Buzz
We’re so accustomed to seeing classic works of literature placed on a high intellectual pedestal that it's difficult to relate to the critics who first encountered these works. With no pre-existing hype, they were free to publish reviews without the weight of public opinion, which often led them to dismiss what would later be regarded as masterpieces as utter nonsense.
10. The Great Gatsby
While F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel is a frequent source of frustration for high school students and has seen only a handful of successful film adaptations, the tale of Jay Gatsby’s lavish parties designed to win back Daisy Buchanan has inspired readers for generations. However, when the book was first released, there was little sign of this future success. Fitzgerald was deeply disheartened to find that his novel sold only around 21,000 copies, earning him about the same as a short story he'd previously written. Given that, reviews like the one from the New York Herald Tribune must have been especially painful:
“The Great Gatsby is nothing more than a fleeting phenomenon . . . a literary lemon meringue.”
Despite receiving a $2,000 advance to write the novel, Fitzgerald only earned around $13.00 in royalties from Gatsby during his lifetime. He passed away in 1940, missing the period when his book was rediscovered and crowned as a cornerstone of American literature. To make matters worse, he was alive to witness the 1926 film adaptation. Few authors have been let down by their work in such a way.
9. Leaves Of Grass
Walt Whitman is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest poets, and Leaves Of Grass has become a defining work in American literature. This is all the more remarkable given that the first two editions of the poetry collection were self-published. When plans were finally made for a professional release, the American Civil War erupted, putting the brakes on the third edition. As if that weren't enough, the book’s groundbreaking style and candid treatment of sexuality provoked significant outrage and harsh criticism. Take, for instance, this 1855 review from Edgar Allan Poe’s nemesis, Rufus Griswold:
“It is impossible to imagine how any man’s fancy could have conceived such a mass of stupid filth, unless he were possessed of the soul of a sentimental donkey that had died of disappointed love.”
And that was only the beginning of the backlash Whitman’s work generated. In 1865, while working as a clerk in the Department of the Interior, Whitman left a copy of his book on his desk, where his boss discovered it and immediately fired him for writing such 'filth.' Even in 1882, the book was controversial enough to be banned in Boston as 'obscene literature.' Despite this, it was probably better received than any of our own attempts at poetry would be.
8. Frankenstein
Frankenstein originated from one of Mary Shelley’s most vivid dreams and evolved into one of the most pivotal fusions of science fiction and horror in literary history. Frankenstein’s monster remains one of the most iconic and tragic figures to ever haunt readers, and it must have been particularly terrifying when first published in 1818, especially since a highly publicized demonstration by Giovanni Aldini had recently shown that something resembling the reanimation of human tissue could be accomplished by electricity. However, not everyone was taken with it, as evidenced by the Quarterly Review condemning:
“A tissue of horrible and disgusting absurdity . . . Our taste and our judgement alike revolt at this kind of writing.”
The review proceeds to attribute the book’s flaws to the liberal author William Godwin, who “is the patriarch of a literary family whose primary talent lies in portraying the wanderings of the intellect.” Godwin, Mary Shelley’s father, was the book's dedicatory recipient, which further fueled the anger of many conservative critics. Even a timeless classic like Frankenstein found itself entangled in petty political disputes.
7. The Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 address honoring the tens of thousands of Union soldiers who gave their ultimate sacrifice has become one of the most iconic speeches in history. Its brevity (just 263 words) makes it easy to read and memorize, particularly in educational settings. But its profound historical importance and masterful use of language are clear upon a quick read. That is, unless you happened to be a writer for the Chicago Times:
“The cheeks of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances.”
The word “silly” was also used in a review by the Harrisburg Patriot & Union. That review would have likely stung Lincoln more than the Chicago Times’s critique, as Harrisburg was relatively close to Gettysburg and its residents would have had a more accurate view of the Gettysburg campaign. Nevertheless, 150 years later, the Patriot & Union‘s modern counterpart would issue a full retraction of their original review. Not that it was really necessary.
6. The Grapes Of Wrath
At first glance, John Steinbeck’s 1936 novel about the Joad family’s migration from Oklahoma to California seems to focus on a simple family story, but it is more akin to a printed docudrama, offering rich portrayals of figures such as a deceitful car dealer. Reflecting the era, the bestseller was heavily banned, burned, and criticized upon release. Specifically, the way in which the dust bowl victims are portrayed as being exploited struck some readers as thinly veiled Communist propaganda. (Ironically, the book was briefly banned in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin.) A review from the San Francisco Examiner is reflective of the time:
“The arguments are selected from the customary communistic sources and arguments . . . Consistency is not, and any informed reader knows that it cannot be, a quality either of the Communistic mind or Communist propaganda.”
Despite the backlash, the book would eventually receive one of the most celebrated Hollywood film adaptations of all time, just four years after it was widely burned.
5. Wuthering Heights
A sweeping, non-linear tale of the orphaned Heathcliff's obsession with the aristocratic Catherine, Wuthering Heights was the sole novel written by Emily Brontë (under a male pen name), but it was more than sufficient to cement her legacy as a literary icon. The novel has been adapted into numerous films, most famously the 1939 version, still regarded as one of the most romantic films ever created. It was also considered a highly provocative and controversial work in its era, mainly due to the cruelty exhibited by many of its characters. While it may have been too bold for its time, this 1848 review from Graham’s Lady Magazine reads like a caricature of a pompous 19th-century critic:
“How a human being could have attempted such a book as the present without committing suicide before he had finished a dozen chapters, is a mystery. It is a compound of vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors.”
Graham’s Lady Magazine is now most famous for having been briefly edited by Edgar Allan Poe, and for being one of the highest-paying publications of its time. There is no evidence to suggest that the critic was employing satire in their exaggerated condemnation of Brontë’s novel.
4. Moby-Dick
Herman Melville’s 1851 masterpiece is quite different from what its many adaptations and cultural influence might suggest. The vengeful Captain Ahab, often regarded as the more captivating character than the protagonist, Ishmael, doesn’t even appear until 28 chapters in. The intricate, meandering prose is likely to be dismissed as dull or excessive by readers accustomed to more straightforward genre fiction. Even during its time, the novel received notable negative reviews, such as one published in both the London Spectator and New York International:
“Where it takes the shape of narrative or dramatic fiction, it is phantasmal—an attempted description of what is impossible in nature and without probability in art; it repels the reader instead of attracting him.”
It’s also interesting to note that Melville, at least in this early case, was hindered by technological limitations. Another section of the review ridiculed the book for featuring a first-person narrator despite all the characters dying by the end. Of course, Ishmael is the sole survivor, but this detail is revealed in an epilogue that was cut from the original UK edition due to a printing error. The reviewer might have seen that omission as a blessing, rather than a flaw.
3. The Work Of William Shakespeare
One of the earliest surviving criticisms of Shakespeare's work comes from the well-known Elizabethan writer Robert Greene. Written in 1592, this critique came when Shakespeare had already had several plays performed. However, none of them had yet reached the iconic status that would make them household names today, aside from perhaps Richard III and The Taming of the Shrew. Still, Greene was remarkably scornful:
“There is an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his tiger’s heart wrapped in a player’s hide supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you; and, being an absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a country.”
Greene’s pamphlet also took aim at Christopher Marlowe. Greene passed away before his harsh words could be published, sparing him the repercussions of a nasty reply. Shakespeare and Marlowe were already so well-regarded that the pamphlet ignited public outrage, forcing Greene’s editor, Henry Chettle, to publish a “groveling retraction” to apologize to both writers. (Greene’s publisher, aware of the backlash, added a clause to the pamphlet stating that he took no responsibility, publishing it only “upon the peril of Henrye Chettle.”) It's hard to imagine many modern writers stirring up such a passionate fan response.
2. Winnie The Pooh
Nearly a century of enduring popularity has greeted the stories of the lovable, silly old bear and his not-so-bright companions in the Hundred Acre Wood. These tales, despite being cherished across multiple formats, were eventually regretted by their creator, A. A. Milne. Yet, his personal disdain for the books was nothing compared to the intense dislike of Dorothy Parker, who reviewed The House At Pooh Corner for the New Yorker in 1928 under the pen name Constant Reader. She was particularly furious with a moment where Pooh proudly declares that he’s added a “tiddely pom” to his favorite song to make it more “hummy.” Parker’s response was:
“And it is that word ‘hummy,’ my darlings, that marks the first place in The House At Pooh Corner at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up.”
Some of Parker’s admirers have attempted to justify her remarks by pointing out that she was going through a particularly tough period when writing the review, making her more prone to dislike any work that had even the faintest hint of sentimentality. Others suggest that her Constant Reader columns were more comedic performances than genuine critiques. So, Pooh’s fans need not feel the need to defend the book against Parker’s playful critique. On the other hand, it’s also possible that The House At Pooh Corner was, in fact, overly sentimental.
1. ‘The Raven’
When “The Raven” was published in 1848, it skyrocketed Edgar Allan Poe to fame in America, though he only earned the typical $15 for his effort. The poem also provoked a particularly harsh review from the Southern Literary magazine. The critic seemed so offended by Poe’s portrayal of the protagonist, who is frightened by things like a knock on the door and fluttering curtains, that he concluded with an assessment more akin to a modern-day user review than a scholarly literary critique:
“It seems as if the author wrote under the influence of opium.”
The review did offer some reluctant praise for Poe’s mastery of rhyme and meter, but its focus on the idea that the poem’s events would only terrorize 'a child reduced to near idiocy by dreadful ghost stories' left a far greater impact. One literary critic from Poe’s era seemed determined to ensure that his iconic horror piece was never again regarded as truly terrifying.
