Neo Classical Age

             

 Neoclassicism in English literature refers to a movement that flourished between 1660 and 1798. The term refers to a style that is based on, but different from, the classic structures of the Roman and Greek writers of old. 'Neo' means 'New', so the term literally means the "Old Classic". However, neoclassicism was a unique style with its own themes and works.

            Neoclassicism began after the Renaissance. Whereas the Renaissance focused on lifting the individual and making people larger than life and limitless in their potential, neoclassicism placed the individual in the context of society. The individual became flawed, and passion needed to be curved by reason. Neoclassicism started in 1660 when the Stuarts returned to the throne and the Enlightenment was in full swing. When the neoclassical period was the predominant style, artists like Daniel Defoe and Samuel Johnson flourished.

                 The publication of Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads in 1798, however, marked the end of the neoclassical period. These poems ended Neoclassicism and began the Romantic Age. Whereas Neoclassicism looked to the beauty of order, Romanticism later emphasized the individual and put more weight on the imaginative and personal.

Stages of the Neoclassical Era

The Neoclassical era can be broken down into three general eras: the Restoration Period, the Augustan Period, and the Age of Johnson.

1] The Restoration Period

The first period in the Neoclassical Period was the Restoration Period. The name comes from the restoration of the monarchy after the return of Charles II after Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth. Artists of the time first looked back to the old Greek and Roman plays and works and emulated their general style. These works followed the same basic guidelines but relied far more on satire.

Odes and pastorals also became popular, and people looked to fight back against the Enlightenment. Protestant aesthetics became more widespread as writers looked to be somber and more pious than the previous generation. Writing genres like travel writing, biography, and journalism took on greater importance.

2] The Augustan Period

The Augustan Period was named after the Roman emperor Augustus. The name gives credit to his drive to bring order and prosperity to the Roman Empire. Similarly, artists of this period embraced rationalist and realistic styles and a more dominant tone. Fiction novels and journalism developed into forms similar to their modern counterparts and satire became a major genre. Writing also started to move away from the courtly writing of the past and began to move towards a more emotional and romantic style.

3] The Age of Johnson

The Age of Johnson is named after Samuel Johnson, one of the most prominent artists during this time. He wrote The Dictionary of the English Language between 1745 and 1755. Comedies remained popular, though poetry was slowly embracing a more sentimental style, something the Romantics would build on later. The novel of sensibility, a work that touches a reader's compassion or sympathy, also grew during this time and would be the precursor to the gothic novels of the 19th century.

Q1. Compare and contrast the condition of women during the neo-classical age with contemporary time.

         During this time The Blue Stockings Society was established by women in England. Through this society, women and intellectual people stimulated their intellect. Elizabeth Montagu was an anomaly in this society as she took possession of her husband's property after his death which resulted in addition to power in her world.  Women writers were never admired or had been given a place equivalent to that of male writers in English Literature. The derogatory term like female quill drivers was so uncommon. Women from well-to-do families were expected to get married and devote their efforts to it. Despite all the odds few female poets upsurged with their works. even in contemporary times, many writers hide their identity under a pen name as they feel that there is lesser space for female writers in society. in earlier times, females never received the hierarchy from their fathers or husband and eventually, they were dependent on the person who became the heir later on. nowadays, it is not so common but such practices still exist, and many women are dependent. Women were looked upon as marriage materials and it was believed that their only goal should be to find a suitable groom and get married. During that time society was patriarchal and even today patriarchy is witnessed almost worldwide. Women were neglected and hence lack of opportunities, undoubtedly they have more opportunities these days, but we can't overlook the fact that women still experience negligence.

2] Pioneer writers and poets of this age:-

Jane Austen (novelist):-

Jane Austen, (born December 16, 1775, Steventon, Hampshire, England—died July 18, 1817, Winchester, Hampshire), English writer who first gave the novel its distinctly modern character.

John Lock (philosopher):-

John Locke (1632-1704) presents an intriguing figure in the history of political philosophy.

François-Marie Arouet / Voltaire(French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher):-

François-Marie d’Arouet (1694–1778), better known by his pen name Voltaire, was a French writer and public activist who played a singular role in defining the eighteenth-century movement called the Enlightenment. 

David Hume (philosopher):-

David Hume (1711-1776) is commonly known for his philosophical skepticism, and empiricist theory of knowledge, he also made many important contributions to moral philosophy.

Johnthan Swift(Anglo-Irish satirist, author, easiest, and poet):-

Jonathan Swift, pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff, (born November 30, 1667, Dublin, died October 19, 1745, Dublin), Anglo-Irish author, who was the foremost prose satirist in the English language.

Alexander Pope (poet, satirist and translator):-

Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century.

Thomas Gray (poet):-

Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, classical scholar, and professor at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is widely known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751.

Robert Burns (Scottish poet and lyricist):-

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. 

Samuel Richardson (writer and printer):-

Samuel Richardson (August 19, 1689 – July 4, 1761) was a major eighteenth century writer, primarily known for his three monumental novels Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison. Richardson is widely considered to be the inventor of the epistolary novel.

So, These were some of the famous and great poets and writers who contributed this age and gave this age so many great works and also meaning to this age in history of Literature.

Favourite major/minor poet/writer of the age:-

Robert Burns:-

Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1795 in Allowy, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 21st July 1796 in Dumfries, United Kingdom. He is aslo know as Rabbie Burns. He was Scottish poet, lyricist, farmer and excise-man. He is extensively considered as a national poet of Scotland. He also contributed in romantic moment. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement.

The Burns Cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire

Burns was born two miles (3 km) south of Ayr, in Alloway, the eldest of the seven children of William Burnes (1721–1784)and Agnes Broun (1732–1820). Burns father was a farmer.He had little regular schooling and got much of his education from his father, who taught his children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history. John Murdoch thaught him Latin, French and Mathematics. By the age of 15, Burns was the principal labourer at Mount Oliphant. 

During the harvest of 1774, he was assisted by Nelly Kilpatrick (1759–1820), who inspired his first attempt at poetry, "O, Once I Lov'd A Bonnie Lass".

O, Once I Lov'd A Bonie Lass

1.

O, once I lov'd a bonie lass,

Ay, and I love her still!

And whilst that virtue warms my breast,

I'll love my handsome Nell.

2.

As bonie lasses I hae seen,

And monie full as braw,

But for a modest gracefu' mien

The like I never saw.

3.

A bonie lass, I will confess,

Is pleasant to the e'e;

But without some better qualities

She's no a lass for me.

4.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,

And, what is best of a',

Her reputation is complete

And fair without a flaw.

5.

She dresses ay sae clean and neat,

Both decent and genteel;

And then there's something in her gait

Gars onie dress look weel.

6.

A gaudy dress and gentle air

May slightly touch the heart;

But it's innocence and modesty

That polishes the dart.

7.

'Tis this in Nelly pleases me,

'Tis this enchants my soul;

For absolutely in my breast

She reigns without controul.

He married Jean Armour and had 12 Childrens. During his lifetime he struggled very much but this struggle gave him so many inspiration to make this beautiful poems that stole our hearts after reading and understanding it. Throughout his life time he wrote over 550 poems and songs and also known for this wild writing. Here are some famous and notable works of him:-

• A Red, Red Rose
• To a Mouse
• To a Louse
• Tam O' Shanter
• Comin' Thro' the Rye
• Halloween 
• To a Mountain Daisy
• Holly Willie's Prayer
• The Slaves Lament
• Why should we idly waste our prime

Q3.Moll Flanders as picaresque novel.

                Picaresque novel is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of roughish but appealing hero generally of low class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. These novels typically adopt the realistic style, often in satirical or comical manner. This kind of narrative is generally written in first person or autobiography format. There is little or no plot in such novels. The story is described in loose episodes or adventures. Moll Flanders is a picaresque novel by Daniel Defoe published in 1722. This novel depicts the Adventures of strong willed, lusty woman, who is compelled since childhood to make her way in the 17th century. The plot is summed up in the novel's full title: The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. Who was born in Newgate, during a life of continued variety for threescore years, besides her childhood, was 12 years a whore, 5 times a wife, once to her brother, 12 years a thief,8 years a transported felon in Virginia, at last grew rich, lived an honest life, died a penitent, written from her own ,memorandums. These described characteristics, almost follow all the characteristics of a picaresque novel and hence is considered one. it has a loose plot, and the hero is of low social class as she has been a whore for years and a thief too, also the end says lived an honestly which contradicts the deeds, and a satirical element cane be seen here. 

We can also relate the movie Gangubai Khatiyawadi starring Alia Bhatt which was released in the year 2022. It revolves around a girl who accepted prostitution as her boyfriend sold her to a pimp in exchange of some money. And throughout the movie she along with her other friends try to gain respect in the society and she argues in a public speaking that as everyone else has a profession, this is her's and she does it with utmost honesty. She constantly seeks respect from society and somewhat accomplishes it to an extent. Even this story can be related to that of Moll Flanders as even she is said to have lived an honest life.