William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens remain two of the most popular and widely known British writers all over the world. Dickens began his writing career as a journalist, and all his novels were first published serially in periodicals. Many of his works highlight the injustice of 19th century social institutions and inequalities between the rich and the poor. His most famous works include “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield”. As to Shakespeare in addition to writing 35 known plays, he wrote 154 sonnets and sometimes acted in small parts in his own plays – He is known to have played the Ghost in “Hamlet”. His best known plays include “King Lear”, “A Midsummer night’s dream” and “Romeo and Juliet”.
The Bronte sister, Charlotte (1816-55), Emily (1818-48) and Anne (1820-49), were three talented 19th century women novelists whose works are regarded as classics today. Charlotte is best known for her novel “Jane Eyre”.
The novels of Jane Austen are known for their subtlery of observation and irony, together with their insights into the provincial life of the middle-class in the early part of 19th century. Her works include “Emma”, “Pride and Prejudice” and others.
One of the most widely known English poets is remarkable because his work has been transcribed, published, read and comment on since his death. He is Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1345 1400). His best known work is “The Canterbury Tales”, a collection of tales. Chaucer is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Questions:
1. Who is the most popular and widely known British writer?
2. When did Dickens begin his career?
3. What plays by Shakespeare do you know?
4. What are the Bronte sisters famous for?
5. What other popular British writers do you know?
Vocabulary:
to remain – оставаться
to highlight – освещать
injustice – несправедливость
observation – наблюдение
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