Thinking Activity - The history of neo - classical Age:
Hello readers! This particular blog of mine is about the history of neo classical age. In this blog, I am going to present an overview of this Age / era. This blog is inspired by kavisha ma'am.
Introduction :
Before discussing about anything, first let's understand the meaning of the word neo classical.
" The word neo classic comes from the greek word neos and the latin word classicus. "
Defination:
" Neo classicism is a literary movement of the 17th & 18th centuries that stressed the importance of using ancient Greek and roman ( The classical period) literature as a guide for creation and criticism. "
Hence, there is a paradox
( A person or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities. ) of the term " Neo" means new and "classicism" means oldness.
Movement origin:
Regarding English literature, the neo - classical Age is typically divided into 3 periods.
The Restoration Age (1660 - 1700 )
The Augustan Age (1700 - 1750)
The Age of Johnson / The Age of Transition
( 1750 - 1798)
Neo classical Age is also known as :
1.The Augustan Age
2.The 18th century literature
3.The Age of prose
4.The Age of Reason
5.The Age of Enlightenment
6.The Age of satire
7. The Age of sensibility
8.Age of Agriculture Development
What happened during the Age of neo - classical :
Some writers modelled their writing on classical, especially Greek and Roman literature.
Revival of classical values and insistence of English values.
Appropriateness in plot, meter, characterization and language in this age.
This was a period of political unrest & the rise of literacy, the birth of the novel & periodicals.
This was also a period of social reforms.
" Learn hence for ancient rules a just esteem; To nature copy is to copy them".
Alexander pope ( An essay on criticism).
The above lines penned by Alexander pope describe the influence of the ancient masters on the writers of the neo classical age.
The writers were very much inspired by the roman thinkers and writers. That is why they followed their style of writing.
Why neo classical age is known as an age of Enlightenment :
Enlightenment - A philosophical movement.
People go towards the age of enlightenment.
It is the project to make the world more of a home for human beings, through the use of reason.
"Enlightenment is man's release from his self - incurred tutelage.
Immanuel kant.
The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on the value of human happiness.
The Enlightenment writers denounced the supernatural ideas, they were progressive from the writers of previous periods.
Literary characteristics of
Neo - classical age:
Neo classical literature is characterized by order, Accuracy & structure.
Following are the main literary characteristics of neo classical age. They are as below or under:
As in the given picture we can clearly see that major 7 literary characteristics were there.
Here I am giving answers on below questions on the basis of my understanding & knowledge about it.
Question : 1 Compare & contrast the condition of women during the neo classical age with contemporary time.
Ans: If we talked about the condition of women during the age of neo classical and compared it with contemporary time we can briefly elaborate the things.
During neo classical age " The Blue stockings " Society was a literary Society.
It was privileged and educated women to discuss stimulating things.
The Blue stockings society was led by Elizabeth montagu and others in the 1750s in England.
She was an anomaly in this society because she took possession of her husband's property when he died.
This allowed her to have more power in her world. She used her status for an advancement in women's education.
This society was founded by women included many prominent members of English society, both male and female.
If we compared it with our contemporary time we can relate with all this things.
Women also have their own rights to speak whatever they want to.They can educate themselves and discusses important matters with each other.
So, This is how we can compare the condition of women, during neo classical with our contemporary time.
Question 2 : Write in brief about your major / minor writer / poet of this age.
Ans : As we all know that during the age of neo classical, some writers moddled their writing on classical, especially greek and roman literature. There was appropriateness in plot, meter, characterization and language in this age.
As compared to poetry, the prose of neo classical age developed more. The poetry of the period developed the qualities of prose such as clearness, lucidity & beauty of expressions.
Major writers of neo classical age:
There were many major writers of this age. They were :
1.Jonathan Swift
2.Joseph Addison
3.Richard Steele
4.Daniel Defoe
5.oliver goldsmith
6.Alexander pope
If I want to talk about my favorite writer of this neo classical age - Jonathan Swift.
Jonathan Swift :- He was born on 30th November 1667 in Dublin - the kingdom of Ireland. His father was a native of Goodrich, Herefordshine.
Swift is always remembered for works such as " A Tale of a tub ( 1704), An argument against abolishing Christianity (1712), Gulliver's Travels ( 1726) and " A Modest proposal ( 1729).
Gulliver's Travels:-
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's travels - a large portion of which Swift wrote at woodbrook house, was published in 1726. It is regarded at his masterpiece.
It is a great and sophisticated satire of human nature based on Swift's experience of his time. Gulliver's travels is an anatomy of human nature.
Most people know that Jonathan Swift was a satirist, yet all of his works Gulliver's travels is the one most often taken at face value. Because it's full of entertaining fantasy, it's easy to miss everything else. Swift was writing about.
Like many other classics, Gulliver's travels has earned its place being equally entertaining to children as well as adults.
Question 3 : Tom janes / Moll Flanders as a picaresque novels.
Ans : To know the answer of this particular question, it is very essential to know the details of the term - picaresque.
The term picaresque has been derived from a Spanish word - picaro. Means - A rouge or knave or a villian etc. Thus, we can say that picaresque novel is an episodic depiction of the adventures and the misadventures of picaro. Mostly, he wanted on the highways. He moves from one place to the other.
Picaresque novel, an early form of novel usually a -
First person narrative,
Relating the adventure,
Of a rogue or low born,
From one place to another,
His / her efforts to survive.
Tom Jones as a picaresque Novel:
Henry Fielding's ''Tom Jones'' has benn considered a picaresque novel, it reflects the major characteristics of the picaresque form.
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Tom Jones - protagonist of this novel is an illegitimate child. ( means - A child born out side the lawful wedlock). He is turned out of home by his patron.
This novel depicts tom's adventure in the country side.
In short, we can say that the novel has a lots of elements of picaresque novel, but it is not a regular picaresque novel.
Moll Flanders as a picaresque novel:
" Moll Flanders is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1722. It's an eighteenth century novel.
It is about the adventures of Moll - a poor young woman from London who become a criminal by necessity to support her illegimate child.
This novel follows the pattern of the picaresque novel. The picaresque novel is sometimes describes as a social novel. Because it deals with the real world. The picaresque novel is often called as "Feminist novel."
Moll Flanders is one of the best example of that.
Thank you..
Words - 1,266
Well written blog! good emphasis on Enlightenment period.
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