Tag: World Classics

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The castle of Otranto

In this classic and timeless novel, we are immersed in a tale of adventure, romance, death, suspense, and supernatural occurrences. The Castle of Otranto tells the story of Manfred, lord of the castle, and his family, while mysterious events aid in fulfilling a prophecy that spells doom for the ruler and justice for the rightful heir. After Manfred’s son is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls on him from above, the mysterious prophecy will take control over the lives of all the protagonists in different ways. The Castle of Otranto is generally regarded as the first gothic novel, and Horatio Walpole, by extension, is arguably the forerunner to such authors as Charles Maturin, Ann Radcliffe, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, and Daphne du Maurier.

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The haunted hotel

In this classic and timeless novel, we experience the beauty and mystic of the waterways and palaces in Venice, while a mysterious death and a ghostly apparition take place. These dark events will yield subtle clues to what lies ahead. Countess Narona, one of the most memorable characters created by Collins, foresees troubled waters ahead, while the ghost of Lord Montbarry haunts the Palace Hotel. Or does it? What is the secret of The Haunted Hotel and its guests?

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The Prince

The Prince (Italian: Il Principe) is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian, and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. The Prince is sometimes claimed to be one of the first works of modern philosophy, especially modern political philosophy, in which the effective truth is taken to be more important than any abstract ideal. It was also in direct conflict with the dominant Catholic and scholastic doctrines of the time concerning how to consider politics and ethics. This treatise is the most remembered of Niccolò Machiavelli’s writings and also the work most responsible for bringing the word “Machiavellian” into wide usage as a pejorative term. Moreover, such has been its influence that it also helped in the transformation of the English term “Old Nick” as a substitute for “devil,” and even contributed to the modern negative connotations of the words “politics” and “politician” in western countries.

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A christmas carol

In this classic and timeless Christmas story, the greedy and individualistic Ebenezer Scrooge prepares for another Christmas Eve without celebration. But this time around, Mr. Scrooge will get several ghostly warnings about his unpleasant and insatiably avaricious ways that will change his life, forever. Mr. Scrooge is first greeted by his dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns Mr. Scrooge that his greed will not go unpunished. Soon thereafter, Mr. Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. These ghostly encounters will make Mr. Scrooge cringe as well as make him aware of his cruel nature. In the end, Mr. Scrooge learns a valuable lesson that will benefit others as much as it will benefit his own soul.

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The day of the beast

In this classic and timeless novel, Daren Lane, a war hero, returns from the battlefields of World War I to the mid-western United States during very delicate times. Lane’s arrival into America’s new reality of the so-called Roaring Twenties will be met with many obstacles and difficulties. Lane will be shocked by the decline of morals and the societal decomposition that he encounters coming home. To make matters worse, Lane’s fiancé has disappeared, his job has been taken, and his health is in peril. And there will be much more to come and knock on his door.

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Paradise lost

In this classic and timeless poem, we encounter an epic and ground-breaking work of poetry written in blank verse during the 17th century. Paradise Lost was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse. A second edition, published in 1674, divided the poem into twelve books (in the manner of the division of Virgil’s Aeneid) with minor revisions throughout. The poem concerns the Biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton’s purpose, stated in Book I, is to “justify the ways of God to men.” Paradise Lost is widely considered one of the greatest literary works in the English language.

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Through the looking-glass

In this classic and timeless story, which is also the sequel to one of the greatest stories of all time, Alice in Wonderland, we now follow Alice and her adventures in a fantastic land where everything is reversed–a mirror image of itself. Alice encounters talking flowers, madcap kings and queens, and becomes a pawn in a bizarre chess game involving Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledum, and Tweedledee, as well as other amusing characters. This edition features original illustrations by the famous John Tenniel. Tenniel is most noted for two major accomplishments: he was the principal political cartoonist for England’s Punch magazine for over 50 years, and he was the artist who illustrated Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

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The Monk

In this classic and timeless novel, we encounter a tale of lust, struggle, and violence, in what became the most famous work of Matthew Lewis. In its day, the novel was chastized by critics for its supposed profanity and obscenity, and bought in large numbers by readers eager to see whether it lived up to its reputation. The story is set in the sinister monastery of the Capuchins in Madrid, Spain. The Monk recounts the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a Capuchin superior, who succumbs first to temptations offered by a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy, and continues his descent with increasingly depraved acts of sorcery, murder, incest, and even torture. The Monk is also violent tale of ambition, murder, and incest. The novel showcases the great struggles between maintaining monastic vows and fulfilling personal ambitions a well as the personal demons that overcome personal virtue. A major theme prevalent in gothic novels contemporaneous to The Monk is that of the morality tale juxtaposed onto a horrific and often violent plot, laden with real or perceived supernaturalism. The Monk is also the first book to successfully feature a priest as the villain.

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The call of the wild

In this classic and timeless novel, we experience the extreme conditions of the Yukon during the 19th century and the famous Klondike Gold Rush. In the story, Buck, a domesticated dog, is snatched from a pastoral ranch in California, and thereafter sold into a brutal life as a sled dog. At the time, strong sled dogs were in high demand and considered vital for the conquest of the ice. After Buck’s arrival into his new environment, Buck struggles to adjust and to accept the cruel treatment he receives from humans, other dogs, and the forces of nature. Buck eventually sheds all ties with his past and relies on primordial instincts. Throughout his ordeal and forced reality, he becomes a respected and feared leader in the wild.

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King Lear

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In this classic and timeless tragedy, King Lear descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters, a decision that will bring tragic consequences for all. The play is based on a mythological Celtic king. It has been widely adapted for the stage and motion pictures and the role of King Lear has been coveted and played by many of the world’s most accomplished actors. The play was written between 1603 and 1606 and later revised. King Lear is particularly noted for its probing observations on the nature of human suffering and kinship. The great George Bernard Shaw once stated that no one will ever write a better tragedy than King Lear.

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