British literature has produced a good number of classic authors who, even today, are studied, read and known everywhere. Here I offer a compilation article with the 10 English writers that are a must to know
William Shakespeare
Mainly known for his plays, William Shakespeare revolutionized English and universal theater. It is difficult – at least – not to have heard the titles of his main plays Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth…
Undoubtedly, Shakespeare’s writing will never cease to shine and enchant no matter how many years go by. He is the author of some of the most famous plays in the world… there must be a reason!
Learn about the tragedies of William Shakespeare
Jane Austen
One of the most published and read authors in world literature. One of the most characteristic features of Jane Austen’s literature is her ability to create characters – especially women – strong and intelligent… something not at all common in the writer’s time.
Jane Austen was known to the general public long before she began to write. This happened with the publication of Emma. Then came Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility… and many other literary gems that must be known and read.
William Blake
Blake is another of the most interesting classic English writers. He was a multifaceted artist who in addition to writing also painted. Known largely for his poems, he is a landmark of English poetry and painting.
Blake’s poems and paintings are always closely related. One example is his series of watercolors The Great Red Dragon. These paintings depicting fragments of the Bible are accompanied by poems. All of his material is a delight to the senses.
Mary Shelley
Another very interesting name in English literature. Daughter of the famous philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft.
Mary Shelley is one of the British writers who has had the greatest impact on the development of world literature: she was none other than the inventor of science fiction. Her work Frankenstein is famous around the world and continues, to this day, to thrill all readers.
Mary Shelley stands out above all for her ability to delve into the peculiarities and intricacies of human nature.
Works such as The Immortal Mortal or The Last Man are also part of her pen. If you like scary literature, we recommend you to read our selection of the best horror writers.
Charlotte Brontë
One of the best known Brontë sisters. Charlotte Brontë is one of the most relevant women of English literature along with her sisters Emily and Anne.
Jane Eyre and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall are her best known works and applauded by many readers, although she had to start writing under a pseudonym because she was a woman, but she was able to publish under her own name because she did not give up trying like her other two sisters.
Charles Dickens
Undoubtedly, another of the great references of British and world literature. First a journalist, Dickens forged himself as a writer by observing and talking to all kinds of people -especially the humblest classes-.
Dickens’ way of looking at life would mark his way of writing. The themes of the lower social classes, poverty, difficulties and misfortunes of the underprivileged will be recurrent in all his works.
Titles such as Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities or David Copperfield are simply essential titles.
Virginia Woolf
Continuing with this list of English writers, it is Virginia Woolf’s turn. Now we are talking about one of the main representatives of modern Anglo-Saxon avant-gardism and creator of one of the great works of feminism: A Room of One’s Own.
Virginia Wolf is especially known, and admired, for her well-known method of interior monologue for narration. It has seduced – and seduces – millions of writers all over the world.
Virginia Woolf’s best known works are The Waves, The Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway, among other great and fabulous titles.
Christopher Marlowe
One of the causes of the Elizabethan theater reached the level that ended up reaching the Elizabethan theater.
Often considered the predecessor of William Shakespeare (there are even those who think that the name William Shakespeare is actually a pseudonym for Christopher Marlowe),
Marlowe first achieved success on the London stage with the play Tamerlane the Great, the story of the conqueror Timur in 1587. It was soon followed by its sequel: Tamerlane the Great. Part II.
Although it is not known for certain, his next play may have been Doctor Faustus, the first dramatic adaptation of the Faust legend. Other Christopher Marlowe titles include The Jew of Malta; Edward II, a play dealing with the fall of Edward II and the ascension to the throne of Edward III; and The Paris Massacre.
Agatha Christie
This writer and playwright is best known for her detective novels, a genre in which she is a master. Agatha Christie wrote sixty-six detective novels, as well as other romantic novels and plays.
The Mousetrap, Death on the Nile or Witness for the Prosecution are just some of the wonderful detective titles that Agatha Christie left behind and that, even today, have millions of people hooked.
George Owell
Eric Arthur Blair is his real name. George Owell is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century for works such as 1984 and Animal Farm, books that are studied everywhere and still fascinate millions of people who discover them today.
George Owell’s books are utopian but practically timeless stories that bear a strong resemblance to the present day. His style is marked by denunciation and social chronicle, a real marvel for anyone who likes the subject.