Reviving the Classics: Ruth

Ruth ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 out of 5 stars Young and beautiful, Ruth Hiton is working as a seamstress in a fashionable shop. When her employer sends her to a ball to mend tears in the dresses of high society ladies, she meets a young gentleman Henry Bellingham. Soon, she succumbs to his charm, just to be

Reviving the Classics: Goblin Market

Reviving the Classics: Goblin Market ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars ‘Come buy, Come buy.’ With this cry, an attempt at marketing to be sure, the goblin merchants advertised their goods to two young girls. While Lizzie closed her eyes, like she was supposed to, her sister Laura succumbed and tried the forbidden fruits, paying

Reviving the Classics: The Romance of a Shop

The Romance of a Shop ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 out of 5 stars When Mr Lorimer died, he left his four unmarried daughters in a difficult economic situation. Despite offers of help from friends and relatives, the sisters decide to fend for themselves and open a photography business… The Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy is a

Reviving the classics: To the Lighthouse

To The Lighthouse ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars Mr and Mrs Ramsey spend their summer holidays surrounded by their children and friends. They have walks, talk about philosophy, and indulge in their passions like reading, poetry or painting. The returning topic is a trip to the nearby Lighthouse… This book is difficult to summarise,

Reviving the classics: Metamorphoses

Metamorphoses Metamorphoses is an ancient text, a masterpiece comparable to the works of Homer and Virgil. Written by Ovid in verse, it is usually translated into prose form. It is a collection of ancient Greek and Roman mythology. It includes the most famous tales, like the creation of the world, the stories of Narcissus, Perseus,

Reviving the classics: The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars ‘There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.’[1] Written by Oscar Wilde in the preface to his famous book The Picture of Dorian Grey, this statement can be used to sum

Reviving the classics: Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary is a timeless classic from Gustave Flaubert. Published in French in 1856, this book was banned for immorality. The story follows Charles and Emma Bovary, focusing on their emotions and thoughts. Emma is a beautiful, educated young woman longing for romance and luxury. Her marriage with Charles Bovary was supposed to provide both,

Reviving the classics: Mary Barton

Mary Barton tells a story of a young girl living in Manchester in the 1840s. It is a time of a great economic depression, and the novel is concerned with the situation of the working class. Gaskell presents in detail the horrible conditions in which the factory workers lived and appeals for understanding and compassion. The

MA Victorian Studies

As I started my MA in Victorian Studies at Birkbeck College this week, I spent the last couple of days preparing. It is a literature course, but they put pressure on understanding the historical and cultural context. That’s why we start the year with French Revolution. As a part of preparation for the course, I

Reviving the classics: Northanger Abbey

‘No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be an heroine’[1] Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is characterised by the young age of the heroine. Catherine Morland is seventeen years old, making her a few years younger than Elisabeth and Jane Bennet and the same age as