this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2023
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Isn't that the whole point? It's a scathing criticism of the English landed gentry, and the social class structure surrounding it. It's the same kind of thing as Honglou Meng which is a criticism of noble families in feudal China.
It's framed as a love story, but I always saw that as a literary device that served as a vehicle for the completely unsympathetic characters. Honglou Meng is framed as a love story, too.
I think it's more that it's lost relevance. It was rather controversial when it was published. If you actually want a love story, there are definitely better better choices.
someone else who has read Honglou Meng 😃 I've read 3 different translations