Why We Love 19th-Century Writing
The author celebrates 19th‑century Victorian prose, noting its ornate syntax and vivid description, and contrasts it with today’s plainer, punchier style. While modern writing aims for brevity and broader accessibility, the piece argues that this shift makes contemporary prose cognitively demanding in its own way. Nostalgia for the Victorian era fuels renewed interest among readers and writers, prompting a re‑examination of literary standards. The article suggests the stylistic evolution reflects changes in audience expectations, publishing mediums, and cultural values rather than a simple decline in quality.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Book Club 1: 1–490
Dead Language Society released a recording of the inaugural Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Book Club session. The discussion examined the poem’s likely composition period and geographic origin, the Middle English dialect used by the anonymous poet, and the...
Why You Should Read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The Dead Language Society is launching a four‑session Substack Live reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, using Simon Armitage’s accessible translation while also examining the original Middle English. The post highlights the poem’s linguistic richness—its blend of Old English,...