19th Century World Literature Ideas Please - Uplifting???

[Janice in NJ]

OK. I'm not sure that I want to spend five weeks reading Crime & Punishment with my two high schoolers this spring. I think that I get the book; I'm pretty sure that I get why folks love it. Really. But I don't think I want to do it with them.

 

So I would really appreciate some ideas please. I've been trying to do 19th century lit this year. I've been shooting for 1/2 American and 1/2 Non-American. I'll probably label that half as "World Literature" even though it's pretty heavy on the Brits so far. So that's my trouble; I don't really want to do more British literature even though we have tons of options there. Any ideas for uplifting 19th century titles that aren't American or British? I can't find any Tolstoy or Dost. that I want to do with my kids. I know - makes me a bad Momma, but that's where I'm at right now... We are doing Mr. Ilych this week; an easy peasy, without so-much-violence choice. No one is getting axed, and no one is being forced to choose prostit*tion. My kids aren't sheltered, but the image of that young girl with her face to the wall sobbing while her drunk father tries to convey his feeling of hopelessness. We don't need that in this house right now. I get the whole redemption thing. I get the whole "problems with a Darwinian worldview, etc." I get it. But we still don't need the book right now.

 

We may just blow it all off and study relativity for eight weeks - not sure how I'm going to tweak that so it counts towards a "literature" credit though. ;)

 

Does anyone have some great titles they can offer up? We'll be doing 20th century lit next year so it really doesn't make sense to use titles from the 1900's and stick it into our 19th century course; colleges will think I don't know how to count. :001_huh:

 

Thanks. I'm coming up blank here. Anything interesting but cheerful?

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

[MIch elle]

I'm not sure this book is uplifting since the last time I read it was in high school but I loved it then and it's on my list to read again soon.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germinal_(novel)

[Ester Maria]

Germinal is not quite an uplifting reading; none of the Zola's works actually are, and some of them (not this one though) thematically also deal with some of the things you said you don't want to read about.

I suppose you could generally claim Hugo, Stendhal, Zola, Balzac and Flaubert the most typical classics of the period, so you might look into their opuses, though I'm not sure I'd label them as remotely cheerful. I still think Hugo or Stendhal would be an excellent choice though for this type of course. There are also excellent Maupassant's short stories though, check them out, they're a shame a to miss if you'll include French literature.

As a general rule for 19th century, the early 19th century tends to be Romantic, and the late 19th century tends to be Realistic (this is of course really simplyfing things), so as a general rule, the type of readings you're looking for should be more at the beginning of the century.

 

In Italian literature, I suppose the most famous piece of prose from the period is Manzoni's The Betrothed, and Verga's opus, though I'd recommend the former (I personally like Verga better, but in my opinion he's more "heavy" emotionally).

 

Regarding Russian literature, I actually have a suggestion: Turgenev, really nice and refreshing (you can check out Fathers and Sons, which I recommend, or Hunter's Sketches). Pushkin is the main name of Romanticism, Eugene Onegin is traditionally studied (it's a novel in verses, beautiful to read, and opens many interesting discussions on the genre), check also Pushkin's poetry. Another thing I REALLY recommend is Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time, and Lermontov's poetry too.

 

If you want a more non-traditional choice, what I actually recommend are various Yiddish short stories, Chassidic parables and Sholem Aleichem's works from the period. Not necessarily uplifting, but definitely something different than the rest of the course (I assume).

 

Those would be only a few options, of course, stuff I thought of off the top of my head, perhaps not as representative, but might refresh the course a bit. Check them out.

[Lori D.]

Nope. There is no uplifting, 19th century non-British/non-U.S. literature -- LOL! (And come to think of it, not much of the British or American Lit. is light/uplifting/humorous!) At least, there's nothing I can think of that fits into all 3 of your qualifiers -- uplifting... 19th century... non/British or American... :confused: However, below are some ideas; most are either short works or straight up adventures to minimize your pain (LOL!). BEST of luck, whatever your go with Janice! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

 

19th CENTURY WORLD (nothing humorous or uplifting, but all are important classic works):

 

RUSSIAN

- Leo Tolstoy (short stories: How Much Land Does a Man Need (pointed lesson of consequences of greed -- no prostitution or nasty stuff!); Ivan the Fool (actually, about as humorous as Russians get (LOL!) -- the devil can't get the better of this simple Russian peasant = http://bartleby.net/ebook/adobe/3172.pdf)

- Anton Chekov (tragic plays: The Cherry Orchard (1904); Three Sisters (1900); Uncle Vanya(1898))

- Nikolai Gogol (sharply satirical short stories: The Inspector General; The Nose; The Overcoat)

 

FRENCH

- Guy de Maupassant (ironic short story: The Necklace)

- Alexander Dumas (adventure novel: Count of Monte Cristo)

- Gustave Flaubert (tragic novel: Madame Bovary)

- Victor Hugo (tragic/inspiring novel: Les Miserables)

- Jules Verne (supernatural short story: The Storm; straight forward adventure novels: Around the World in 80 Days; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; Journey to the Center of the Earth)

 

GERMAN

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (tragic 2-part "deal with the devil" novel: Faust)

 

 

My suggestion: if you've got a lot of British or American literature you want to do next year, do some of it now. And if you need something more uplifting or fun or creepy to finish this year's lit, then do that now. Or, how about just enjoying a bunch of short stories -- some from the above list, and some from these classics:

 

- George MacDonald "fairytales": The Light Princess; The Golden Key -- or novels: Lillith; Phantases; The Princess and the Goblins; At the Back of the North Wind (inspiring; British; 19th century)

- O. Henry short stories (humorous; American; very end 19th century / early 20th century

- Sherlock Holmes short stories by Doyle (fun; British; mysteries; end of 19th century)

- Father Brown mysteries by Chesterton (fun; British; mysteries; 20th century)

- Monkey's Paw by Jacobs (creepy-fun; British; 19th century)

- The Open Window by Saki (humorous; British; 19th century)

- Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Bierce (tragic but fascinating twist ending; American; 19th century)

- Luck of Roaring Camp by Harte (ultimately sad, but a lot of humor; American; 19th century)

- Bartleby the Scrivner by Melville (existential, but odd and moments of humor -- and MUCH easier than Moby Dick!!; American; 19th century)

- The Lady or the Tiger by Stockton (suspenseful-fun; American; 19th century)

- The Most Dangerous Game by Connell (suspenseful-fun; American; 20th century)

- Thank You Ma'am by Hughes (humorous-poignant; American; 20th century)

- The Catbird Seat by Thurber (humorous; American; 20th century)

Edited March 24, 2010 by Lori D.
added info

[Chris in VA]

oops, never mind--it's British...

[Lori D.]

oops, never mind--it's British...

 

 

Okay, now I'm curious, Chris. What was it??

[Joan in GE]

the Norton Anthology of World Literature from 1800 - 1900?

 

Even in it, there is a fair amount of British and American lit. Still, it would make your course more like World Lit...I would not advise Rimbaud or Verlaine generally though (haven't read the selections in this book)..

 

Did you already do the 16 - 1700's? This year?

 

I have to second Hugo - Les Miserables and Jules Verne (I've heard that Michel Strogoff is supposed to be good and The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa sounds different and historically interesting)...though not quite "cheerful", not so depressing...

 

Joan

Edited March 24, 2010 by Joan in Geneva

[plansrme]

I'm not even the OP, but I want to say "thank you" to the responders above (and below) for these titles. I am holding into this for future reference.

 

Terri