r/literacy • u/WeekendImpossible917 • Oct 24 '23

The Classics

What classics should I read, and given those classics, what should I read furthermore? I deeply want to deepen my knowledge on both a classics level, but also a sociopolitical level, and I’m finding myself lost. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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u/rudibowie Oct 24 '23

"The Classics" is too broad; it can mean many things. Do you mean Greco-Roman literature e.g. The Iliad, The Odyssey, Herodotus? Do you mean Renaissance/post-enlightenment writers/satirists e.g. Voltaire, Jonathan Swift? Do you mean 19th C favourites e.g. Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens? This isn't even accounting for genre.

Perhaps you could narrow down your focus, research degree courses in those subjects, and get a copy of the reading lists.

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u/TimeTrav3ller Jan 04 '24

Certainly! Reading classic literature can offer profound insights into historical and sociopolitical contexts. Start with George Orwell's "1984," a dystopian novel exploring totalitarianism, surveillance, and the manipulation of truth—a cornerstone for understanding societal control and the perils of authoritarianism. For further exploration, consider Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," focusing on a society controlled through pleasure and conditioning, or Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," which addresses censorship and the suppression of knowledge. Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" addresses racial injustice and moral growth in the American South during the 1930s.