While I agree his language can be impenetrable for modern audiences, remember it’s just hundreds of years of evolving linguistic norms that have made it that way.

He wasn’t trying to be haughty when he wrote (the uneducated folk loved his work).

But his grasp of story structure, pacing and tension was intuitive and near flawless. In multiple genres.

And yes, I have a writing degree, so I’m in the circlejerk.

Edited: Ok, I see it now. I’m a total tosser. Sorry