Classics
Read Classics Classics in English
6,942 classics books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best classics classics to read in English as a learner?
The best classics classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Émile Zola, Novelist and Reformer: An Account of His Life & Work, Æschylos Tragedies and Fragments and Âmona; The Child; And The Beast; And Others: From "The Strange Adventure of James Shervinton, and Other Stories" - 1902. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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Level C1ClassicsA Simple SoulIn a modest French town, Felicite, a devoted servant, navigates the hardships of rural life with unwavering loyalty and quiet strength, revealing the hidden depths of a simple soul…
Level C1ClassicsA Silent SingerA young girl enters the troubled home of a struggling minister and his seven sons, where poverty and hardship weigh heavily.
Level C2ClassicsA Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage: Together with the Sense of Antiquity on this ArgumentA scathing critique exposes how the English stage corrupts virtue by promoting vice, lewdness, and irreverence, challenging the morality and purpose of contemporary plays.
Level B2ClassicsA Sheaf of CornIn a village where sickness and poverty shadow daily life, a resolute woman named Dinah Brome navigates judgment and duty with unwavering indifference.
Level C1ClassicsA Servant of the PublicIn a world where mercantile ambition shapes both family and fortune, the rise from humble origins to refined society unfolds with sharp wit and social insight.
Level C1ClassicsA Sentimental Journey Through France and ItalyEmbark on a witty, reflective journey through France and Italy, where a traveler grapples with cultural customs, personal generosity, and the quirks of human nature.
Level C1ClassicsA Selection from the Writings of Guy De Maupassant, Vol. IExplore the depths of human suffering and irony through vivid tales where joy turns to misery and noble intentions mask selfishness, all penned by a writer whose own life was shado…
Level C1ClassicsA Selection from the Comedies of MarivauxDive into the witty, charming world of 18th-century French society through three of its finest comedies, where love, chance, and clever disguises intertwine in sparkling prose that…
Level C1ClassicsA Select PartyEnter a magnificent castle suspended in the clouds, where the Man of Fancy hosts a gathering of extraordinary guests, including the venerable Oldest Inhabitant.
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays: Originally Published by Robert Dodsley in the year 1744Explore rare early English dramas, including the tragic and acclaimed “Damon and Pithias,” alongside insightful historical notes on their creation and dramatic impact during the El…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15Amidst intrigue and passion in 17th-century Valencia, Elvira’s complex tale unfolds with secrets, letters, and shifting loyalties that challenge appearances and question whether th…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14Political intrigue and personal ambition collide in Seville as Spanish and French colonels navigate rebellion and betrayal under the watchful eyes of mysterious figures.
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13In a bustling 17th-century London household, young Tim Bloodhound navigates family intrigue, thrift, and matchmaking as his father arranges a marriage with a cunning widow while de…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 12A witty and allegorical comedy unfolds as a quirky old couple navigates unexpected transformations and humorous encounters, revealing the complexities of human nature through vivid…
Level C2ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 11Dive into the witty world of early 17th-century drama where Nathaniel Field’s sharp comedies explore the fickle nature of women and society, blending humor and serious reflection i…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10In a corrupt Italian court, the vengeful Vendice wields a skull as he plots dark retribution against those who have wronged him, weaving a chilling tale of deceit, lust, and ruthle…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 09In a lively London setting, two young couples navigate the challenges of early marriage, revealing the humorous and heartfelt trials of choosing a good wife amid clashing temperame…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 08Dive into the turbulent life of Thomas Nash, a witty and controversial playwright whose sharp satire sparked fierce literary battles and led to imprisonment.
Level C2ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07In a tale of tragic love and bitter revenge, a queen and her beloved earl meet a sorrowful fate, while a grieving father contemplates a final, desperate act to join them in death.
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06Explore five rare Old English plays blending allegory, history, and moral lessons, where abstract virtues and real characters collide on stage, revealing the complex evolution of e…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05A haunting ghost and the relentless force of Revenge set the stage for a gripping tale of political intrigue, betrayal, and tragic fate in the Spanish court.
Level C2ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 03Step into the world of early English drama where witty moralities and comedies unfold through vibrant characters like Perverse Doctrine and Ralph Roister Doister, revealing the soc…
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 02Dive into a lively moral drama where Youth, full of pride and defiance, clashes with Charity, who urges him to embrace virtue before his fleeting days fade.
Level C1ClassicsA Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 01Explore the origins of English drama through a rich, chronologically arranged collection of rare plays and interludes, revealing the evolution of theatrical storytelling from anony…
Level C1ClassicsA Secret of the Sea: A Novel. Vol. 3 (of 3)Amid whispered deceptions and strained relationships, Sir Thomas clings to his health and freedom while Eleanor wrestles with forgiveness and unspoken desires, all under the watchf…
Level B2ClassicsA Secret of the Sea: A Novel. Vol. 1 (of 3)A sharp-witted sixteen-year-old clerk and a distinguished lawyer uncover a mysterious secret that promises to upend lives in quiet Hertfordshire.
Level C1ClassicsA Second HomeIn a dim, narrow Parisian street, two women—an aging mother and her diligent daughter—endure a life of quiet hardship, their humble home a refuge amid the city's damp shadows and f…
Level C1ClassicsA Second ComingWhen a disheveled man bursts into a stiff London dinner party proclaiming that Christ has come again, disbelief clashes with curiosity as he recounts a strange, unsettling encounte…
Level C1ClassicsA Sappho of Green SpringsIn a dusty editorial office, a mysterious lumberman seeks the true identity of "White Violet," a poet whose verses capture the wild spirit of the forest with haunting truth and del…
Level C1ClassicsA Russian Proprietor, and Other StoriesA young nobleman abandons university to embrace rural life and improve the harsh conditions of his peasants, facing doubts from family and the challenge of turning idealism into tr…
Level C1ClassicsA Russian GentlemanIn a vivid portrait of ancestral Russia, a proud and fiery patriarch wrestles with family disputes and the lure of untamed lands, revealing a world of honor, tradition, and raw hum…
Level B2ClassicsA Rough Diamond: A Comic Drama in One ActAn army captain returns home heartbroken after his beloved marries for wealth and title, revealing the bittersweet clash between passion and duty.
Level C1ClassicsA Rose of YesterdaySylvia receives an enigmatic etching from her guardian, sparking a quiet contemplation of fate, honor, and unseen sorrows as she journeys home from Japan.
Level C1ClassicsA Rose in JuneIn the tranquil garden of Dinglefield Rectory, a gentle rector cherishes his refined pleasures while his daughter, the radiant Rose, embodies innocence and natural joy, untouched b…
Level C1ClassicsA Romany of the Snows, vol. 2: Being a Continuation of the Personal Histories of "Pierre and His People" and the Last Existing Records of Pretty PierreIn a tense frontier town, Malachi faces a grim trial for shooting the young sheriff, staying silent while others defend him fiercely.
Level C1ClassicsA Romance of Youth — CompleteIn the heart of Paris, a young poet balances the humdrum of government office with his passionate pursuit of art and verse, capturing the quiet struggles and humble lives that ofte…
Level B2ClassicsA Roman SingerAn unlikely boy with a powerful voice rises from poverty and neglect, nurtured by a philosopher and his devoted housekeeper in Rome’s vibrant streets.
Level C1ClassicsA Rogue's LifeA man of noble birth but modest means recounts his unconventional upbringing and rebellious youth, exposing the quirks and contradictions of society through his candid and lively c…
Level C1ClassicsA Rill from the Town PumpAt the bustling town corner, a lively pump serves as the community's life source, offering refreshment and a stage for vivid tales of history, hardship, and human nature.
Level C1ClassicsA Righted Wrong: A Novel. Volume 3 (of 3)Two unlikely companions sit in the sunlit gardens of a grand mansion, their conversations shadowed by memories of a lost woman and a past that haunts the present.
Level C1ClassicsA Righted Wrong: A Novel. Volume 2 (of 3)Amid tangled emotions and whispered hopes, a letter arrives that could change Margaret's future, challenging her past and stirring a delicate struggle between duty and desire.
Level C1ClassicsA Righted Wrong: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3)A woman boards a ship alone, haunted by a past she cannot escape and a home that has rejected her.
Level C1ClassicsA Ride Across PalestineTraveling alone through the stark deserts and sacred sites of Palestine, a solitary rider faces the wild landscapes and the customs of Bedouin protection.
Level C1ClassicsA Rich Man's Relatives (Vol. 3 of 3)Amid the upheaval of Scotland's church Disruption, a young Free Church minister discovers a mysterious baby washed ashore, sparking scandal and suspicion in a tight-knit rural pari…
Level C1ClassicsA Rich Man's Relatives (Vol. 2 of 3)In a remote Scottish parish during the Disruption of 1843, a young Free Church minister faces scandal and suspicion after rescuing a mysterious baby from a shipwreck, navigating th…
Level C1ClassicsA Rich Man's Relatives (Vol. 1 of 3)In a remote Scottish parish during the turbulent Disruption of the church, young Free Church minister Roderick Brown faces scandal and suspicion after rescuing a mysterious baby fr…
Level C1ClassicsA Reversible Santa ClausOn a snowy Christmas Eve, a seasoned crook known as "The Hopper" embarks on a desperate journey with stolen fortune in hand, seeking a fresh start while evading capture and temptat…
Level C1ClassicsA Rent In A CloudTwo young Englishmen, disillusioned yet bound by newfound friendship, share candid reflections on soldiering and legal careers as they wander through Europe, grappling with duty, a…