Characteristic features of English Neo-Classicism

 '9. Characteristic features of English Neo-Classicism' 

Politically: The time of '''Restoration. I'''n 1660 King Charles II. returned to London. The churches again began to hold ceremonies. Feast and entertainment wasn’t banned anymore. But the ordinary people didn’t notice many changes. The king gave the tone of life in London and among country nobility. The new governing class was formed by people who had lived in exile like the king. They brought many features of culture and manners from France. Court life was cynical, profligate, uninhibited. The king had enormous number of lovers.  The theaters were opened again. People were hungry for plays. New theatres were quite different from the Elizabethan ones. The plays were held indoors. The King loved theatre but he wanted to control it too. In London theatres had to have licence and only 2 companies had permits to play plays. Up to the end of 17th century there were only these two theatres in London. The theatre became a tool of small group of people with same the opinions. Cynical attitudes. Theater became a monopoly of the upper-classes. The restoration promoters – Shakespeare wasn’t a favorite. The simple tragedies dominated the scene. Heroic tragedies were famous.

Theatre used new techniques, played for new a audience. New lighting on the stage, swift change of the scenes. Women could be players.

The characters of comedies were only London aristocrats. If a character was somebody else he was only for a dull laugh. Elegance changed into foppishness. Woman can be in love only when young. Later she is a nymfoman. The characters generally presented virtues which were appreciated: serenity, discernment, and cool cynical sense. The dramatist seemed to forget any dark sides of aristocratic life such as violence, illness and profligacy. The court people wanted to see themselves as elite with civilized values.  Puritan literature – earlier, belongs to restoration

John Bunyan, 1628-1688

- a restoration poet, writing in new, difficult style

- he was a tinker (dráteník). Became religious writer. Was of humble origin. His job made him travel. Limited view of the world. Good soldier of Cromwells army. Autobiography. He loved dances. Even drinking, swearing. One day he heard a voice of heaven. It changed his views. He served as a preacher, soldier.

- He spent 12 years in prison, here he wrote:

The Pilgrim’s Progress  (Poutníkova cesta''). '' This book i nfluenced a lot of people. It was translated into more than 100 languages. It is still read today. It is prose on a biblical topic.'''

Language is very vivid. The story is full of action.

Allegory – the hero is a Christian, with friends travels from the city of destruction to the celestial city. His friends are Faithful, Goodwill, Obstinate, Pickthank, Superstition. The characters are type characters. He travels from one place (damned) to heaven. He travels through the Country (England of the 17th century). They experience a lot of adventures, humorous, full of action.
 * Quotations: “Vanity Fair” – the title of one chapter.
 * His language is simple, straightforward, everyday and alive. He poses a narrative talent and sense for language.

 Court poets - restoration

 John Dryden,  1631 – 1700

Absolon and Achitophel - satire. He wrote it on request. The 1670s was time of anti-Catholic feelings and time of disappointment with the renewed monarchy. He finds a biblical parallel with this situation.
 * 1) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The greatest successor of Milton. He was the predecessor of Alexander Pope (the greatest classical poet)
 * 2) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The greatest poet of the restoration. Although he composed in celebration of Cromwell. Translator, playwright, satirist, literal critic.
 * 3) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Said to be the first of a new school of poets, went with the tide (korouhvička). He wrote a poem to Oliver Cromwell, then converted to Catholicism. Poem praising the monarchy and Protestantism. His specialty was poems written in heroic couplets.
 * 4) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He wrote drama. Father of modern English prose.
 * 5) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He believed that authoritative government is better than democracy. He supported by the poor. Supported the leaders and was searching for his right belief and ended up Catholic.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Mac Flecknoe - satire <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Samuel Butler

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Hunibras - a witty, satirical poem <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Alexander Pope 1688-1744
 * 1) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Exposed all the hypocrisies of Puritanism.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Dryden’s follower, called 'a poet of classicism. ' He be lieved that social conditions are more important than individual conveniences. Form is more important than content. Reason is more important than emotion. Critic, interested in the form, way of writing.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">An Essay of Man

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">An Essay on Criticism – a poem. Sets basic rules of poetry: <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Follow nature, write about things common to all people at all times. Universal questions.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Rape of the Lock (Ukradená kadeř)
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Imitate the poems of antient Greeks and Romans.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">State the general truths of life.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Do it with greater polish than previous authors = don’t be original
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He wrote according to these rules. Keen observer, great satirist.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Epic poem. Mock heroic style. High style contrasts with trivial subject. Made him fame abroad. Attacks stupidity.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Poem The Dunciad

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Allegorical story. Many quotations, i.e. fools rush in where angels fear to tread. <p style="margin-bottom:0cm;line-height:100%"> Prose  - modern English prose did not begin to develop until the second half of the 17th century. - In the first half of the century, erudite information was compiled for its own sake Robert Burton

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;line-height:100%">The Anatomy of Melancholy - a vast encyclopedia of fact and fantasy. Sir Thomas Browne - the greatest prose writer of the era. Religio Medici - treats faith, hostility among religions and the man as microcosm. - He expresses love for all sorts and conditions of men.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;line-height:100%"> Restoration drama  - theaters were reopened in 1660 - they became places of amusement for high society - it is represented mostly by comedies, which often dealt with amoral themes

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;line-height:100%"> comedy of manners - a new fashionable genre of comedy - It deals with the behavior of men and women from middle and upper classes - It is written in an elegant, sophisticated prose - Its kernel is in brilliant witty ambiguous dialogs - It introduced a new character  flop - a young unscrupulous man of high society, enjoying life and mocking others - He wants to marry rich

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;line-height:100%">William Wycherley - The Country Wife William Congrave - The Old Bachelor

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> The late 17th century 

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">people started to be interested in individual experiences. Writers started write about individual experience. This trend later gave birth to the novel.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">first attempts:

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Diarists:  forrunners of novel

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">John Evelyn – kept a minute account of the daily events but also recorded some historical events.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Samuel Pepys – his diary is more important. He was a civil servant. Was provided with information that other people didn’t know about. He wrote it in cipher.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> 18th century

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">in literature >> The age of Reason 1650 – 1780, Classicism / The Augustan Age

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">In 1660 king Charles II. returned to London. English people restored the old monarchy and religion.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The century of Enlightenment. All branches of science were developing quickly resulting in technical progress.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Literature in this period <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">A writer couldn’t live on writing. Age of Reason was interested in science. It required a new style which would be understood by everybody. Language of poetry changed to poetry about public issues written in spoken language.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">At the end of 17 th century the vision of world is changing. Newton explored the natural phenomena, scientific truth, scientific way of thinking. It caused problems with religious beliefs. This was reflected in literature.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Literature presented new characters who appealed to the bourgeoisie.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Growing literary criticism was used to form readers’ opinions.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Prose was the most accessible form for the new readers.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Essays, letters, and the novel became the prevailing genres.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Motto of this time : “ Literature from the head not the heart .” – result of the scientific explorations. Result of the civil war. People wanted to avoid fanatism.'''

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Themes of the new literature: politics, talks of men in coffee houses, town themes.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Queen Anne 1702-1714, King George I. – a German protestant, didn’t support art. He hated poets. The writers in the 18th century had to look for other source of money. From their audience or from an aristocratic patron.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Cultural atmosphere of the 18th century – classicism. <p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Politically very stable period. Two political parties consolidated. The king’s power was slowly declining and a cabinet government was consolidating.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">At the first half of 18 th century authors of previous century were popular. Dryden and Ben Jonson. The strict rules of classicism (unity of time, place and action) as they were followed in France never caught up in England. The rules were appreciated and taught but not practiced. For example Shakespeare didn’t follow any of the rules. <p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> The classicists were formal and expressed inspiration. They were a source of quotations but the big writers didn’t consider them as the biggest values and they were not held back by the rules.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Writers of the 18th century tended towards deism – rational religious belief without mysticism of miracles. They believed that a man should be watched from outside and in regard to his relations with other people. They focused on a man as a social creature, they liked abstraction and generalization. When they talked about nature, they meant the true picture of a man. In literature they liked conventions. They respected that which is adequate to a theme, what is traditional, what doesn’t disturb. Their main aim was to create social values. they generally appreciated political, philosophical and religious notions. Women were considered only big children without their own minds.

John Dryden

 * 1) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Marriage-á-la-mode – a comedy. Quadrangial scene, about infidelity. Cuckolding, one married couple, one single couple.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;page-break-after:avoid"> Comedy of Manners 

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> - a new genre, quite popular in the 18th century. It mirrored the manners of the upper classes. The main ingredients were jealousy, cuckold.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> - the plot – usually involved a series of complicated intrigues

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> - characters – mostly typed characters. They are divided according to whether they conform to a standard or not. Those who do not are being involved in this comedy, cynical, sophisticated, they treat obscenity and immorality, very bright intellectual atmosphere which is ......ed in sharp witty dialogues.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> William Congreve ,  1670-1739

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- neoclassical dramatist and poet. Studied in Dublin

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Wrote prose work, few poems.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Shaped the English comedy of manners through his brilliant comic dialogue. His satirical portrayal of fashionable society, and his ironic scrutiny of the affectations of his age.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- His work marked the hight of elegance and style among restoration authors. The ugliness of his times changes into something humorous in his works. His comedies deal with courtship and seduction. He shifts away from the comedy as social commentary to the comedy as fantasy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Manager of theatre Lincoln’s Inn

<li style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Old Bachelour, 1693</li>*<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Double-Deale
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Way of the World, the last one
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Love for Love – cynical comedy of manners. With grace and wit. It was not profound. In the first scene Valentine Legend – a young gentleman, ruined without money, wants to write a play to get money. His servant Jeremy wants to turn him away from doing so. They have a comic dialogue.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Other characters: Valentine’s father Sir Sampson Legend. Valentine's friend Scandal. Tattle – a half-witted beau. Ben – Valentine’s brother, Foresight – illiterate old fellow, Angelica – Foresight’s niece, fortune in her hands. Mrs. Foresight, her sister, Miss Prue – Foresight’s daughter.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> 18 th  century – popularity of Italian operas = Plays with movment. The plots were very melodramatic, stupid. Became satirized, mostly light comedies, following comedy of manners.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">John Gay, 1685 – 1732

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">later
 * 1) *<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Beggars opera – one of the most original stage-works of the 18th century. Unromantic setting in prison. Heroes are criminals Macheath and Peachum and a prostitute. Didn’t have a happy ending = very original, unusual.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Oliver Goldsmith, ?1730 – 1774

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- a poet, playwright, prose writer, of Irish origin. He wrote one of the 1st novels: The Vicar of Wakefield

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Drama She Stoops to Conquer (Ponížila se, aby zvítězila),

<li style="margin-bottom:0cm">The topic is very original. Psychological, set on true story. Young gentleman who is very shy to women in his class. Travels, mistakes a house for an inn.</li>*<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The main comic motive is a country place is mistaken for an inn. It causes a series of misunderstandings.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Richard Brinsley Sheridan 1751 – 1816

<li style="margin-bottom:0cm">A playwright, theater manager, wanted to go into politics >> MP, minister of the government. Wrote only in his youth.</li>*<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Literary figure malapropism <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Both Goldsmith and Sheridan attacked the lack of intellect of this time. The plays were sentimental, and the comedies had pep but when compared to French plays of the time, the best of English were still quite weak and superficial.
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Rivals – character Mrs. Malaprop (paní Nevhodná)
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The School for Scandal - A satire on the life of the upper classes. Lady Sneerwell, Benjamin Backbite, brilliantly funny, his masterpiece.

Samuel Johnson, 1709 – 1784
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Wrote poems, essays. One play and something like a novel, criticism, travelbooks, biographies. He depended on writing for living. He wrote on request.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Dictionary , 1755, 1st dictionary of English language. Did it by himself. Very subjective definitions. Reflected life of England.


 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Many jokes about him. The life in London. He is famous thanks to Boswell

James Boswell

 * <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Scottish medicine doctor. Came to London to be in Johnson’s company. Published notes about him: Life of Johnson

Jonathan Swift, 1667 – 1745
- Inclined towards the Tories and to English Church. Sceptic about a man’s reason. Fighter for freedom and justice. Defended Irland where he was born.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- According to his personality he was inclined towards satire. Time to time he wrote for the government but was not a propagandist. Sometimes he was misunderstood – queen Anne was concerned with his Tale of a Tub as an attack on the Church of England. Some clergymen announced that he didn’t “believe a single word in that travelogue (Gulliver’s Travels)

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">- Best satiric pamphlet Modest Proposal

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;page-break-after:avoid"> Development of the newspapers 

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Enabled by the abolishment of the Licensing Act (censorship) in 1694, modern press could appear. <p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> First journalist Daniel Defoe , wrote a journal called The Review. Informed the public of his views.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Joseph Addison, 1672 – 1719

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> Richard Steele , 1672 – 1729

<li style="margin-bottom:0cm">Founded in 1709 journal called The Tatler. Addison later joined him, single piece of paper, were writing about attempted to improve his name. About literature, art. Were meant for the members of the middle class, but soon were seen everywhere.</li>*<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Daily The Spectator, published lots of letters to the editor. Invented an imaginary club whose members represented ill contemporary social types. One of them was Sir Roger de Coverlet – a simple made gentleman full of prejudice and superstition. <p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Journalism became a new trade.