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One of the surprising things of classic literature is that some books are way shorter than you would imagine – while others are huge.
There are quite a few classic literature novels out there that contain thousands of words and thus hundreds of pages, but these long classic literature books can be considered a hurdle to get through due to their length alone.
However, a question you may have is which one is the longest?
If you want to find out which classic books are the longest (either so you can avoid them or seek them out) then this is the place for you.
We are going to be looking at the longest books in classical literature to find out which one holds the title as the longest classic literature novel.
So, let’s make a start!
No 5. – Bleak House (1852-1853)
Kicking off our list for the longest classical novels is this masterpiece written by Charles Dickens.
Dickens is well known for his critical stories that were initially published as serial episodes during the 1800s, only to be later combined into massive, chunky novels.
His longest and largest is Bleak House, a satirical look at the English Victorian court system by focusing on the infamous Jarndyce and Jarndyce case and those connected to it.
The main protagonist is poor Esther Summerson, a ward of John Jardyce who becomes interlinked to all the other unique characters in this tale through various means.
It’s a classic Dickens novel known for its critical characters and plot, placing a magnifying glass on a part of Victorian society and calling out its faults and flaws and its impact on the lives of so many individuals.
However, despite the fact that it is written by Charles Dickens, Bleak House is at the bottom of our list of longest classic books.
Its word count is just under 400,00 – and yet there are four other classic novels that top it in length!
No 4. – The Count Of Monte Cristo (1844)
In fourth place is The Count of Monte Cristo, written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844, with a word count not quite reaching half a million.
However, it’s still a pretty hefty book packed with exciting plot points and challenging themes including revenge, justice, mergy, and hope.
The story itself follows Edmond Dantes, a merchant sailor wrongly imprisoned in a brutal French prison for fourteen years. After his escape, Dantes aims to track down those who betrayed him and take his revenge.
Many avid readers consider The Count of Monte Cristo to be an epic tale not only for its long length, but also its exciting and challenging story and themes.
Despite its length, The Count of Monte Cristo doesn’t even come close to the word count for the longest classic novel!
No 3. – Les Miserables (1862)
Now known as one of the most epic musicals to have ever graced Broadway, Les Miserables started out as a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1862.
Like with many classical books from the time, the story includes many diverse and interesting characters and spans over decades, following the plight of one Jean Valjean, an ex-convict on the run from the law with Inspector Javert always at his heels.
The novel also goes into great depths examining various themes including morality, love, religion, and justice, earning the novel its place as one of classical literature’s best.
As for word count, Les Miserables clocks in with just over half a million words, making it one of the longest literature classics.
No 2. – War And Peace (1869)
When most people think of super long classical literature novels, the first one they will often think of is Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
This book covers the stories of multiple characters as it follows the life of our main protagonist Pierre Bezukhov around Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia.
Pierre acts as a voice for some of Tolstoy’s own beliefs and finds himself struggling to fit into Russian society, not only due to his strong beliefs but also his status as an illegitimate heir.
War and Peace is well over half a million words long,with the exact figure varying from edition to edition. This makes it one of the longest classical novels, but not the longest.
Despite this, it’s well known and beloved for its complex characters, interviewing plots, its historical realism, and challenging themes and ideas.
However, despite its popularity and reputation, War and Peace does not take the crown for longest classical novel.
No 1. – In Search Of Lost Time (1913-1927)
Most literature enthusiasts agree that out of all the classics, Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time takes the crown as the longest classical book.
With well over a million words, this book was first published in a total of seven different volumes and was later combined into this monster publication.
Each volume recounts the experiences of our unnamed narrator and dives deep into observations made by the narrator regarding the various cultural and social groups he encounters throughout his life.
Unlike other classic books around the same period, there is no quickly developing plot in this novel – which is probably why it continues on for so long.
With themes of suffering, memory, art, anxiety, and with a candid look on homosexuality, In Search of Lost Time is a long, philisophical novel that focuses more on the ‘whos’ rather than the ‘whats’ of a story.
Conclusion
So, classical novels can range from a few short pages to long masterpieces that can stretch over volumes and volumes. However, it’s important to remember that the word count of a book is by no means a way to measure it’s worth.
The above novels may be known for their length, but they are also celebrated for their interesting stories, challenging themes, and complex characters.
If you want the challenge of reading a super long classic novel, then pick any from the choices above – but be prepared to spend a lot of time dedicated to getting through his massive classics!
I first had the idea for Seeking A Good Book when I was in college and everyone would come to me for book recommendations. More often than not, everyone I recommended a book to would always come back with a glowing review of it.
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