British literature

The playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and the novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) remain two of the most popular and widely known British writers the world over. In addition to writing 35 known plays, Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets and sometimes acted small parts in his own plays - he is known to have played the Ghost in «Hamlet». His best known plays include «Romeo and Juliet», «King Lear», «Hamlet» and «A Midsummer Night's Dream».

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 the 19th century social institutions and the inequalities between the rich and the poor. His most famous works include «01iver Twist», «A Christmas Carol» and «David Copperfield».

The novels of Jane Austin (1775-1817) are known for their subtlety of observation and irony, together with their penetrating insights into the provincial life of the middle classes in the early part of the 19th century. Her works include «Emma», «Pride and Prejudice)) and «Sense and Sensibility» - all successfully dramatised on film and TV.

The Bronte sisters, Charlotte (1816-1855), Emily (1818-1848) and Ann (1820-1849), were three talented 19th century women novelists whose works are regarded as classics today. Charlotte is best known for her novel «Jane Eyre» and Emily for «Wuthering Heights))" - both novels featur­ing strong independent heroines.

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), Scottish poet and novelist, displayed his passion for the history of his country in his works. His narrative poems «The Lay of the Last Minstrel», «Marmion», «The Lady of the Lake» were immensely popular. The novel«Waverley» was the first of a long series, published anonymously, including «Ivanhoe» and «The Talisman)). Walter Scott's influence can be traced in much of the romantic art of the early 19th century which took ballads and folklore as its theme. Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), one of the most favourite children's adventure story-teller. His «Treasure Island)), «The Kidnapped)), «The Black Arrow» have been among the best-read children's books for more than a century. Stevenson grew up as a sickly child and never spent much time outdoors or at sea, but his bright personality, his vivid imagination and his creativity helped him to see the islands he had never been to and convincingly write about the events he had not witnessed.)

Lewis Caroll, is the pen-name of Oxford professor of mathematics Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the author of the famous «Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland» and «Through the Looking Glass», which can't stop amazing both children and grown-ups with its serious humour and kind wisdom.

One of the most widely known English poets is Geoffrey Chaucer, who lived in the 14th century. Since then his works have been continuously transcribed, published, read and commented on. His best known work is «The Canterbury Tales», a collection of tales told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury Cathedral.

Another famous British poet is George Gordon Byron. His journey to the Near East in 1809 inspired several of his poems, especially «Childe Harold's Pilgrimage», whose publication made him immediately popular. In 1823 he joined the Greeks in the fight for liberty against the Turks, and died there of fever at the age of 36. Some of his poems were full of dramatic, romantic and sometimes deeply moving lyricism, others were sentimental, sflll others full of satire and sarcasm. He led an eccentric life, and stories about his love affairs made him even more popular.

Persy Bysshe Shelley was the most idealistic of all British Romantic poets and he died very young too, having drowned in the sea. His wife Mary Shelly is famous for her novel about Fran­kenstein.