Best Nineteenth-Century Novels To Read This Winter – European literature has had a huge impact on world culture for centuries. Many literary works have stirred the minds of readers and have become true bestsellers. Among the variety of books that became bestsellers in the XIX century, there are those that have not lost their relevance today. Let’s take a look at the best 5 books to read this winter.
“Le Comte de Monte Cristo” Alexandre Dumas
“Le Comte de Monte-Cristo” is the best work among other history novels. The success of this novel by Alexandre Dumas is difficult to overestimate. The life story of this character is based on real events. The author drew the plot for his novel from the archives of the Paris police. The victim of a cruel prank was a shoemaker, François Picot, after which he was imprisoned in the castle of Fenestrelle. At the château, he was tended by another prisoner, who was an Italian prelate and had bequeathed him a huge fortune.
Dumas chose the name of his hero by associating it with the name of a small island located near Elba. The author alludes to the image of Napoleon and draws a parallel between him and his hero.
It is worth noting that the writer himself received from his work fame, recognition, and dividends. On the royalties and royalties from the sales, Alexander Dumas was able to build his own palace and a country villa. Interest in “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo” has not faded to this day. It is actively studied in university. Today the novel continues to be republished all over the world. Filmmakers are still putting on plays and making films based on this immortal work.
“Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand
The comedy “Cyrano de Bergerac” by the French playwright and poet Edmond Rostand is still on the stage in many countries around the world. In the duel for the love of the beautiful, Roxanne faced two. Christian is good-looking and shortsighted, while Cyrano is valiant in battle but timid in love. His words and feelings are sublime and beautiful, but his face is ugly and ridiculous. But in the end, it becomes clear that it is not the appearance that matters but the individuality of each person.
No one has time to read all the best books of the 19th century, but it is important to become familiar with them at least briefly. You can read Cyrano de Bergerac summary or other literary works from the student’s curriculum. This is handy if the reader is short on time. A book summary helps you understand the main plot and main idea of the work.
“To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf
“To the Lighthouse” is one of the most significant books of the 20th century. It is both distinctly autobiographical and universal. It deals masterfully with the theme of the changes in middle-class life at the turn of the century. It reflects well on the hearts and minds of its members in the first place. Undoubtedly, the novel has an exciting plot.
According to the plot, the Ramsey couple and their eight offspring have always spent their vacations surrounded by family and friends on the Isle of Skye. As the years pass, bringing with them war and death, the Ramseys’ house now stands empty – until one day, many years later, the family returns there to go to the lighthouse again after a long break. That’s where the fun begins. This piece is often found in the education program.
“The Forsyte Saga” by John Galsworthy
“The Forsyte Saga” is the story of how the wealthy Forsyte dynasty grows a fortune over the course of half a century but at the same time suffers a disaster in matters of feeling and emotion. The saga starts in the late nineteenth century as the upper middle class, the Forsyte family, slowly begins to drift away. It is as if the Forsyte do not notice this, preferring to cling to tradition and “exceptional respectability.”
The proud Soms Forsyte tries to maintain the old standards of morality in the face of the social revolution that World War I brought with it. At this time, the extraordinary beauty of his wife, Irene, disrupts the established order. Soms and Irene’s violent feud with each other splits the Forsyte family into two long generations. This is an interesting book for the college student, recommended reading.
“A Premonition of the End” by Julian Barnes
The book begins with Tony Webster, the protagonist of Julian Barnes’ novel, retiring. He has left behind a great career and an amicable divorce. He decides to look at his younger years and try to make sense of them. Webster reflects on his college days, his first love, and the fateful moments of his life. He is sure it was all real because he remembers it.
But human memory is imperfect and misperceives many things. Tony understands this. He reads the bequeathed journal of his university mate, who committed suicide forty years ago. The story of the sixty-year-old Webster deservedly awarded the Booker Prize. The work teaches the reader a heartfelt and emotional lesson about how complex and elusive memory and time are.
Conclusion
The presented 5 of the best nineteenth-century novels to read will give the reader many positive emotions. This list of literary works is recommended for reading this winter. The most worthy of your attention is “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand, which you can also read in brief.
