Does anyone know of a book that gives the plot & main characters of classic literature?

Question

ie Hamlet; what is the basic story & who are the main 5 characters? Same for Twelth Night
Same for all Dickens books etc.

Answer 1

Try www.sparknotes.com
or www.pinkmonkey.com

Answer 2

1. No, I'd rather die with them because I'd never be able to live with that guilt, or without them. 2. It depends on the importance of the person. 3. I would not be able to live with myself if I killed the person, especially if they were close to me but I'd push on for my survival 4. A gun 5. A caring boy with secrets who wants to discover my own 6. I fight for my survival 7. Girl 8. Not skin color, but if their eye color was unique and played in a part in a special power they have then it would be cool 9. Male: Ace, Ryan, David, Troy, Aiden Female: Lily, Rain, Ty, Alex, Scarlet 10. mysterious, romantic, softie under tough facade, secretive, tough 11. cliche writing, spelling/grammar errors, obvious to guess 12. too insecure - constantly worrying 13. bad guys get defeated and good guy triumphs. At least J.K. Rowling had Fred, Dumbledore, Lupin and Tonks die even if HP won 14. mind powers 15. Rena - mysterious, secretive, badass, tough, awesome ;) (even tho some of those suit me now)

Answer 3

I have some books that sound like what you're looking for:

The Oxford Companion to English Literature, edited by Margaret Drabble
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Companion-English-Literature/dp/0198614535/sr=8-5/qid=1163620575/ref=pd_ka_5/202-0562501-7814224?ie=UTF8&s=books

It's a fantastic piece of work that gives extensive coverage of all the major works you can think of, an outline of the plot, intro to main characters etc.

Just to show I'm not biased towards the dark blue, you could also try The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English - "the most authoritative and international survey of world literature in English available" according to Amazon's review.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-Guide-Literature-English/dp/0521831792/sr=1-18/qid=1163620773/ref=sr_1_18/202-0562501-7814224?ie=UTF8&s=books

If it's Shakespeare you're interested in, try:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dictionary-Shakespeare-Oxford-Paperback-Reference/dp/0192806386/sr=8-7/qid=1163620551/ref=sr_1_7/202-0562501-7814224?ie=UTF8&s=books

It also outlines plots & characters, and also covers the films, actors & theatre productions.

And for Dickens, try The Dickens Dictionary from Wordsworth. A budget buy, but fairly decent for the price.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dickens-Dictionary-Wordsworth-Reference/dp/1840223073/sr=1-1/qid=1163620946/ref=sr_1_1/202-0562501-7814224?ie=UTF8&s=books

Happy reading!

Answer 4

Look up each work in Wikipedia. It will usually give a scholarly analysis of each.

Ex.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

"The story of Hamlet concerns young Prince Hamlet whose father, Hamlet the King of Denmark (who bears the same name as his son), has recently and unexpectedly passed away. His brother, Claudius, has inherited the throne and taken the former king’s wife (and also Prince Hamlet’s mother), Gertrude, as his own. Prince Hamlet is greatly grieved by the surrogation of Claudius to the throne and Gertrude’s hasty remarriage to her departed husband’s brother, whom Prince Hamlet considers hardly worth of comparison to his father......"

Answer 5

Not a book but you used to be able to get Study or Student notes I think they were called and published by Penguin (maybe) But any "GOOD" bookshop could point you in the right direction.

Answer 6

I don't know a book but a know of a good site that offers what you're looking for (I used it once to research one of the classics):

http://www.bookrags.com/browse/studyguides/

Answer 7

If there is'nt there bl**dy well should be, i have a book that gives almost all the plots in Opera's.

Answer 8

Try ,
http://www.bartelby.com/

Answer 9

try loking up 'harvard notes'.

I think that's what they're called.