Good discussion. Let's consider the difficult to read. Canterbury Tales. Hard cause it's not modern English. Same for Shakespeare. Difficult to read modern novel? The most has got to be Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce where he more or less made up his own language for the book. Most normal novels have seemed to me to be fairly easy reads. So I don't think that they are a lower form of literature especially if they are well written. I am a great fan of Jane Austen for example. I find her novels very easy to understand and read. There's no better story than Pride and Prejudice imo.
You might be referring to the Harlequin type books perhaps. But I haven't read any of those so I can't say. I've never tried to read Finnegan's Wake either by the way. I don't think I'd understand it. C.
Hm. Might say that Austen's complexity is on the surface -- grammar, nuances of behavior -- but the large events are pretty simple. Doesn't make it less great literature, though.
Hm. I could contrast Austen with Angela Thirkell (whom I love). Good grammar, literate, recognisable characters ... but not great literature.
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Easy Read Lower Form of Literature?
Date: 2011-01-25 07:35 am (UTC)You might be referring to the Harlequin type books perhaps. But I haven't read any of those so I can't say. I've never tried to read Finnegan's Wake either by the way. I don't think I'd understand it.
C.
Re: Easy Read Lower Form of Literature?
Date: 2011-01-25 08:24 pm (UTC)Hm. I could contrast Austen with Angela Thirkell (whom I love). Good grammar, literate, recognisable characters ... but not great literature.