How to read classics when the old language is hard
If you’ve opened a classic, met a sentence half a page long full of words nobody uses any more, and put the book down, you’re in good company. The difficulty is real, but it’s the language, not you, and there are simple ways around it.
Why older books are hard going
- Words that disappeared, like ere and hath.
- Words that changed meaning, which are trickier because they look familiar: in an older book, presently means soon and nice can mean fussy.
- Long sentences, built for reading aloud by candlelight rather than on a phone.
- References to customs, money, places and books every reader once knew.
Seven ways to make it easier
- Meet the story in modern English first. A modernized edition keeps every scene; once you know who’s who, the original is far easier.
- Switch, don’t choose. Read the original and flip to the modern text only for the paragraphs that lose you.
- Read long sentences aloud, or under your breath. The rhythm often makes the meaning clear.
- Find the main verb. In a long sentence, work out who does what; the rest is detail you can come back to.
- Look up only what blocks you. Guess from context first; check a word when the sentence stops making sense.
- Use the footnotes for references, not for every line.
- Ask someone. A book chat, forum or book club clears up a puzzling passage in minutes.
Old words you’ll meet often
- thee, thou, thy
- you, your (talking to one person, often someone close)
- hath, doth
- has, does
- wherefore
- why (not “where”)
- ere
- before
- anon
- soon, in a moment
- countenance
- face, expression
- presently
- soon (not “now”)
- nice
- precise, fussy (in older books, rarely “pleasant”)
On Obscura you don’t need a list: tap any old-fashioned word as you read to see what it meant then.
The same paragraph, original and modern
Real paragraphs from our library. Switch between them; the words that change are marked.
I was anxious on discovering this paper, to reopen the correspondence commenced by Doctor Hesselius, so many years before, with a person so clever and careful as his informant seems to have been. Much to my regret, however, I found that she had died in the interval.
Questions readers ask
Why is the language in classic books so hard to understand?
English has changed. Some words have fallen out of use, others have changed meaning, sentences used to be longer, and writers assumed readers knew the Bible, the classics and the customs of their day. None of it means the book is beyond you: it’s a difference of vocabulary, not of intelligence.
Is there a version of classic books in modern English?
Yes. A modernized edition is the whole book in present-day English, paragraph for paragraph, with nothing summarised or cut. On Obscura you can switch between the original and the modern English on any page without losing your place.
Should I read the original or a modern version?
Whichever keeps you reading. Many readers start in modern English and switch to the original once they know the characters, or read the original and switch when a passage gets tangled.
Does reading classics get easier?
Quickly. The same old words and turns of phrase come up again and again, so after a few chapters, and a few books, most of them feel natural.
Try it on a real classic
The Great God Pan is free to read now, no account needed. Switch between the original and modern English as you go, and tap any old word to look it up.