Summary and Analysis of The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Tobias Smollett Published in 1771, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker is Tobias Smollett's last and most praised novel. Written in epistolary form, the novel is both a satire of 18th-century British society and a deeply humorous exploration of human folly, family dynamics, and the quirks of travel. The narrative revolves...

 Summary and Analysis of Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding Published in 1742, Joseph Andrews is one of Henry Fielding’s important works and an early instance of the English novel. Subtitled The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend, Mr. Abraham Adams, it combines a picaresque narrative with satirical commentary on society, morality, and human nature. Initially...

 Detailed Summary of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Published in 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of Mark Twain’s most beloved works, capturing the innocence, adventure, and mischief of childhood in the 19th-century American Midwest. The novel is a humorous and nostalgic portrayal of small-town life along the Mississippi River, intertwined with darker themes...

 Detailed Summary of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, published in 1884 by Mark Twain, is one of the most celebrated novels in American literature. It is a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and is narrated by its protagonist, Huckleberry Finn. The novel is a rich exploration of themes such as racism, freedom, morality, and...

 Detailed Summary of Candide by Voltaire Candide, or Optimism is a satirical novella by the French Enlightenment writer Voltaire, first published in 1759. It is a biting critique of philosophical optimism, particularly the ideas of the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who argued that we live in "the best of all possible worlds." Through the protagonist Candide’s chaotic...

 Detailed Summary of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote, written by Miguel de Cervantes and published in two parts (1605 and 1615), is widely regarded as one of the most important works of literature in the Western canon. It is a rich, multi-layered novel that explores themes of chivalry, reality vs. illusion, human folly, and the power of imagination. The story is...