective of a dog, who is ‘rewilded’ by becoming a sledge dog during the Klondike Gold Rush. A brutal, harsh book, it depicts the coldness and bitterness of Alaska, and the cruelties of humanity by subjecting animals to their greedy will.
Beowulf, translated by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien’s translation of the medieval epic is stunning, and rivals his famous trilogy. Depicting monsters, powerful heroes, tough female characters, and a greedy dragon, this is a classic, one that will delight those interested in heroic literature and epic medieval literature.
That’s all what I got for you today! Do tell me whether you have read any of these books, and if you like them. And, of course, if you have any recommendations, do let me know….
Maryse
hi! i loved this list, i've never read lord of the rings but you might have just convinced me to try reading it... what's your favourite period, if you have one?
Thanks for the restack!