by EllaClaire

1 February 2015

The Guardian

A long, dreary Victorian novel, full of infinite British countryside and submissive women who dote on,their contemptuous husbands. What could possibly be interesting in a long, tedious text full of difficult language and a repetitive plot? Well, surprisingly, quite a lot.

After about the age of 10, when I unsuccessfully attempted to grapple with a heavy hardback of Wuthering Heights, I had banished all Victorian novels to the back of my book shelf. It was only two years later, looking for a relaxed, flowing holiday read, that I picked up Pride and Prejudice, and endeavoured to immerse myself in it. I must admit, it was not arduous at all. I was immediately infatuated. And now, reading Jane Eyre for the first time, my love has been rekindled.

These books are, admittedly, not totally devoid of overblown love-swept monologues and endless accounts of rural scenery, but they are certainly not “wishy-washy”, either. I was astounded by the terrific mystery and suspense in Jane Eyre, and the plot twist which had me gripping the edge of my seat with white knuckles. The characters are vivid and various, and in Jane Eyre especially illustrious. They are also strangely accessible, despite their dated existence. Jane was particularly striking, and her character development and understandable thoughts were poignant throughout the book. Following her life, it is hard not to become attached to her.

The books, in those dreary descriptions of the country, also display some astounding prose. They are an excellent way to improve your own writing, and to discover new vocabulary and sentence variations. In learning the language, you can also learn about history; these books give an engaging and unusual insight into Victorian Britain and the kind of society which existed then, particularly its attitude to women and other cultures.

I must confess that the ardent emotions and vivacious plot of these books often do not pick up until a quarter or even half-way through, but I encourage you to stick with it: it is more often than not worth it at the end. Not only will you feel more intellectually accredited amongst your peers (admit it, we all want to), but you will have subconsciously matured your writing and enjoyed a great story.

But it’s not cool to read a massive book, I hear you say. Um, yes it is! If all the modern hipster types can sit on the London Underground reading original Penguin classics, why can’t you? If Tom Hiddlestone can earn a double first in Classics at Cambridge and then go on to play a Marvel villain, why can’t you read a love story and still be a kick-butt cool kid? Last week I spent extortionate amounts of money on makeup and clothes, and I’m still sat here with a Bronte novel!

So get rid of that pride and prejudice which you have for Victorian novels (yes, I am quite proud of that sentence!), and pick up that shiny hardcover in Waterstones which coordinates perfectly with your favourite outfit. I promise you, even if it takes two months to finish and a bit of forcing yourself to read on, you’ll definitely gain something worthwhile from the experience, whether it is pure pleasure or just knowledge.