Reading the Classics?

Nick22 · **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:17:53 PM

Another one of my favorites is Milton's Paradise Lost..

Mumbling · **Reply #21 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:43:33 PM

I guess I could name some more

Catcher in the rye
To kill a mocking bird
The secret Garden
The neverending story
The hobbit
Loads of greek myths
Robin Hood

There was this other one but I cant get on it now.

Saft · **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:49:56 PM

Adding more:

To Kill a mocking bird
The neverending story
Anything by Tolkien
Robin Hood
Treasure Island
Kidnapped
Animal Farm
Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, Midsumer's night's dream.
Goodnight Mr Tom
The Silver Sword

I haven't actually read 'The Secret Garden' but I've seen the BBC television 'drama' version.

Edit I'm rather curious so; Would anyone count Roald Dahl as classics?

Nick22 · **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:03:25 PM

Yes, I would , under "children's classics'. THe Bfg, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all those qualify.

Saft · **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:20:43 PM

So I qualify for them too.

Mumbling · **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:21:22 PM

I loved Roald Dahl's books as a kid.

I've also read Macbeth(and played) and midsummer's nightdream.

Nick22 · **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:21:53 PM

what is your favorite Dahl book Saft?

Kor · **Reply #27 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:25:46 PM

I read some of the books done by the author who did charlie and the chocolate factory.

The ones I can remember I read are, Charlie and the Choclate factory, the great glass elevator, I think the other titles were the fantastic mr fox and the 4th one had the name Danny in the title I think.

I listened to paradise lost ages ago on an audio cassette I had checked out.

Nick22 · **Reply #28 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:36:55 PM

Dahl started work on a third Charlie book."Charlie at the White House" but never finished it.. and that book was called "Danny the Champion of the World"

Malte279 · **Reply #29 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:44:32 PM

As for Shakespeare works I must admit that I did not read them on my own accord

but there are some which I certainly don't regret to have read. Last years final oral exam in Anglistics was mainly about Shakespeare.
The works of him I read are

Julius Caesar
Romeo and Juliet
A Midsummernight's Dream
The Taming of the Shrew
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Twelfth Night, or what you will
Comedy of Errors
Measure for Measure
The Merchant of Venice
Much Ado about Nothing
Richard II
Henry IV, part 1
Henry IV, part 2
Henry V
Henry VI, part 1
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, part 3
Richard III

Curiously I never read Hamlet or Macbeth even though they are among the most famous of his works.

Nick22 · **Reply #30 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:46:09 PM

I've read some of those, my favorite was Hamlet..

Malte279 · **Reply #31 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:53:29 PM

Once one figures out the who is who in a world in which everybody's first name is Henry, Richard, or Edward and in which at the same time people may be referred to by four different names Shakespeare's histories are quite interesting. His Richard III. may not be historically accurate, but one of the most impressife villains ever in literature.

Nick22 · **Reply #32 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:56:41 PM

His histories were more about entertainment than historical accuracy...he was not above connectings James the 1st to the line of kings spoken of in Macbeth.

Saft · **Reply #33 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:04:27 PM

I agree with the fact that Shakespeare's 'Histories' were more about entertainment than historical accuracy. That's why, I tend to avoid them (with the exception of Macbeth).

If I remember; one of the scenes of Richard III was never played infront/during Queen Elizabeth I's reign because she feared that her throne would be stolen from her. (That was a simple wording, one thing about a cold is that I tend to loose certain wordings....)

As to my favourite Road Dahl, that's difficult. I enjoyed: The Fantastic Mr Fox, The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate factory and Matilda.

Nick22 · **Reply #34 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:34:31 PM

The Fantastic Mr. Fox will be made into a film, which is good news..

Kor · **Reply #35 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:45:24 PM

That could be interesting, depending on if they stay close to the book or stray from it a lot.

Nick22 · **Reply #36 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:46:12 PM

From what I've read Its going to stick very close to the book..

Kor · **Reply #37 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:52:17 PM

So no changing things like, we have to put in a woman with large breasts to give the guy someone to look at, a muscle man to give the women someone to look at, lots of explosions to keep everyone happy, a high body count for the same reason, ect.

Nick22 · **Reply #38 on:** March 12, 2009, 03:55:54 PM

no, this is ultimately a children's story, where good truimphs over evil, abnd those who do bad things get punished.. particularly bratty children.

Kor · **Reply #39 on:** March 12, 2009, 04:05:53 PM

unlike rl where it is often the opposite.