Timar's Two Worlds

Mór JókaiProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 857K words
Chapters: 86

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Timar's Two Worlds by Mór JókaiAuthor: Jókai, Mór, 1825-1904,Language: English, Class: PH: Language and Literatures: Finno-Ugrian and Basque languages and literatures, Release Date: Feb 26, 2010

Editor's review

Mór Jókai was a major nineteenth-century Hungarian novelist. This work, titled "Two Worlds," is usually understood as a portrayal of an individual torn between two orders of life, social classes, or paths of fate. Jókai's narrative art lies in blending romanticized plots with realistic social observation; his characters are often pushed toward turning points by chance, misunderstanding, and historical change, giving the book a strong dramatic quality. For Chinese readers, its value lies not only in the story itself but also in offering a window onto nineteenth-century Hungarian society and literary taste: themes such as marriage, class, reputation, and opportunity recur throughout the plot, providing a basis for discussing the social imagination and narrative conventions of the time. As a public-domain electronic text, it lacks the notes and introduction common in modern editions, so readers must fill in the background themselves. Overall, it suits elective reading in foreign literature rather than readers seeking a fast-paced popular novel.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century Central and Eastern European literature and the Hungarian novel
Readers who enjoy novels of social manners and are drawn to themes of class and marriage
Foreign literature students or comparative literature enthusiasts seeking supplementary reading
Readers with solid English reading ability who are willing to read a long work slowly

Not a good fit for

Readers of popular fiction seeking strong suspense and fast-paced plotting
Beginners who need detailed notes, an introduction, and explanation of Hungarian historical background
Readers with limited stamina for English reading who are likely to give up on a long work full of period vocabulary
Readers who prefer contemporary literary language and narrative experimentation

Reading tips

Gaining a basic understanding of nineteenth-century Hungarian society before entering the text will significantly lower the threshold of comprehension.
Use "two worlds" as a reading thread, noting as you go the choices characters make between two situations and the price they pay.
Do not rush a long work; read it in installments by plot sections, briefly reviewing character relationships after each.
If the English proves difficult, first build a framework from reliable Chinese introductions or scholarly materials, then return to the original text.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I understand this book without a background in Hungarian history?

You can follow the plot, but depth of understanding will suffer. The work involves nineteenth-century social classes, views on marriage, and historical change. It is advisable to first read a concise introduction to modern Hungarian history and the author's life; the original text will then read more smoothly.

How difficult is the English in this book?

It is nineteenth-century literary English, with long sentences and considerable period vocabulary, harder than most contemporary popular fiction. It suits readers with at least college-level English who are used to reading classic long novels; a dictionary and background materials may be needed.

Does the Gutenberg edition include translator's notes or annotations?

According to the available information, this is a public-domain electronic text released by Project Gutenberg, with no mention of translator's notes, scholarly annotations, or an introduction. If you need edition information and background explanation, consult relevant scholarly materials separately.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Mór Jókai Author · Hungarian · 1825–1904

Mór Jókai (1825–1904) was the most important Hungarian novelist, playwright and revolutionary of the 19th century, and a major representative of Romantic literature. Born in Komárom, he took part in the 1848 Pest uprising and drafted the Twelve Points, and was later elected to parliament. His representative works include A Hungarian Nabob, The Baron's Sons, Black Diamonds and The Golden Man. Jókai's writing depicts Hungarian history and social change on a grand scale, with dramatic plots, vivid characters, romantic colour and national feeling; he is often compared with Dickens and Scott. His output was enormous: 106 of his works are held in this collection, and a hundred-volume collected edition appeared in 1894, evidence of his productivity and influence.