Top 10. The best works of world literature

Of all the works of world literature, one could easily make a list of hundreds and even thousands of the best. Some of them are mandatory for studying at school, you get to know other authors in conscious life, and sometimes you carry your favorite works through your whole life. Every year new books written by no less talented authors appear, many of them are successfully filmed, and it seems that printed editions are becoming a thing of the past. But, despite this, the best works of world literature remain always interesting and relevant for the modern reader.

10 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Today this novel could be called feminine, if not for the skill and special ironic style of the author. Jane Austen very accurately conveys the whole atmosphere that reigned at that time in aristocratic English society. The book touches on such issues that remain relevant always: upbringing, marriage, morality, education. The novel, published only 15 years after it was written, completes the top 10 best works of world literature.

9. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

Thanks to the novel, the reader manages to plunge into the era that took hold after the First World War in the United States. This work of world literature describes not only the cheerful and carefree life of wealthy American youth, but also its other side. The author shows that the protagonist of the novel, Jay Gatsby, wasted his abilities and indefatigable energy on empty goals: a chic life and a stupid spoiled woman. The book gained particular popularity in the 50s. In many English-speaking countries of the world, the work is included in the course of literature, mandatory for study.

8. “Lolita” V. V. Nabokov

The book is based on the story of the relationship between an adult man in love and a twelve-year-old girl. The immoral lifestyle of the protagonist Humbert and young Lolita does not bring them happiness and leads to a tragic ending. The work was successfully filmed several times and is still considered one of the best in world literature. The scandalous novel, which at the same time brought fame and prosperity to the author, was banned for publication in France, England, South Africa, Argentina, and New Zealand over the years.

7. Hamlet William Shakespeare

This is one of the best works of not only literature, but also world drama. The plot of the play is based on the tragic story of a Danish prince who wants to take revenge on his uncle for the murder of the king’s father. The first production of the work on stage dates back to 1600. The shadow of Hamlet’s father was played by Shakespeare himself. The tragedy has been translated more than 30 times into Russian alone. In different countries of the world, the work is realized and is popular both in theatrical productions and on the screen.

6. “Crime and Punishment” F. M. Dostoevsky

The author in his philosophical and psychological novel touches upon the issues of good and evil, freedom, morality and responsibility. The protagonist of the work, Rodion Raskolnikov, commits a murder for the sake of possible wealth, but pangs of conscience begin to haunt him. A beggar student first hides his money, and then confesses to the crime. Raskolnikov was sentenced to eight years of hard labor, which his beloved Sonya Marmeladova came to help him serve. This work is required to be studied in the school literature course.

5. “Odyssey” Homer

The second work of the ancient Greek poet Homer, written in the XNUMXth century BC, marked the beginning of all world literature. The work tells about the life of the mythical hero Odysseus, who returns to Ithaca after the Trojan War, where his wife Penelope is waiting for him. Along the way, the hero-navigator is warned of dangers, but an irresistible desire to be at home with his family, as well as intelligence, prudence, resourcefulness, cunning help him emerge victorious in battles and return to his wife. Over the years, Homer’s poem was recognized as the best, among other works of world literature.

4. “In Search of Lost Time” Marcel Proust

The main work of the modernist writer’s life is a seven-volume epic, called one of the best works of the 1913th century. All novels in the cycle are semi-autobiographical. The prototypes of the heroes were people from the real environment of the writer. All volumes were published in France from 1927 to XNUMX, the last three of them were published after the death of the author. The work is considered a classic of French literature, and has been translated into several languages ​​​​of the world.

3. “Madame Bovary” by Gustave Flaubert

One of the key works of the Realist era was first published in France in 1856. A feature of the novel is the use of elements of literary naturalism in its writing. The author so clearly traced all the details in the appearance and character of people that there were no positive characters left in his work at all. According to most modern publications, the work “Madame Bovary” is one of the top three in world literature. This was also noted by I.S. Turgenev, who was an admirer of the work of the realist prose writer Gustave Flaubert.

2. “War and Peace” L. N. Tolstoy

The epic novel of the great Russian writer L.N. Tolstoy from the moment of its first publication to this day is considered a masterpiece of world literature. The book is striking in its scope. The work shows the life of different strata of Russian society in the era of the Napoleonic wars of 1905-1912. The author, as a connoisseur of the psychology of his people, was able to accurately reflect these features in the character and behavior of his heroes. It is known that the handwritten text of the novel is more than 5 thousand pages. The work “War and Peace” has been translated into different languages ​​​​of the world and has been filmed more than 10 times.

1. The Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes

The work that topped the list is considered a bestseller in world literature. The main character of the novel, created by the Spanish writer, more than once became the prototype of the works of other authors. The personality of Don Quixote has always been under close attention and study of literary critics, philosophers, classics of world literature and critics. Cervantes’ performance about the adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza has been filmed more than 50 times, and a virtual museum has even been opened in Moscow in honor of the protagonist.