When you think of the Neoclassical period, the following concepts should to come to mind.
The Restoration The Enlightenment The Scientific Revolution Empiricism Ancient Rome and Greece Augustan Poets Development of the novel Alexander Pope (The Rape of the Lock)
The term Classicism is applied 1) to the literatures of ancient Greece and
Rome, and 2) to the later seventeenth century and early eighteenth century because the writers of that period composed literature according to a set of fixed rules and critical theories which, as they believed, were those followed by ancient authors. The term Neoclassicism refers exclusively to the latter. It is a renewed interest in the production of the ancient Greek and Roman authors. Ancient Rome and Greece: Why do you need to recall them? Because the Neoclassical writers followed the structures and style of those who wrote during the golden age of the Roman and Greek Empires; namely: Virgil, Homer, Hesiod, etc. The Restoration period (1660-1700) Why is it important? -
Because it was the period during which most significant changes were made concerning the power of both the monarch and Parliament. (For details you can consult the timeline in the Prezi presentation).
Because John Dryden wrote his poems and provided a model for the writers who would follow. He placed special emphasis on decorum, i.e. what was elegant, fit, and right. Because the Anglican Church became much stronger in detriment of other religions. Catholics and Protestant Dissenters were banned from public and ministerial office, and universities.
Augustan poets (1700-1745)
What you need to remember: a) Why they gave themselves such name; b) Their literary standards; c) That Alexander Pope was one of the most prolific writers of the time; d) That the readership was increasing; e) That there was no censorship only in 1737 did Parliament pass a law on the censorship of plays to be performed on stage. All the information is on the Prezi. The Enlightenment The revolutionary ideas of the thinkers of this movement influenced significantly the lives and works of the writers of the latter part of the Neoclassical period: the so called Age of Sensibility or Transition Period. Around 1750, the word "sentiment" evolved to describe social behavior based in instinctual feeling. Sentiment, and the related notions of sensibility and sympathy, all contributed to a growing sense of the desirability of public philanthropy and social reforms (such as charities for orphans). Interesting question for you to reflect upon (Im still trying to work it out myself, thats why Im not including the answer; but I believe it is very important that we try to make associations between the contents we deal with): In what way do you think that the events that took place in England before, during and after the Commonwealth and the Protectorate influenced the work of thinkers like Hobbes and Locke? Revolution The Scientific This has to do mainly with the breakthroughs that took place in science in this time, the development of the Scientific Method, and of the philosophy of Empiricism. Dogmatism, or the acceptance of received religious beliefs, was widely regarded as dangerous. Charles II approved the Royal Society for London for the Improving of Natural Knowledge (1662). The Royal Society revolutionized the scientific method and the dispersal of knowledge.
The specialized modern "scientist" did not exist; Royal Society members studied natural history (the collection and description of facts of nature), natural philosophy (study of the causes of what happens in nature), and natural religion (study of nature as a book written by God). As a consequence of these ideas more importance was placed on the private, individual life and experience, this is evident in literary forms such as diaries, letters, and the novel.
The development of the novel
The Transition Period (1745-1798) was marked not only by a growing democratic spirit in life and literature, but also by an increasing dissatisfaction with the classical standard of reason as the only true test of human behaviour. Gradually they became convinced that by suppressing their natural feelings, and appealing only to cold, formal logic, they were missing much that was fine and inspiring. Hence they began to give freer scope to such emotions as pity and tenderness, and talked about the language of the heart. Hand in hand with the reaction against the cold rationalism of the classicists went a growing distaste for the hard-and-fast rules imposed upon poetry by Pope and his followers. During this period people began to appreciate the architecture and literature of the Middle Ages, often referred to as Gothic. The Gothic romances, portraying romantic and often sentimental characters (knights and fair ladies) against a setting of gloomy castles, moldering dungeons, and ghostly apparitions, gained importance. Yet, as the English society became better educated and, consequently, the reading public increased, a new type of literature developed. The newly educated public desired literature better suited to their tastes and dealing with people more like themselves. As usually happens, their desires were met by literary men, who are always on the alert to give the public what it wants. The result was the modern realistic novel, which began as a narrative written for readers of the lower classes and depending for its appeal upon thrilling plot or romantic setting so much as upon characters taken from the real life.
Alexander Pope Although much has been said about this author, you can consult the following website for his biography: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/alexander-pope If you are curious, on that website you will also be able to explore his poems and see in what way his being an outsider permeated his work.
The Rape of the Lock
What you need to remember:
-That its a mock-epic with a satirical effect (he
uses a dignified genre to narrate a trivial theme) - That its written in heroic couplet (iambic pentameter: 5 feet per line: 1 foot=unstressed-stressed syllables. - That it was based on true events: you should know what the conflict was and why he decided to write about it. - That Pope included typical elements of the epic in his poem: a) The supernatural machinery b) Invocation of the muses c) Battles d) A journey to the underworld (The Cave of Spleen) - The most satirical part is where the lock ends up if you want to know more, read it and we can discuss it whenever you want.
