Classic Literature and the Art of Mixing It Up

This post is the seventh in a series on contemporary popular literature.

Classic literature…how do you feel about it?

Most days my philosophy is, I want to like it, but it’s not always easy. Some feel that the classics are over-rated, but for most, they mean something special, a cut above or removed from the rest.  Don’t get me wrong, there is a plethora of good literature available to readers today; I personally prefer most of it to what was written back in the day.  But as the forefathers, the first of their kind for their period or type, classics already lay claim to many readers.

Some people are genuinely passionate about these works (you know the ones I mean, those eat, sleep, and breathe types).  In their personal collections, the spines of their Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the like are well marked to the discerning eye.

In my case though, I struggle in my relationship with much of what is considered classic literature.  While I savor the stories and characters, the styles in which they are written, the pacing, often act as a real turn off for me.  (Some exceptions are Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre.  These classics are the crack habit I can’t get away from.)

This is not an easy thing to admit.  For those who are self-proclaimed avid readers, to deny a true appreciation of the classics often results in swift and harsh judgment.  Whether we feel a profound connection to classic literature or not, in many circles, to admit otherwise is taboo.

I find that performance, whether it be on stage or in a film, can help a lot when it comes to overcoming issues of pacing and style.  Shakespeare especially is an experience best appreciated through performance.

But how can classics get the attention of younger generations?  After seeing last week’s release, Easy A, I’d say it doesn’t have to be that difficult.  You just have to know how to sell it.

Easy A is a modern retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (a book I read in high school, and to be honest, didn’t enjoy).  This take though, which uses the original novel more for inspiration than a how-to manual, offers a fresh and witty commentary on the subject matter and the kind of thinking behind it from a modern-age point of view.

And while the movie didn’t make me want to go out and read the book again, I no longer wish it had never been written in the first place.  But it is rare that it takes a complete refashioning of a classic work to get me to enjoy it.

The creative teams behind PBS‘s Masterpiece Theater, BBC, and A&E are all excellent at retelling these classics the way they were meant to be experienced–the dress, hair, mannerisms and locations in which you find them are all richly infused with the flavor of the literature’s period.  For those of you who’ve enjoyed these projects, you know that no one can make classic literature come to life quite like these networks.

Don’t take my word for it though; definitely check out some of their selection for yourself (I am not a completely unbiased source in my recommendations because once you throw in an English accent, I’m already half-way won over and well on my way to mindless adoration).

I don’t think everyone is as attuned to British programming as I am though.  In that case, movies like Easy A, or other titles like Bridget Jone’s Diary (Pride and Prejudice), Clueless (Emma), and She’s The Man (Twelfth Night) are fun ways to get a taste of what makes the classics so great.

In the case of Pride and Prejudice, you have the tried and true tale of a classic love/hate relationship, a recurring theme spanning all entertainment art forms. And in Emma and Twelfth Night, you have the high jinks and hilarity that ensue when silly, blundering girls get embroiled in bizarre and absurd misunderstandings, another common story arc.

At their core, these stories still have a strong beating pulse that we can all relate to, and if it requires a fun take on a classic title to remind us of this, than I think we should all view modern retellings in the light they were mean to be viewed in–it’s all good fun!

What do you think?  Are you disgusted by modern takes, or do you welcome the fresh perspective on your dog-eared favorites?  Let me know, write below!