Neoclassical literature was written between 1660 and 1798. This time period is broken down into three parts ,'' The Restoration period (1660-1700)'', The Augustan period (1700-1750)'', ''The Age of Johnson (1750-1798)''.
Writers of the Neoclassical period tried to imitate the style of the '' Roman and ''Greek''.The word ''Neo'' means ''New'' and ''Classic'' means ''The day of The Roman and Greek classic''.This was era of the enlightenment of the logic and of reason.It was preceded by the Renaissance and followed by the Romantic era.In fact, the Neoclassical period ended in 1798,when William Wordsworth published Lyrical Ballads.
Neoclassical writers aimed to articulate general truth rather than unique vision, to communicate to others more than to express themselves.
Main Characteristics of this Age:
*** Imitation of classical from.
*** Artificial and Aristocratic society.
*** Sophisticate sexual behaviour.
*** Honour comes from reputation not integrity.
*** Style is polite, urban and witty.
*** Instructive and entertaining.
*** Value of communication, not self expression.
*** Ideals, order, logic, accuracy, correctness decorum.
Novel:
The present English word ''Novel'' drives from the latin ''Novella'' for ''News'' or ''Short story of something new''.
Novelette--Novella--Novel.
'' A Novel is a fictional piece of prose usually written in a narrative style''.
Characteristics of Novel:
*** A Novel is a work of fiction place
*** A Novel has a setting.
*** A Novel has theme or a main concern comes from the writer's imagination.
*** A Novel has strong characterisation
*** A Novel most use expressive language.
Neoclassical Novelist:
Daniel Defoe:
Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 in London in England. He was an English trader , writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. Late in life he turned his pen to fiction and wrote ''Robinson Crusoe'' one of the most widely read and influential novel of all time.Defoe died in 1731.
Famous Novels:
*** Robinson Crusoe*** The Farther Adventures of Robinson.
*** Captain Singleton.
*** A Journey of the Plague Year.
Jonathan Swift:
Jonathan Swift ( 1667-1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer,poet and cleric who became Dean of ST.Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. His most famous works is ''Gulliver Travels'' .
Famous Works:
*** A Tale of Tub
*** The Battle of the Books.
*** The Public Spirit of the Whigs.
*** Gulliver Travels
Samuel Johnson:
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) often referred to as Dr. Johnson,he was an English writer who made lasting contributions of English literature as a poet, essayist,moralist, literary critics,biographer, editor and lexicographer. He is also subject of the most famous single work of biographical art in the literature.
Famous Novel
*** The History of Rasselas
*** Prince of Abissinia
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope (1688-1744) was an 18th century English poet,best known for his translation of ''Homer'' he is also famous for his heroic couplet. He is the third most frequently quoted writer in ''The Oxford Dictionary of Quotation'' after Shakespeare and Tennyson.
Famous Novels
*** The Rape of the Lock
*** The Essay on Man
*** An Easy on Criticism
*** Ode on Solitude.
I want a note on, Tom Jones as a neoclassical novel.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite helpful and enlightening. Thank you very much
ReplyDelete