I have been a big fan of the classics since I was old enough to start reading them. Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte are two of my particular favorites, and their works have been read and reread over the years with great enjoyment. My copy of Pride and Prejudice has become so shabby and worn from being thumbed through numerous times, first by me and then by my younger sisters as I passed on the love for classic literature. I believe that a good knowledge of classic literature can be a valuable asset for most people, althgouh it can be hard for some to make it all the way through authors such as Dickens, Dumas, and even the adored Austen.
One of the characteristics that I so value in the classics is the literary quality. A book without enough literary merit will never become a classic, so reading a classic book almost guarantees great literary qualities. Even if the books are not appreciated by many (especially those in my generation), such books clearly deserve praise for having the merit they do and for remaining popular for generations, often centuries.
Another reason that I adore the classics is because of the sensitivity I carry toward literary content. While I don’t mind a little language in my reading--nor violence for that matter--I still have difficulty when a good book reaches a scene involving over sexuality, or even sensuality. I prefer reading cleaner works, and the classics usually manage that. Perhaps they were not clean for their times, but compared to a lot of what is being written today the classics are fairly tame in their romantic encounters. Maybe I am just old-fashioned, but I appreciate an author who can write a great plot, an intriguing adventure, and an incredible romance without putting a good deal of sexual overtones in the book.
Reading classics widely broadens one’s horizons. When all a person reads is current fiction in one or two genres that person isn’t usually as open-minded as a person who enjoys many styles of writing from many different eras. Reading the classics also broadens one’s vocabulary, especially for me. The advantage of this is that many people, hearing one’s wide-ranged vocabulary, assume that one has a great deal of intelligence.
Another important thing to note is the positive effect that reading--especially reading the classics--has on one’s writing. I don’t think there are any great writers who have not themselves spent much time poring over the great writers of the past. It’s true that immersing oneself in the work of the greats is more likely to produce greatness in a person, just as it would be true of a person in any other profession, be it painting, sculpting, drawing, music, or any of the other arts.
The biggest objection that most people have to actually reading the classics is the language, and I can certainly understand the sentiment. It can be quite difficult to get through some of them, but don’t give up! Try several before you give up on them entirely, or perhaps watch the movie of the story first, so you can get a feel for just how interesting and exciting the plot is. And perhaps reading the actual classic is not for you. In that case, you can find many abridged versions, or significantly shorted versions for children (one company has redone such classics as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Secret Garden, Robin Hood, and many others). But these stories are so exciting, and such an important part of our history, that it is worth it even to just read the Cliff Notes version just to get a feel for the story line. Good luck to you in your reading!
