Chateaubriand was known as the king of short stories in the world. Her masterpieces such as Jane Eyre and Madame Bovary were praised as classics in the history of world literature with their profound insight into human nature and unique narrative style. These works not only caused a sensation at that time, but are still widely read and studied today, which has a profound impact on modern literature.
Well, 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant is quite famous. It's about a woman who borrows a diamond necklace for a ball, loses it, and then spends years in poverty trying to replace it, only to find out in the end that the original necklace was a fake. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe is another well - known short story. It's a psychological thriller where the narrator's guilt over murdering an old man is driven to madness by the sound he imagines is the old man's heart still beating. Then there's 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce, which has a very unexpected ending.
Geoffrey Chaucer. His stories in 'The Canterbury Tales' were some of the earliest and most influential in the English language. He was able to capture the essence of different social classes and human nature in his short stories, which set a precedent for future English short story writers.
There's 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' by Gabriel García Márquez. This story features a strange old man with wings who appears in a small village. People are both curious and cruel towards him. It's a magical realist story that makes you think about how we treat the different and the unknown. 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stockton is well - known too. A man is put in an arena and has to choose between two doors, behind one is a lady and behind the other a tiger. It leaves the ending up to the reader's imagination.
Most well - known stories in the literary canon are centered around themes like friendship, love in a positive sense, adventure, and moral lessons. Stories with sexual content are not typically the ones that are celebrated or recommended in mainstream literature.
Wordsworth was not recognized for short stories or novels but for his poetry. His works, such as 'The Prelude', are classic examples of his poetic genius. Poetry is a form that allows for a more lyrical and condensed expression compared to short stories and novels. Wordsworth's focus on nature, his use of vivid imagery, and his exploration of the self in his poems set him apart as a poet. Short stories are more about a single incident or a short - lived situation, and novels are much more complex and long - form in nature, which are not what Wordsworth was known for.
In some little known short stories, the theme of isolation is common. For example, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the main character is isolated in a room, which drives her to madness. Another theme can be the dark side of human nature, like in 'The Lottery' where the villagers' cruel behavior is revealed.
There may have been many authors contributing to 1852 short stories, but without in - depth study, it's hard to point out the most well - known ones. It's possible that some authors who were part of literary circles or had a following in their local areas were making their mark in the world of short stories during that year. Maybe some were influenced by the major literary trends of the time and were able to incorporate those into their short story writing.
One interesting known short story is 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It's about a young couple who are very poor. The wife cuts and sells her long beautiful hair to buy a chain for her husband's precious watch. Meanwhile, the husband sells his watch to buy a set of combs for his wife's hair. It shows the selfless love between them.