17._READING_BOOKS

- he combines comic and serious situation

- famous works: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, Christmas Carrols

-> Oscar Wilde

- he was born in Dublin

- he died in Paris, he represented English decadence and symbolism
- he wrote drama and comedies

- he was criticised by London society and even put to prison (for 2 years) for homosexuality

- Wilde wrote many stories for his children including The Happy Prince and The Centerville Ghost

- famous works: An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Ernest, The picture of Dorian Gray

-> Jane Austen
- she is the first great woman-writer
- representative of domestic novel (it describes ordinary life)
- in her works she showed the life of upper-classes in countryside
- the main characters of her works are intelligent, morally strong women
- famous works: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Lady Susan

-> Agatha Christie

- the most famous representative

- she is known as Queen of Crime (she wrote 77 detective novels)

- she created the character of Hercule Poirot – little and smart Belgian detective and character of Miss Jane Marple

(it’s possible that Miss Marple represents Agatha herself)
- famous works: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on Nile, Death in the clouds, The A.B.C. Murders

* WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ERNEST HEMINGWAY

William Shakespeare

- he was probably the greatest dramatist of England

- he lived and worked in the 16th century, in the period of the Renaissance

- the Renaissance humanists played a great role in the development of mankind when they acknowledged man as

the centre of the universe -> they fought against the dogmatism of the Catholic Church, it was the era of fight against

feudal backwardness, it was the time when people began to believe in their own reason and senses

- in this time the Tudor monarch (Henry VII, Henry III, Elizabeth I) were ruling the country and it was a period of

stability and prosperity

- the Elizabethan period flourished with translations from many languages

- many literary genders developed. e. g. poetry, essays, and above all - brillians drama.

- he was born on 23 April 1564 n Stratford-upon-Avon as the oldest son of John and Mary Shakespeare

- his father was a successful and respected tradesman

- at the age of seven William went to the local grammar school which was the most common form of education

at that time, and was free

- Stratford-upon-Avon was a flourishing market town which became busy on fair days

- in Elizabethan times, England was known as merry England for different celebrations and festivals

- amateur actors would come to town and their Performances gave people a release from the problems of everyday life

- in the 16th century plays were performed in the country yards of inns

- the actors put up a temporary stage opposite the main entrance and the audience could sit around the three sides

of the stage

- William as a young boy had plenty of opportunity to see plays and players from various travelling companies ->