A significant 20th - century gay novel is 'A Boy's Own Story' by Edmund White. It gives a very personal and poignant account of growing up gay. 'Dancer from the Dance' by Andrew Holleran is also important. It captures the gay subculture in New York City during a particular era. And then there's 'The Swimming - Pool Library' by Alan Hollinghurst, which offers a vivid look at gay life in different social strata.
One of the well - known 20th century gay novels is 'Giovanni's Room' by James Baldwin. It delves deep into themes of identity, love, and self - acceptance. Another is 'The City and the Pillar' by Gore Vidal, which was quite controversial at the time of its release as it openly explored homosexuality. Also, 'Maurice' by E. M. Forster, though written earlier, was published posthumously in the 20th century and is a beautiful exploration of same - sex love in a repressive society.
A rather interesting one is 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' by Laurence Sterne. While not explicitly a 'gay novel' in the modern sense, it has characters and relationships that can be seen as challenging the traditional gender and sexual norms of the 18th century, and thus is relevant to the study of the precursors to gay literature of that time.
Well, 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' is an interesting 18th - century novel. It has a unique narrative style that plays with the conventions of storytelling. Also, 'Candide' by Voltaire is a very important work. It's a philosophical novel that uses satire to comment on various aspects of society, such as war, religion, and human nature. These novels give us great insights into the culture, values, and social structures of the 18th century.
There's also 'Njal's Saga' from Iceland in the 12th century. It's a complex narrative full of family feuds, legal disputes, and heroic characters. It offers a great view into the social and cultural aspects of Icelandic society during that period.
One of the notable 10th - century works could be 'The Tale of Genji' from Japan. It is often considered the world's first novel. It gives a detailed look into the Heian period's court life, with complex characters and relationships.
Well, 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' by Mark Twain is a great 19th century American novel. It shows the adventures of a young boy in a small town along the Mississippi River. Then there is 'The House of the Seven Gables' by Hawthorne. It has elements of mystery and family secrets. Also, 'Walden' by Henry David Thoreau, though it's a bit different in nature, is an important work that reflects on simple living in nature.
One of the well - known 19th - century Spanish novels is 'Carmen' by Prosper Mérimée (although he was French, but it has a strong connection to Spanish culture). Another is 'Don Quixote' which, while first published in the 17th century, had a huge influence on 19th - century Spanish literature. Also, 'La Regenta' by Leopoldo Alas is an important work of this era. It delved deep into the society, showing the complex relationships and moral dilemmas of the time.
One of the well - known 18th century science novels is 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift. It contains elements of satire as well as exploration of different societies, which can be seen as a form of scientific - like study of human nature and cultures.
One notable feature is the detailed social commentary. For example, in Charles Dickens' novels like 'Oliver Twist', he vividly depicted the harsh living conditions of the poor in 19th - century London. Another feature is the complex character development. Novels often had characters that grew and changed over the course of the story, such as in Jane Austen's works where her female characters often had to navigate through social and romantic challenges, which in turn led to their personal growth. Also, the use of elaborate language was common. Writers took their time to describe scenes, emotions, and characters in great detail, which added to the richness of the novels.
One notable feature is the development of the novel as a distinct literary form. Many 18th - century novels focused on the individual's experience in society. For example, 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel Defoe explored themes of survival and self - reliance. Also, the language in these novels was becoming more accessible to a wider range of readers compared to earlier literary works. Another aspect was the exploration of social classes and the emerging middle class, which was reflected in novels like 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, where the interactions between different social strata were a central part of the story.
Among the 20th century fantasy novels, 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' by L. Frank Baum is very well - known. It tells the story of Dorothy's journey in the magical land of Oz. 'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame is also a lovely fantasy. It's about the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger in the English countryside. And 'The Once and Future King' by T.H. White is a retelling of the Arthurian legend in a 20th - century way.