A drinking game to make that classic 19th century novel more interesting
Every time an orphan steals, take a drink
Novels featured in the Western canon, particularly those from the 19th century, are not always the most enjoyable read. Don’t get me wrong, some of them are! However, you’ll often find yourself 40 pages in and think, “I need a drink.” To which I say, “Do it.” But not because you have a drinking problem, but because it’s a game! A 19th-century novel drinking game.
Rules:
Every time the main love interest is a virgin, take a shot.
2. Every time you see a parentless urchin, take a shot.
3. Every time the author describes food for more than ten sentences in a row, take a shot.
4. Every time someone tells you that the food is “Just symbolism,” take a shot.
5. Every time a son or daughter is shipped off to India as a punishment, take a shot.
6. Every time someone dies from taking the chill or other weather-related incidents, take a shot.
7. Every time the narrator discusses fashion with great detail, take a shot.
8. Every time class is brought up as a reason for not pursuing love, take a shot.
9. Every time Darwinism rears its head, take a shot.
10. Every time the second wife hates her new husband’s daughter, take a shot.
11. Every time someone goes to Bath for their health, take a shot.
12. Every time someone wastes away for no apparent reason or because they are too sensitive, take a shot.
13. Every time a childhood female friend grows into a fetching beauty, take a shot.
14. Every time a childhood male friend grows into a wealthy, handsome bachelor, take a shot.
15. Every time a fortune is lost due to gambling or alcohol, take a shot.
16. Every time a soldier makes his way into the story before going off to one of the many 19th-century wars, take a shot.
17. Every time someone mentions gout, take a shot.
18. Every time a woman ends up dead after straying from feminine virtues, take a shot.
19. Every time a servant appears and disappears, and you don’t learn their name, take a shot.
20. Every time someone mentions marriage, take a shot.
21. Every time someone blames sensationalist novels for declining morals, take a shot.
22. Every time someone reveals that spooky events are not caused by ghosts, take a shot.
23. Every time darkness is equated to evil, take a shot.
24. Every time the social order is maintained, take a shot.
25. Every time the novel ends on an obvious moral note or metaphor, take a shot.