English literature in the world is represented by writers who created books in different genres and directions. Many of them are considered classics and are included in the canon of world literature.

English writers and their works

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400)

Geoffrey Chaucer- a writer who is called the father of English literature. He was the first English poet to write civic lyrics and was recognized as a national poet. Chaucer wrote exclusively in English, he brought to English poetry new themes, ideas and motifs, improved many medieval artistic methods of writing and created new poetry.

Geoffrey was the son of an ordinary London wine merchant. He managed to build a career in the royal court - he began as a page in the retinue of the Duchess of Olser. Later, the future English writer served in the army, took part in the war against France and was captured by enemies. The English king ransomed him from captivity.

Little information has been preserved about Chaucer's career. Literary scholars still find it difficult to establish the dates of writing some poems and establish their authorship.

At the time when Chaucer wrote, English literature was in a difficult state: there was no single literary language, systems of versification, unified poetic theory. Chaucer as a writer significantly influenced the development of the English language, its dominance over Latin and French.

Chaucer's main works written in English are the following texts:

• "The Book of the Duchess" considered the first great poem poet, it was written in honor of the memory of Duchess Blanche of Lancaster. In this text the author tries to imitate French style, but innovative poetic solutions can already be traced in it;
• "House of Glory"- a poem with realistic motives;
• "The Legend of Glorious Women" ;
• "Troilus and Chryseis".

Chaucer modified English poetry, gave it a new direction, which was followed by future poets of England.

Brief biography of Geoffrey Chaucer in English:

The work of the English playwright Shakespeare is called the most great achievement Renaissance culture. His texts in English had a great influence on subsequent poets, artists and novelists, and the images from his plays became timeless and symbolic.

Little is known about Shakespeare's life. He was born into the family of a craftsman and merchant, studied at a grammar school, when teaching was carried out using a single textbook - the Bible. At the age of 18, the writer married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older than William.

It is believed that his first dramatic texts in English were written in 1594. Some biographers believe that at this time the writer was a member of a traveling troupe, and the experiences of these years influenced his passion for the theater. Since 1599, his life became closely connected with the Globe Theater, where he was both a playwright and an actor.

The writer's literary canon in English includes 37 dramas and 154 sonnets.

His most famous texts in English are:

• "Romeo and Juliet";
• "Venus and Adonis";
• "Julius Caesar";
• "Othello";
• "A dream in a summer night".

IN literary circles Over the past 2-3 centuries, the theory that William Shakespeare could not have been the author of these texts due to insufficient education and some discrepancies in biographical data has been actively promoted. in 2002, a version was put forward that the educated and intelligent Earl of Rutland, an aristocrat and a talented playwright and writer, was actually hiding behind the name of Shakespeare. The date of his death coincides with the date of death of Shakespeare, who stopped writing at this time.

This theory has not been proven and in the classical understanding of literature, William Shakespeare is still considered the one who created these texts in English, which became the property of English culture.

Robert Stevenson / Robert Stevenson (1850-1894)

He was a versatile person - he studied literary criticism, poetry in English, he is considered the founder of neo-romanticism and the one who theorized information about this artistic method.

The writer was born in the capital of Scotland and belonged to the ancient Belfur family. He was raised by numerous nannies due to his mother's illness. One of the nannies, Cammy, was talented and, thanks to her, Robert became familiar with poetry. Later, the writer admitted that it was thanks to the nanny that he became a writer.

Robert Stevenson traveled a lot and during his trips he wrote notes about his impressions and emotions. In 1866 it was published The first book in English is The Pentland Rebellion. But world fame came to him after the novel “Treasure Island”. Stevenson's work is characterized by descriptions of nature, the use of legends, mythology, and some moralizing.

As a child, he was sick a lot and in his memoirs in English, the writer wrote that the “doors of death” were always open to him. This influenced his consciousness and understanding of the world. This led him to found neo-romanticism, which conveys the sharp contradictions between dreams and reality. In his understanding, travel, danger and emotions are needed so that life is filled with colors, so that people can see the beauty of the world.

The writer's main works in English:

• "Treasure Island";
• "Heather honey";
• "Proprietor of Ballantrae";
• "Children's flower gardener of poems."

Stevenson was called a "legendary man" because of his love of stories and mythology, which he embodied in his works in English.

Charles Dickens / Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

- great prose writer of world literature. Born into the family of an official, his father discovered his artistic talent very early - he forced the boy to take part in theatrical productions, read poetry, and improvise. The writer grew up in love, comfort and confidence in the future.

When he was 12 years old, his family went bankrupt, and the boy went to work in a factory, where he first encountered cruelty and injustice. This period influenced the consciousness of the future writer.

Working at this factory haunted Charles all his life - he always considered it the biggest blow in his life. That is why his English texts contain so much sympathy for the poor and downtrodden. He had to work as a paper clerk, a broker and a stenographer in Parliament.

On last job he had to do several creative tasks. After this, he comes to the understanding that he must work in English literature.

In 1836 they came out first essays "Sketches of Boz" in English, but they were not popular at the time. A few years later, he created the first chapters of the novel “The Pickwick Papers” and these texts marked the beginning of his writing career.

Two years after this novel, a novel is published in English "The Adventures of Oliver Twist" in which, for the first time in world literature, a child comes to life on the pages of a book. From this time on, fruitful writing work begins.

Dickens's major novels in English:

• "Dombey and Son";
• "Big hopes";
• "David Copperfield";
• "Little Dorrit"
• "A Tale of Two Cities."

The writer in his novels in English realistically describes the England of his era, describes in detail all the characters and issues. His texts are very deep, realistic and lively, the message of each novel is the search for justice in a cruel world.

Brontë sisters: Charlotte (1816-1855), Emily (1818-1848), Anne (1820-1849)

Bronte sisters – unique phenomenon in world literature. Three girls, each talented in their own way, were able to take an honorable place in the canon of classical literature not only in England, but also in the world.

The most popular novels are Charlotte Bronte's Jair Eyre and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Anne Brontë wrote the books Agnes Gray and The Stranger of Wylfedale Hall. In these novels, the romantic is masterfully intertwined with the realistic. The writers were able to convey the spirit of their era, creating sensitive and relevant novels that are still relevant today.

The sisters grew up in a priest's family in the quiet town of Thornton. They became interested in writing from early childhood, and published their first timid attempts in English in a local magazine at their own expense. They appeared in literature under male pseudonyms.

At that time, male writers had a better chance of recognition. But their first book did not attract attention - it was a collection of poems. After this, the girls turned away from poetry and took up prose. A year later, each of them wrote a novel in English - "Jane Eyre", "Agnes Gray" and "Wuthering Heights". The first book was considered the most successful. After the death of the sisters, recognition came to the novel Wuthering Heights.

The sisters lived a short life - they died at the age of about 30 years. And the final recognition of their work occurred after their death.

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Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Oscar Wilde- playwright and poet, literary critic and writer who embodied the principles of English aestheticism in his novels. Oscar was born in Dublin, where the writer received a classical education - he studied at Trinity College and St. Magdalene College (Oxford).

Beautiful things were always appreciated in his house - furniture, books, paintings. This influenced the aesthetic tastes of the future writer. His development as a word artist was greatly influenced by university teachers - the writer John Ruskin and Walter Pater.

After receiving his education, the writer moved to London, where he joined the aesthetic movement.

Aestheticism is a movement that combined the ideas of impressionism and neo-romanticism. The main requirement for creativity within this direction is not to imitate nature, but to recreate it according to the laws of beauty, which is inaccessible to ordinary life.

The writer believed that it is not art that reflects reality, but reality that imitates art. In 1881, the first book of his poems was published in English, and in 1888 his first fairy tales saw the world.

The writer's main works in English:

• "The Picture of Dorian Grey";
• "Pomegranate House";
• "The Happy Prince"
• "The importance of Being Earnest";
• "The Ideal Man"

In the work of the writer Wilde, reality and fiction are mixed, his fairy tales are dominated by a mix of the unreal and the real, he managed to create harmony between aesthetic theory and artistic truth. Most clearly, the principles of his art were embodied in fairy tales through their plot and style.

Jerome K. Jerome / Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)

English humorist and playwright Jerome Klapka Jerome was the most famous published writer during his lifetime. A distinctive feature of his work is the ability to see humor in any life situation.

As a child, Jerome dreamed of becoming a writer, writer or politician. But at the age of 12 he had to start working - collecting coal. After some time, the future writer’s sister convinced him to try himself on the theater stage. He joined a group of actors that had a small budget. They even paid for their own props and costumes.

In three years future writer realized that this did not suit him, and decided to try his hand at journalism. He began to write a lot in English, but most of the texts were never published. The writer also worked as a paralegal, packer and teacher. In 1885, his essay about his work in the theater was published, which made it possible to publish his other works. From then on, writing became his priority.

In 1888, the writer got married and went on a honeymoon. Literary scholars believe that this influenced his style and manner of writing in English. In 1889, a book was published that immediately became very popular - “Three in the boat, not counting the dog.”

Main texts:

• “Three in the boat, not counting the dog”;
• “Why we don’t like strangers”;
• "Civilization and Unemployment";
• "Philosophy and the Demon";
• "The man who wanted to rule."

During his lifetime, Jerome's works in English were translated into many languages ​​of the world and published in many countries. He became an iconic writer in England.

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

- poet and prose writer, writer, last representative era of Queen Victoria. Thomas's childhood was spent in the patriarchal atmosphere of rural England. He witnessed the existence of many traditions - fairs, folk traditions, holidays, songs.

Once in 1856, the future writer became a student of an architect in Dorchester; in subsequent years he was actively engaged in self-education: he read books on literature and history, studied philosophy, German and French.

In 1867 he wrote his first novel in English, The Pauper and the Lady, which was not published. He destroyed the manuscript. The publishers were alarmed by the novel's radical depiction of all populations and religions. He was advised to write something “more artistic.”

In 1871, the writer anonymously published a novel in English. "Desperate Ways", which has already witnessed Hardy's unique style: detective genre, sensational motives.

Throughout his life, Thomas Hardy wrote 14 novels in English, which the author combined into three cycles:

• “Inventive and experimental novels”;
• "Romantic stories and fantasies";
• “Novels of Characters and Environment.”

In his texts, the writer depicts life in the village, social injustice, studies human behavior and the factors that influence it.

The writer's main novels in English:

• "Three Strangers";
• "Barbara of the Greb Family";
• “A woman with a fantasy”;
• Alicia's Diary.

The presence of rural motifs in the writer’s work is explained by his childhood experience: the first years of his life he lived in an atmosphere of folk traditions and could observe life in those conditions. Later, these observations were transformed in his work.

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)

The publicist and writer grew up in the family of an architect and an artist. Arthur's stepmother had a passion for books and passed this passion on to the boy. He later recalled that she greatly influenced Arthur's career.

At the age of ten, the future writer was sent to a boarding school, where children were cruelly treated. During this period, the boy realized that he had a natural gift for inventing stories. He was often surrounded by students who listened to his inventions.

In college, Arthur was actively involved in creativity. In my last year I published a magazine and poetry in English. In 1881, Arthur was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery.

In 1885, he married a girl named Louise Hawkins and became interested in literature. Then he had a dream of becoming a professional writer. The Cornhill magazine published his works from time to time. In 1886 he began work on a worldwide famous novel in English, which will bring him popularity - "A study in Scarlet".

In 1892, Strand magazine made an offer to a young writer write a series of stories about Sherlock Holmes. Later, the author became tired of the hero of the works and the constant inventing of stories about him. But the series was popular and publishers and readers expected new stories.

Conan Doyle He also wrote plays, other novels and essays in English.

The main texts of the writer:

• “Sketch in Scarlet”;
• "The Hound of the Baskervilles";
• "Brigadier Gerard";
• "Letters from Old Monroe";
• "Angel of the darkness".

Arthur Conan Doyle is famous primarily as the author and creator of Sherlock Holmes, whose image remains interesting and open to interpretation today.

Agatha Christie / Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

Famous writer, author of popular detective stories in English, was born into a family of immigrants from America. As a child, the girl was educated at home. Agatha's mother raised her children alone and devoted a lot of time to music.

With the outbreak of the First World War, Agatha worked as a nurse in a military hospital. She loved work and considered it the most noble. While working as a nurse, she wrote her first stories in English. Agata's older sister at that time already had several published texts, and she also wanted to achieve success in this field.

In 1920, the society was presented first novel in English " Mysterious Incident at Stiles". Agatha spent a long time looking for a publisher and worked hard on the text. Only the seventh publishing house that the girl approached agreed to publish the book.

Agatha wanted to write under a male pseudonym, but the publisher told her that her name was bright, readers would be able to immediately remember her. Since then, novels have been published under his real name.

She began to write a lot in English. I invented stories while working around the house, knitting, and communicating with my family.

Famous novels:

• "Three Stories";
• "Five Little Pigs";
• "Inspector Poirot and others";
• "4.50 train from Paddington";
• "Thirteen Mysterious Cases."

Agatha Christie considered her best text to be her book in English, “Ten Little Indians.” Special feature Her detective stories are characterized by a complete absence of violence - she did not describe violent scenes, blood or murder, and there are no sexual crimes in her novels. The writer tried to weave morality into each of her texts.

The best English writers and their works for children

There are many writers in English literature who have created works for children. They remain relevant and interesting even for modern children.

Lewis Carroll

English writer (real name: Charles Lutwidge), who became famous thanks to his works for children. He grew up in a priest's family with seven children. Everyone received home education - the father gave the children knowledge of theology, different languages and natural sciences. Children have always been encouraged to enjoy games and inventions.

As a child, the future writer came up with different stories in English and read them to his family. His humor, ability to parody and burlesque motifs are felt in his early texts. He copied poems by Shakespeare, Milton, and Gray. Already in these parodies he showed his sharp mind and erudition.

As Charles grew up, he discovered his love for children. With adults he felt lonely, always embarrassed and silent. But with children he was open and cheerful. He walked with them, took them to the theater, told them stories, invited them to visit.

His best texts were originally created as improvisation. In his work, he turned to theatricality and fabulousness; in his texts, ancient images that are embodied in folk tales come to life.

List of major works in English:

• "Alice in Wonderland";
• “Useful and edifying poetry”;
• "Bruno's Revenge"
• "Alice for children."

Lewis's works have been filmed many times and have been translated into other languages ​​in many countries around the world. The work “Alice in Wonderland” is an inexhaustible source of quotes for many people.

Roald Dahl is known to the world for his book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". The writer grew up in an English-speaking environment, raised by his father. He graduated from a boarding school for boys and at the age of 12 went to Tanzania. When World War II began, he enlisted and took up aviation - serving as a pilot in Kenya.

It was published during the war years the first story in English "Gremlins", and after the war he realized that literary creativity was what he wanted to do. The writer became famous as the creator of paradoxical stories.

His main works:

• "James and the Giant Peach"
• "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory";
• "Matilda";
• "Gremlins"

His texts in English are characterized by exaggeration of reality, characters, sometimes to the point of absurdity, humor and fabulousness. Children love his stories for their humor, instructiveness and closeness to life. Dahl could create worlds in which children recognize themselves.

Laureate Nobel Prize born in India in the family of a teacher. When Kipling was 6, he was sent to study in England. The living conditions of the relative who was involved in his education were terrible: the child did not receive love and affection, he was beaten and frightened. The boy was almost blind from the resulting stress. When the mother came to visit her son, she saw his condition and took him home.

But over time, the writer returned to England and began studying at college. There he began to write poetry and his first essays in English. Some texts were published in local publishing houses.

Kipling wrote in English about ordinary people, interpreted ordinary stories. He placed a person in circumstances in which his character was best revealed. In the 90s, the writer worked very fruitfully, at which time a large number of his novels were published in English.

The main works of the writer:

• "The jungle book";
• "Three Soldiers";
• "Kim";
• "The Second Jungle Book."

Kipling became famous for his texts for children, but he also wrote ballads and poems in English that touched on social problems of his era.

The writer who created the legendary world of Harry Potter, went through many rejections before her book was finally published.

She was born in England. She began writing her first texts in English as a child. At age 9, she wrote Jessica Mitford's autobiography. At school, Joanna read a lot and studied well. She tried to enter Oxford, but failed her exams and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Exeter.

She began working on the first Harry Potter book in 1995. She submitted the manuscript to 12 publishing houses and all of them rejected her. Bloomsbury publishing house agreed. The first book had a circulation of 1000, after 5 months it received its first prize.

Success came to the writer, and publishing houses began to compete for the right to publish her next books. “Harry Potter” became a brand, it was filmed, and after watching the film, millions of children around the world began to dream of being at Hogwarts.

The Harry Potter series of books includes the following:

• "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone";
• "Harry Potter And The Chamber of secrets";
• "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire";
• "Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban"
• "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix";
• "Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince";
• "Harry Potter and the Deadly Relics"

Rowling also wrote other books in English that are popular among children and related to the saga:

• "The Tales of Beedle the Bard";
• "Fantastic creatures and where to find them."

English classics - popular books

Some works are considered canonical in English literature. Brief summaries and key ideas of some of them are presented below.

Hound of the Baskervilles

"The Hound of the Baskervilles" is a work by Arthur Conan Doyle in English, which has become one of the most famous in the Sherlock Holmes series. The main characters of the novel are detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant and friend Dr. Watson.

During one of his travels, the writer heard from a fellow traveler mysterious story about a dog that was called the “black devil.” This inspired Arthur to create a story that would center on a sinister dog. At the beginning of the novel, the name of Robinson Fletcher is remembered, who gave him the idea for creating this story.

The plot is typical for stories about a detective: Doctor Mortimer turns to him for help, whose friend dies under mysterious conditions. Everyone was frightened by the expression on the dead man's face, which expressed fear. There is a legend in his friend’s family that is passed down from generation to generation. It's about a dog that chases all members of its family at night. Sherlock Holmes begins an investigation into this case.

The trowel's book holds the suspense and only reveals the mystery at the end of the story. This novel has been filmed many times and is considered the best in creative biography writer.

Invisible Man

"Invisible Man" is a novel by English science fiction writer H.G. Wells, written in 1897. He describes the life of an English scientist who invented a device that makes a person invisible. The scientist worked on his creation for a long time and postponed its presentation, but at some point he began to experience financial difficulties and decided to become invisible forever in order to start a new life.

The book describes the difficulties this scientist faces: how the initial euphoria of his condition gives way to complete disappointment. The main character of the book, Griffin, became one of the first “villains” in literature.

A study in Scarlet

"A study in Scarlet" is a work by Arthur Conan Doyle, which was published in 1887. This book allows the reader to plunge into the world of a detective, think with him and try to understand the logic of his thoughts. In this work, Sherlock Holmes appears for the first time, and readers are introduced to his manner of doing business.

This story was written in just three weeks, but it brought success to the author, and readers became acquainted with the witty detective and began to wait for the next stories.

Citadel

"Citadel"- one of the best and most profound works of the English writer Archibald Cronin. This is a parable novel that reveals the history of human development in the reality of that time.

The novel tells the story of a doctor who dreams of becoming the best in his field, but he faces various difficulties that await the young doctor in the hospital. Through building a career, he reveals himself as a person and a professional.

This novel is well deserved considered Cronin's strongest: it clearly shows psychological development personality and its decomposition, its formation under the influence of various factors of reality.

lost World

"Lost World"- a novel by Arthur Conan Doyle, which is written in an adventure style. It has not become as popular as the stories about Sherlock Holmes, but its style, plot and ideas deserve the attention of readers.

The book tells about an exciting adventure, a journey to an unknown land where different animals live. In this novel the writer tries to show his acquaintance with the latest ideas Sciences. This novel not only has an exciting fantasy element, it is full of sketches of animals, humor that is difficult to convey in Russian and scenes from real life.

This part of Arthur Conan Doyle's work is often left aside, but The Lost World is an example of how several original styles can be combined in one writer.

Othello

"Othello" is a play by William Shakespeare, the plot of which is based on the text “The Moor of Venice” by Giraldi Cinta. The plot of the play revolves around the depiction of the conflict between the individual and society. She talks about love, hatred, jealousy, and reveals important problems of humanity.

The images of the tragedy are lively, bright, they have both positive and negative traits, each of them is a mix of reason and emotions. Othello has become the most popular tragedy due to the fact that it depicts acute conflicts between eternal human feelings– love, jealousy, trust.

Describes greed and the desire to get rich at any cost - problems that societies face during any era.

Essay in English “Favorite writer”

Conclusion

English writers are a popular topic for writing and conversation. Knowledge of the great classics of English literature always speaks of a person’s good taste and education. Most works have film adaptations and can be watched online.

If you have mastered English language enough to read English books in the original without adaptation, we recommend starting with modern authors. Firstly, modern books They are easier to read, they do not contain such confusing and complex phrases and rare expressions as in the classics. Secondly, modern prose more useful for spoken language, it provides more relevant vocabulary and grammar. We have made a selection of interesting modern English authors.

Ian McKewan

Famous British writer, winner of prestigious book awards. McKewan's first books illuminate violent themes, in other novels the theme of violence is also present, but not in this one large quantities. Some of the writer’s works have already been filmed, which indicates his popularity. Best books author - “Atonement” and “Cement Garden”.

Sophia Kinsella

A former financial columnist for London newspapers, he is now a best-selling author, popular not only in the UK but throughout the world. Kinsella's books are a fascinating series about the life and financial problems of Rebecca Bloomwood. The heroine suffers from shopaholism, which is why she ends up in various difficult situations, but with the help of his knowledge of economics he always gets out of the situation. There are five books in total in the series. Is there some more individual works Kinsellas - for example, " Remember Me?" or " Can You Keep the Secret? ».

Stephen Fry

Actor, comedian, blogger, writer, TV presenter, and also “the bearer of the exemplary spirit of England.” This is one of the most versatile and talented people Britain. All his books instantly become bestsellers. He has already written more than a dozen, some of them autobiographical. Be sure to read Moab Is My Washbasin, The Liar, and How to Make History.

Joanne Rowling

The famous author of books needs no introduction. We will not recommend reading books about a young wizard - you probably already know about them. But Rowling doesn't just write fantasy and children's books; she has an adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, and several detective stories.

Neil Gaiman

A modern writer and screenwriter, who is called a “storyteller.” His first novel developed from a script for a BBC mini-series, but with the rest of the books the opposite happened - Hollywood producers are fighting among themselves for the right to film them. Gaiman's works are entertaining and at the same time intellectual scary tales: “Coraline”, “Stardust”, “The Graveyard Story”.

These writers deserve the same attention as the famous British classics Jane Austen, or. If you are not ready to read these books in the original, read them in Russian - they are worth it.

Warm greetings to my readers!

Both small and big. Although today's lesson will focus more on the former. We are waiting for English writers for children and their works. We will also touch on the “oldies” from the 19th century. And consider the “youth” of the 20th century. I will also give you a list of their famous and famous books in order of my sincere love:).

Let `s start?

• Lewis Carroll

Many people know this writer from his restless heroine Alice and her endless travels to Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The writer's biography itself is no less interesting than his books. He grew up in big family- with 3 brothers and 7 sisters. He loved to draw and dreamed of becoming an artist.

The story itself tells us about a girl who finds herself in a wonderful Magic world. Where he meets many interesting characters: and Cheshire cat, and the mad hatter, and the queen of cards.

• Roald Dahl

Roald was born in Wales into a Norwegian family. He spent most of his childhood in boarding houses. One of the latter was located next to the famous Cadbury chocolate factory. It is believed that it was then that the idea came to him to write his best children's story - “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

This story is about a boy, Charlie, who receives one of five tickets. This ticket will take him into the closed chocolate factory. Together with 4 other participants, he completes all the tasks in the factory and remains the winner.

• Rudyard Kipling

This author is known to us for his story "The Jungle Book", which tells the story of a boy named Mowgli, who grew up among the wild forests along with a variety of animals. Most likely, this story was inspired by his own childhood. The fact is that Rudyard was born and lived for the first 5 years of his life in India.

• Joanne Rowling

The most famous “storyteller” of our time gave us that same one. Joan wrote this story for her children. And at that time their family lived very poorly.

And the books themselves give us the opportunity to plunge into the world of magic and magic. The boy Harry finds out that he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts school. Interesting adventures await him there.

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• Joan Aiken

This woman simply had to become a writer, because everyone in her family wrote: from her father to her sister. But Joan was engaged specifically in children's literature. So her most famous work was the story “A Piece of Heaven in a Pie.” And it was this story that our domestic TV channels filmed. True, this story is known to the Russian people under the name “Apple Pie”.

• Robert Louis Stevenson

Not a man - a pirate! You just want to shout “Hey-hey!”, because this man invented the pirate Captain Flint in his story “Treasure Island”. Hundreds of boys stayed up at night to follow the adventures of this hero.

The author himself was born in cold Scotland. He studied to be an engineer and lawyer. Moreover, his first book was published when Robert was only 16 years old, using money borrowed from his father. But he came up with the story about treasure island much later. And what’s interesting is while playing with my son. Together they drew a treasure map and came up with stories.

• John Tolkien

The creator of modern from another world - "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" - stories so fantastic and exciting that they take your breath away.

The author of the books, John, worked as a teacher. As a child, he learned to read early, so he did it often. He admitted that he hated the story “Treasure Island” with a fierce hatred, but madly loved “Alice in Wonderland.” The author himself wrote stories for which he was nicknamed “the father of fantasy.”

• Pamela Travers

This woman's real name is Helen. She was born in far, far away Australia. But at the age of 8 she moved with her mother to Wales. As a child, Pamela loved animals very much. She was fiddling around in the yard and imagining herself as a bird. As she grew up, she traveled a lot, but eventually returned to England.

One day she was asked to babysit two small and restless children. So, while playing, she began to invent a story about a nanny who carried things with her in a suitcase and who had an umbrella with a parrot-shaped handle. Then the plot develops on paper and this is how the world got the famous nanny Mary Poppins. The first book was followed by others - continuations of the story about the nanny.

I think we'll end here. Read interesting books, learn the language and develop. And don’t miss the opportunity to receive new blog articles instantly by email - subscribe to the newsletter.

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Check out the video below for some more great writers and their works that are worth reading!

English literature- this is a centuries-old history, magnificent writers, unique works, which display features national character. We grow up with the books of these great authors, we develop with their help. It is impossible to convey the importance of English writers and the contribution they made to world literature. We offer you 10 internationally recognized masterpieces of English literature.

1. William Shakespeare - “King Lear”

The story of King Lear is the story of a man blinded by his own despotism, who, in his declining years, encounters the bitter truth of life for the first time. Endowed with unlimited power, Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters Cordelia, Goneril and Regan. On the day of his abdication, he expects flattering speeches and assurances of tender love from them. He knows in advance what his daughters will say, but he longs to once again listen to the praises addressed to him in the presence of the court and foreigners. Lear invites the youngest of them and the most beloved Cordelia to talk about his love in such a way that her words will prompt him to give her a “more extensive share than his sisters.” But proud Cordelia refuses to perform this ritual with dignity. A fog of rage obscures Lear’s eyes and, considering her refusal an attack on his power and dignity, he curses his daughter. Having deprived her of her inheritance, King Lear abdicates the throne in favor of his eldest daughters Goneril and Regan, not realizing the dire consequences of his action...

2. George Gordon Byron - “Don Juan”

“I am looking for a hero!..” Thus begins the poem “Don Juan”, written by the great English poet George Gordon Byron. And his attention was attracted by a hero well known in world literature. But the image of the young Spanish nobleman Don Juan, who became a symbol of the seducer and womanizer, takes on new depth in Byron. He is unable to resist his passions. But often he himself becomes the object of harassment from women...

3. John Galsworthy - “The Forsyte Saga”

“The Forsyte Saga” is life itself, in all its tragedy, in joys and losses, a life that is not very happy, but accomplished and unique.
The first volume of “The Forsyte Saga” includes a trilogy consisting of novels: “The Owner,” “In the Loop,” “For Rent,” which presents the history of the Forsyte family over many years.

4. David Lawrence - “Women in Love”

David Herbert Lawrence shocked the consciousness of his contemporaries with the freedom with which he wrote about the relationship of the sexes. In the famous novels about the Brenguin family - “The Rainbow” (which was banned immediately after publication) and “Women in Love” (published in a limited edition, and in 1922 a censorship trial of its author took place) Lawrence describes the history of several married couples. Women in Love was filmed by Ken Russell in 1969 and won an Oscar.
“My great religion is the belief in blood and flesh, that they are wiser than the intellect. Our minds may make mistakes, but what our blood feels, believes, and says is always true.”

5. Somerset Maugham - “The Moon and a Penny”

One of Maugham's best works. A novel about which literary critics have been arguing for many decades, but still cannot come to a conclusion unanimous opinion– should history be counted? tragic life and the death of the English artist Strickland as a kind of “free biography” of Paul Gauguin?
Whether this is true or not, “The Moon and a Penny” still remains the true pinnacle of English literature of the 20th century.

6. Oscar Wilde - “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Oscar Wilde is a great English writer who gained fame as a brilliant stylist, an inimitable wit, an extraordinary personality of his time, a man whose name, through the efforts of enemies and a gossip-hungry mob, became a symbol of depravity. This edition includes the famous novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” - the most successful and most scandalous of all the books created by Wilde.

7. Charles Dickens - “David Copperfield”

The famous novel “David Copperfield” by the great English writer Charles Dickens has gained the love and recognition of readers all over the world. Largely autobiographical, this novel tells the story of a boy forced to fight alone against a cruel, bleak world inhabited by evil teachers, selfish factory owners and soulless servants of the law. In this unequal war, David can only be saved by moral firmness, purity of heart and extraordinary talent, capable of turning a dirty ragamuffin into the greatest writer in England.

8. Bernard Shaw - “Pygmalimon”

The play begins on a summer evening in Covent Garden in London. A sudden torrential downpour of rain caught the pedestrians by surprise and forced them to take shelter under the portal of St. Paul's Cathedral. Among those gathered were professor of phonetics Henry Higgins and researcher of Indian dialects Colonel Pickering, who specially came from India to see the professor. The unexpected meeting delights both. The men begin a lively conversation, into which an incredibly dirty flower girl intervenes. Begging the gentlemen to buy a bouquet of violets from her, she makes such unimaginable inarticulate sounds that it horrifies Professor Higgins, who is discussing the advantages of his method of teaching phonetics. The disgruntled professor swears to the colonel that thanks to his lessons, this dirty woman can easily become a saleswoman in a flower shop, where now she won’t even be allowed to enter the door. Moreover, he swears that in three months he will be able to pass her off as the duchess at the envoy's reception.
Higgins gets down to business with great enthusiasm. Obsessed with the idea of ​​turning a simple street girl into a real lady at any cost, he is absolutely confident of success, and does not think at all about the consequences of his experiment, which will radically change not only the fate of Eliza (that’s the girl’s name), but also his own life .

9. William Thackeray - “Vanity Fair”

The pinnacle of creativity of the English writer, journalist and graphic artist William Makepeace Thackeray was the novel “Vanity Fair”. All the characters in the novel - positive and negative - are involved, according to the author, in an “eternal circle of grief and suffering.” Full of events, rich in subtle observations of the life of its time, imbued with irony and sarcasm, the novel “Vanity Fair” took pride of place in the list of masterpieces of world literature.

10. Jane Austen - “Sense and Sensibility”

“Sense and Sensibility” is one of the best novels by the wonderful English writer Jane Austen, who is rightly called the “first lady” of British literature. Among her most famous works are such masterpieces as “Pride and Prejudice”, “Emma”, “Northanger Abbey” and others. “Sense and Sensibility” is a so-called novel of morals, representing love stories two sisters: one of them is restrained and reasonable, the other with all passion gives herself over to emotional experiences. Heart dramas against the background of the conventions of society and ideas about duty and honor become a real “education of feelings” and are crowned with well-deserved happiness. The life of a large family, the characters and the twists and turns of the plot are described by Jane Austen easily, ironically and heartfeltly, with inimitable humor and purely English restraint.

Truly admirable. It is based on the works of a whole galaxy of outstanding masters. No country in the world has given birth to as many outstanding wordsmiths as Britain. Numerous English classics, the list goes on for a long time: William Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, Daphne Du Maurier, George Orwell, John Tolkien. Are you familiar with their works?

Already in the 16th century, the British William Shakespeare earned the reputation of the world's best playwright. It is curious that to this day the plays of the “spear-shaking” Englishman (as his last name is literally translated) are staged in theaters more often than the works of other authors. His tragedies “Hamlet”, “Othello”, “King Lear”, “Macbeth” are universal values. Getting acquainted with his creative heritage, we recommend that you MUST read philosophical tragedy"Hamlet" is about the meaning of life and moral principles. For four hundred years now she has headed the repertoires of the most famous theaters. There is an opinion that English classic writers began with Shakespeare.

She became famous thanks to the classic love story"Pride and Prejudice", which introduces us to the daughter of an impoverished nobleman, Elizabeth, who has a rich inner world, pride and an ironic look at the environment. She finds her happiness in love with the aristocrat Darcy. It’s paradoxical, but this book, with a fairly simple plot and a happy ending, is one of the most beloved in Britain. It traditionally outstrips the works of many serious novelists in popularity. At least for that reason it is worth reading. Like this writer, many English classics came to literature precisely in early XVIII century.

He glorified himself with his works as a deep and genuine expert on the life of ordinary British people in the 18th century. His heroes are invariably heartfelt and convincing. The novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles shows tragic fate a simple decent woman. She commits the murder of a scoundrel nobleman who is ruining her life in order to free herself from his persecution and find happiness. Using the example of Thomas Hardy, the reader can see that the English classics had a deep mind and a systematic view of the society around them, saw its flaws more clearly than others, and, despite having ill-wishers, still courageously presented their creations for the assessment of the entire society.

She showed in her largely autobiographical novel “Jane Eyre” the emerging new morality - the principles of an educated, active, decent person who wants to serve society. The writer creates a surprisingly holistic, deep image of the governess Jane Eyre, who goes towards her love for Mr. Rochester even at the cost of sacrificial service. Bronte, inspired by her example, was followed by other English classics, not from the noble class, calling on society for social justice and an end to all human discrimination.

Possessed, according to the Russian classic F.M. Dostoevsky, who considered himself his student, “instinct of universal humanity.” The writer’s enormous talent accomplished the seemingly impossible: he became famous in his early youth thanks to his first novel, “The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club,” which was followed by “Oliver Twist,” “David Copperfield,” and others, which earned the writer unprecedented fame. , putting him on a par with Shakespeare.

William Thackeray is an innovator in the style of presenting a novel. None of the classics before him turned into central images his work of bright, textured depictions negative characters. Moreover, as in life, often something individually positive was inherent in their characters. His outstanding work- “Vanity Fair” - written in the unique spirit of intellectual pessimism mixed with subtle humor.

With her “Rebecca” in 1938 she did the impossible: she wrote a novel in key moment, when it seemed that English literature had run out of steam, that everything that was possible had already been written, that the English classics were “finished.” Having not received worthy works for a long time, the English reading audience was interested and delighted by the unique, unpredictable plot of her novel. The opening phrase of this book has become a catchphrase. Be sure to read this book by one of the world's best masters of creating psychological images!

George Orwell will amaze you with the merciless truth. He wrote his famous novel “1984” as a powerful universal denunciation weapon against all dictatorships: present and future. His creative method borrowed from another great Englishman - Swift.

The novel “1984” is a parody of a dictatorship society that has completely trampled on universal human values. He exposed and called to account for the inhumanity of the ugly model of socialism, which was actually becoming a dictatorship of leaders. An extremely sincere and uncompromising man, he endured poverty and hardship, passing away early - at the age of 46.

Is it possible not to love “The Lord of the Rings” by Professor This is a real miraculous and surprisingly harmonious temple of the epic of England? The work conveys deep humanistic messages to its readers and it is no coincidence that Frodo destroys the ring on March 25 - the day of the Ascension. The creative and competent writer showed insight: all his life he was indifferent to politics and parties, passionately loved “good old England”, and was a classic British bourgeois.

This list goes on and on. I apologize to dear readers who had the courage to read this article that, due to limited space, it did not include the worthy Walter Scott, Ethel Lilian Voynich, Daniel Defoe, Lewis Carroll, James Aldridge, Bernard Shaw and, believe me, many, many others. English classical literature is a huge, most interesting layer of achievements of human culture and spirit. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of meeting her.