A Classics Challenge November Prompt

As we are approaching the end of 2012, November’s prompt for A Classics Challenge is asking us to summarize our classics reading during this year. I’m going to answer all of them…

Of all the Classics you've read this year is there an author or movement that has become your new favorite?

It’s Shakespeare! As a non-English speaker, and not having learned about any classics literature in school, my experience with the Bard was practically zero, until this year. Months ago I have decided to try Shakespeare’s comedy: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, however without any success. I almost got lost about what’s going on or what’s so funny about it, being a comedy. But then I realized that maybe I have read it in a wrong way. That’s why I gave Shakespeare a second chance by hosting Let’s Read Plays reading event, where most of the themes are dedicated to the Bard. This time I’m going to read Shakespeare’s works as they should be praised. And it works! I have just finished Julius Caesar, which I loved dearly—or maybe it’s because I’m an ancient Rome history’s fan? Anyway..I think this was only the beginning, I am now reading Antony and Cleopatra, and I’m more and more falling in love with Shakespeare’s smart and witty writing.

Which book did you enjoy the most?

This is always the toughest question in every meme, but if I have to choose only one book, it’s Emile Zola’s Germinal. This books is perfect in many categories of my favorite books; the story was intense and emotional, it has a hope at the ending (not a depressing hopeless ones as most of Zola’s), and I love how Zola wrote it.

Or were baffled by?

Notes From Underground (Dostoyevsky). I’m almost totally lost of what the narrator (the underground man) was complaining. When it seems I begin to vaguely get to it, the man would babble about something else, and I’m lost again. I’m around 20% of it now, and pessimistic I can ever finish it… :(

Who's the best character?

Etienne Lantier from Germinal. I have featured him in one of my Character Thursdays. 

The most exasperating (character)?

Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With The Wind. Haha…you’ve probably known about this already. This is the only main character I couldn’t find any positive personality from all books I’ve ever read.

From reading other participants' posts which book do you plan to read and are most intrigued by?

There are a lot of them, but from several suggestions in my Classics Club November meme (most intimidating classics), I’m most intrigued to read Dante’s The Divine Comedy. I can’t wait to read it next year for Listra’s Narrative Poem Reading Challenge!