As a creative writing major, you have certain responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is reading- a lot of reading. Fortunately, I like to read (part of the reason I’m a creative writing major), and this semester I was assigned some fantastic literature. Presented in no particular order, here are my top five favorite reads of this semester:
Medea – Euripides
This is one of my favorite Greek tragedies and features one of my favorite heroines. Wronged by her husband, Jason, the titular Medea decides to exact her revenge upon and him and everyone he holds dear. The play shows the lengths Medea goes to destroy her husband while destroying herself.
Hedda Gabler – Henrik Ibsen
I realize I might have a penchant for self-destructive female protagonists…whoops. Written in the style of realism, Hedda Gabler is a critique of Victorian-era values. Hedda exerts power the only way a woman in her position can, by manipulating others. Add a boring husband and a former lover and things can only get more complicated.
The Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis begins with Gregor Samsa awakening as a giant insect. It does not get stranger from there, but it does get sadder. The Metamorphosis could be interpreted as an allegory for the way mental illness is treated in society. Kafka himself suffered from anxiety and depression and his novella could be a reflection of his own thoughts.
Endgame – Samuel Beckett
I’m not going to lie, Endgame might not be your cup of tea. The play is absurdism at its finest. The dialogue is repetitive, the characters never change, and the plot is barely there. But don’t let that scare you! Endgame exposes the banality of life and reveals that the only meaning life has is the one we give it.
Death Constant Beyond Love – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of magical realism; so it’s not surprising that one of the pioneers of the genre is in my list. Death Constant Beyond Love is a short, but intricate, story of isolation and love that blends metaphor and magic.
Well, those are my top picks for the fall semester! It was nice to read so much in such a short time. I was exposed to writings from around the world, and even if I didn’t like a particular piece of writing, it was always interesting to see a different style. I’ve also found some authors that will definitely be on my reading list over the winter break. In the future I hope to expand my tastes even further. I hope this helped you find something new to read. Happy holidays and happy reading!