Should some classics be re-written?

[Paluk Pathania]

I think they should be left untouched- just like the way they always have been. There will be always something about them that will distinguish them from the other books.

[DATo]

I think they should be left untouched- just like the way they always have been. There will be always something about them that will distinguish them from the other books.

I agree. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Rizki Pradana]

I think it shouldn't rewrite because the setting and the stories match the time the book was made. If it gets changed, I feel like it would lose the beauty of the book itself.

[EternalD]

Asking this question is a great heresy. LOL

"Classic" books gained this definition because they marked an epoch and represent, like a few books, the historical moment in the time in which they were written. If someone has trouble understanding the text, they need to study further and become familiar with the meaning of the old words.

[Bridgette C 2]

No, I don't think so. But might I suggest, instead of classics to be rewritten, it could be an inspiration for creating a novel related to it. Just like what I happen to discover from my FB friend that she was planning to write a prequel for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth would be a haggard housewife of Mr. Darcy.

I was surprised when I heard of it and I asked her why.

She said she's gonna write it because she doesn't believe in love.

Therefore, classics will serve as inspiration for writing a new novel but not rewriting it.

Just saying...

[beckybrandon]

Yes please! I mean why not? I would definitely like a re- written and modern versions of Virginia Woolf ' works.

[AvishaJain_13]

I believe that certain aspects are a little too problematic and old but that is somewhat the entire point of classics so no they shouldn't be rewritten.

[Onyinyechi Orji]

I don't think so. I'm okay with the way it was all written. Rewriting it might spoil the feeling it brings when you read it

[Arthur Bukosia]

The classics should be re-published with minor editing on the language and other few issues but the content and context remain as they are. This for me ensures continuity of great lessons and thoughts drawn from the book and also cements the legacy of the once great piece of art. For this to effectively happen the classical books reading should be embraced by learning institutions, book clubs and religious institutions. Their plays should be written and presented in theaters as a means of preserving the great art in the books.

[Isaac Oh]

Not necessarily re-written, they can be made into a movie-like form.

[Brittany Tatman]

The problem with rewriting classic books is the same problem that translations of old texts face: it's a paradox. While it may seem logical to make a book more digestible to a modern audience, the more you "translate" a text, the original meaning gradually becomes lost. Translations, and rewrites, always require that a person (who inherently carries a bias) make judgment calls on what words should be replaced in the text and with what words they are replaced. As the text ages, and language continues to evolve, the meaning is chipped away more and more until it no longer resembles the original. Even if the original is still available, obviously, people are going to gravitate toward the one that is easier to read.
The second reason this should not be a focus is for the preservation of history. Those classics are a record of where language has evolved from, just as eyewitness accounts of historical events prove how society has changed. While I don't think OP was advocating for completely eradicating the original texts, as I said before, newer texts are going to be more prevalent amongst readers. Believe it or not, classic novels carry a lot of themes that are relatable to our modern world. Take those stories out of their original language, and you take them out of their original contexts, thereby removing the connection between our modern world and the time period in which the novel was written. The general population then gains a distorted view of the past, etc. etc. Knowing how society has evolved is not just for the academics.
People should absolutely feel at liberty to enjoy their favorite classics by writing stories based on them. Personally, I would feel honored to have inspired somebody's own creation. The trouble comes when you deliberately take the focus away from the original language just because it's more "difficult" to read.

[Carly Sprout]

In high school, I never understood the dread my classmates felt when we had to do Shakespeare because I loved reading and studying his work so much. What others found archaic, I found refreshing. However, above my own personal enjoyment, I value the power books have to connect people regardless of geographic location and/or time period. I think the literary power to alleviate social alienation should always be protected and encouraged.

[IgnisRhapsody]

I hope I never come across a new version of one of my favorite classics. For me, part of the charm is the vocabulary. Of course it can be more difficult to read, because some words are no longer in use. But those books usually have a much richer vocabulary. If they made a new version, it would be very simple and its subtle nuances would be lost. It must be remembered that the author thought of every word before publishing his work.

[Annette S]

I don't think classics should be rewritten. If classics were to be rewritten, it would not be a classic anymore.

[Elendu Clement Ekechukwu]

I haven't seen a good classic that should be rewritten. All the ones I have and called classic have met every standard of a good book.