Many people feel intimidated by classic literature. The language can seem archaic, the stories complex, and the length daunting. However, by approaching classics with the right mindset and techniques, anyone can learn to enjoy them. Here are tips for reading classics without feeling overwhelmed or inadequate.
Adjust Your Expectations
First, adjust your expectations going in. Classics require more concentration and patience compared to lighter reads. The pacing is often slower, the descriptions more detailed, and the dialogues longer. Recognize that you may only get through 10–20 pages in one sitting versus breezing through 50.
Classics also won’t provide instant gratification. Their rewards come through steady investment. Appreciate the journey versus rushing the destination. Savor passages versus skimming. Let the book immerse you instead of pushing through it. Adjusting expectations prevents frustration when classics don’t align with quick entertainment.
Research Basic Context
Before cracking open a classic, research the basic context about its setting, author’s life, and critical reception. Understanding the historical backdrop and author’s intention helps illuminate narrative elements. Knowing the novel’s place in literary tradition also provides perspective on its style and importance.
For instance, before reading Jane Austen, learn about 19th-century British society. Study up on Gothic motifs before Mary Shelley. Context gives classics the necessary framing to grasp nuance. Don’t obsess over analysis paralysis, but sufficient background will enhance your reading experience.
Read Accessible Translations
If tackling classics in foreign languages, pick accessible translations. While some love translating Dostoevsky’s Russian page-by-page, opt for interpretable versions when starting out. Diego Marini’s English translations of Balzac employ modern vocabulary and phrasing while preserving the spirit of the original French. Edith Grossman’s translations of Cervantes and Garcia Marquez capture their wit and warmth.
Read prefaces explaining translators’ approaches for insight. Ask literature lovers for readable translation recommendations to avoid frustration. Also consider audiobooks read by engaging narrators to bring stories alive. Prioritize accessibility, then graduate towards literal translations as you advance.
Look Up Unfamiliar Words
Don’t let obscure words interrupt the flow. Circle or highlight odd vocabulary, and look up definitions later. Ereaders and the internet provide instant meaning searches. For physical books, keep Google open in another tab. Alternatively, scan for context clues from nearby sentences.
Over time, you will familiarize with phrasing and absorb new vocabulary through exposure. Make reading smooth by breaking words into digestible chunks. Comprehension matters more than stopping for every archaic term. Maintain momentum, then cement understanding during periodic pauses.
Connect Stories to Your Life
Classics may feature unfamiliar settings, conventions, or values. But their themes often connect to timeless human experiences. Identify parallels between a book’s message and your own life. Was Julien Sorel’s ambition in Stendhal’s “The Red and The Black” relatable? Did Lily Bart’s social pressures in Wharton’s “House of Mirth” echo modern society?
If not relating through personal experience, envision being in characters’ shoes through empathy. Imagine frustrations felt in Kafka’s trials and family ties in Tolstoy’s epics. The more you engage with characters’ motivations, the more their lives will feel real and relevant. Classics enlighten different eras, but human emotions endure.
Read Actively and Take Notes
Passively reading classics guarantees confusion or boredom. Actively engage by highlighting impactful passages, scribbling questions, and taking descriptive notes. Processing classics through writing cements comprehension. Jot down character descriptions and big-picture concepts. Summarize plot points so narrative threads stay intact.
Don’t aim for a formal analysis. Write informally as if discussing with a friend. When returning to complex classics like Ulysses years later, informal notes jog memory better than sterile CliffsNotes. Active reading also forces fuller attention versus getting lost daydreaming. Stay alert through simple scribbles and underline interesting quotes.
Join a Book Club
Joining a book club provides accountability, guidance, and fresh perspectives. Having a community reading a classic together makes its length more manageable. You have built-in deadlines to hit chapters versus attempting to slog through alone. Plus, you gain insights from other members catching things you missed.
Book clubs also encourage deeper analysis through discussion. Hashing out themes and symbols with fellow readers increases enjoyment. Online groups let you connect with avid readers globally. Check Meetup.com for local in-person groups. Choose groups reading accessible classics or modern reinterpretations like Re Jane by Patricia Park. Having support makes classics less intimidating.
Try Retellings and Adaptations
Before diving into dense source material, get your feet wet with retellings. Authors like Adam Gidwitz retell classics in engaging middle-grade prose. His A Tale Dark and Grimm series follows Hansel and Gretel with a humorous modern voice. Or try graphic novel versions from publishers like Classical Comics or Manga Classics to visualize adventures through art.
Watch high-quality film and stage adaptations for accessible renditions. The 1967 farcical film The Taming of the Shrew sets Shakespeare in swinging 60s Italy. 1947’s Great Expectations brings Dickens into lush technicolor. Through visually-rich remakes, absorb classics’ essence before confronting complex originals. Adaptations provide mental footholds to grasp complicated works.
Refresh Yourself on Greek Mythology and Shakespeare
Want to read The Odyssey or Greek tragedies? Brush up on mythology first. Keep Greek/Roman gods straight so you can recognize character names. Understand references to mythological quests and legends. Websites like GreekMythology.com overview key background. Consult introductions and footnotes on classics referencing mythology.
Similarly, familiarize yourself with Shakespearean vocabulary, themes, and conventions. Shakespeare permeates so much literature that basic knowledge helps contextualize techniques in other classics. Even watching snippets of modern Shakespeare adaptations like West Side Story plants seeds. Pursue Romeo and Juliet once you get the hang of their language through popular usage.
Start Short, Work Your Way Up
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Starting with short classics eases you into sophisticated syntax and antiquated dialects. Early American short stories like Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” provide accessible pivots towards denser Hawthorne and Poe.
Graduate from Austen’s novels like Pride and Prejudice to Tolstoy’s epics. Begin Shakespeare with his poems and comedies before diving into Hamlet’s existential angst. Mastering compressed classics builds confidence for mammoth, layered works down the road. Walk before running.
Take Regular Breaks
Make time to periodically come up for air while reading classics. Let chapters fully absorb before jumping into the next. Rushing forward causes details to blur and interest to wane quicker. Recharge mental energy by taking walks and getting fresh air. Clear your head so you return focused.
Also, rotate classics among lighter genre reads. Break up Balzac with fun mysteries that zip along. Alternate deep Tolstoy with entertaining sci-fi. Give your brain different stimulations across the reading spectrum. Then classics become rich desserts versus whole stodgy meals. Keep your palate balanced and refreshed.
Conclusion
With the right methods and mindset adjustments, any reader can make classics approachable and fulfilling. Keep vocabulary lookups, notes, and resources handy to smooth comprehension bumps. Or start discussions with fellow readers to exchange helpful tips and insights. Most importantly, give classics time. Their rewards emerge through steady patience and investment. Set expectations for gradual immersion versus instant gratification. Read actively, take breaks, and work your way up towards denser tomes. Before long, Thackeray, Turgenev, and Proust will feel like old friends.
So take the plunge into timeless classics. Follow these guidelines, and they will enrich your life with hard-won wisdom. Once their language becomes second nature, a whole universe opens up. Whether tragic Russian epics, speculative science fiction, exquisite Jane Austen romance or action-packed Virgil adventures, the classics offer something for everyone.
