Chapter Seven

1
Chapter Seven

• The Eighteenth Century

2
Historical Background
?
Parliament set up the constitutional monarchy in
1688
?
Monarchy became a compromise between the
bourgeoisie and the aristocrats.
?
The monarch was deprived of ruling power by
Parliament
?
England became a powerful naval country.
3
The war of Spanish Succession (17021714)
The war of Austrian Succession (1740 1748)
The Seven Years War with France (1756 1763)
Powerful Navy
4
The remarkable changes in bourgeoisie cultural
life
1. Political writings
2. Newspapers and journals
3. Coffeehouses
Men of all classes met in coffeehouses.
4. The new morality
reason ?emotion
5. Science and technology
Newton, John Locke
6. The French influence
5
In the precious ages, authors depend on the
patrons.
?
Writing became an independent job.
Patrons depends on writers.
?
6
A new mass media appeared

1.Both parties printed newspapers.
2. The middle class rose.
?
?
entertainment and education
express their opinions on political and moral
problems
Prose -- predominant writing genre
7
The same profession gather at certain coffeehouse.
coffeehouse
Wills in Covent Garden
Spectator Club
Pickwick Club
Dryden and literary men
Dickens in 19th Cen.
Addison and friends
8
Newton
The great scientist profound significance in the
history of thought --- Law of gravitation.
John Locke
The father of a new theory of knowledge
The Age of Reason
9
The influence of Neo classicism from France
The classicists believed that those Roman writers
had established the perfect art and rules of art
for future generations to follow.
Such as heroic couplet instead of blank verse,
the three unities of time, place
and action.
10
The characteristics of Neo-classicism

• ---emphasized reason rather than emotion, form
  rather than content.
• ---stress reason, most of the writings of the
  age were didactic and satirical.
• ---poet prefer closed couplet for elegance,
  correctness, appropriateness and restraint
• ---cater to the interests of the society in
  great cities instead of town.
• --- lack in those elements related with the
  romantic.

11
The outline of the Literature in the 18th
century
Essayists Addison and Steele---- start the
periodical essay Samuel
Johnson---- the man of letter and the
composer of
dictionary
Poets Alexander Pope--- neo-classicism
Thomas Gray---- derived from
neo-classicism,
sentimentalism, elegy
Robert Burns---- Scottish folk songs
William Blake---break with neo-classicism but
with more
romantic elements
12
Dramatist Sheridan--- the most important English
playwright of
the 18th century
Novelist Daniel Defoe--- Robinson Crusoe
Fielding---playwright novelist Joseph
Andrews Richardson---Pamela
Swift--- prose and novel, esp. for
satire
13
Daniel Defoe (1661-1731)

• Born in London in 1661
• His father was a poor and hard-working
  Presbyterian butcher.
• His father wanted Defoe to be a clergyman.

In fact, Defoe is a pioneer novelist of England
a prolific writer of
books and pamphlets
14
A versatile man
novelist
merchant
economist
journalist
pamphleteer
politician
6 novels
shop kiln writing
periodical
principle trade
spy
articles
15
Defoes two important novels

• Robinson Crusoe (1720)
• --- The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures
• of Robinson Crusoe

• Moll Flanders (1722)
• ---The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the
  Famous Moll Flanders

16
read
a real incident in 1704
interview
embellish
Alexander Selkirk was thrown onto a desolate
island by the mutinous crew of his ship because
of the conflict with captain.
Robinson Crusoe
adventurous story
Go abroad for business
accident on the sea
Caught Moor
Robinsons experience
desolated island for 28 years
Escaped to Brazil
met Friday his slave
Became a planter
helped captain to get the ship back
Bought slaves in Africa
go back home
17
the daughter of a woman (theft)
was born in prison
Moll Flanders
was brought up by a stranger
became a maid
was seduced
married for five times
steal and cheat
was caught to prison
Her prospect
met her cared husband
the function of her mother
got a plantation left by her mother
18
Jonathan Swift (16671745)
1. Born in Dublin, English parents
2. Worked as a private secretary
3. Political pamphlets
4. The Dean of St. Patricks Cathedral
19
Two satirical essays during the 2nd period
The Battle of Books ----- a satire or the
controversy concerning the values of ancients and
moderns
Mock ---heroic epic
A Tale of the Tub ----- a satire on the various
churches of the time
Roman Catholic
Allegory3sons
dissenter
England church
20
Two political pamphlets in the 3rd period
The Drapiers Letter ----- under the
pseudonym of Mr. Drapier
A Modest Proposal ----- bitter satire on the
policy of the English government toward Irish
21
In 1726, his masterpiece was published
----- Gullivers Travels
Four parts about the four voyages of its hero
to strange places
Writing style travel literature
22
(No Transcript)
23
The Comparison between Defoe and Swift
Defoe
Swift
businessman
churchman
have little knowledge
university graduate
a dissenter
a member of the Anglican Church
aimed to improve the morals of his time
viewed human society, cynic , misanthropic
24
Joseph Addison (1672--- 1719)
Richard Steele (1672---1729)
25
Periodical essays started by Joseph Addison and
Richard Steele during the early 18th century and
were the most characteristic genre of the 18th
century.
Similarities of two essayists
born in the same year, study in the same school
and university
both are the periodical essayists and educators
similar topics light topics--- fashions, head
dresses
writing style wit humor, satire
describe lively pictures of men and manners in
the ordinary society of the time
26
The Tatler
Three times a week
The Spectator
daily
27
The same purposes
To educate the newly risen middle class the
morals and modes
To bridge the gap between the small circle of
London and the large Puritan middle class
To interest the general reader, to guide and
develop their tastes
28
Alexander Pope (1688--- 1744)

• Family----- London draper
• Religion ----- Roman Catholics
• Health ----- handicapped, less than 5 feet
• Marriage ----- never
• Education ----- self-educated

29
Popes three creative periods
1st period (1709--- 1720)
Pastorals--- a collection of poems
Essay on Criticism --- a number of quotable lines
The Rape of the Lock --- attract public
attention
The Windsor Forest --- a patriotic poem
30
the 2nd period (1720--- 1726)
Translation --- Homers epic Iliad and Odyssey
in free manner
Comedy --- Three Hours After Marriage
Edition of Shakespeare
31
The 3rd period (1728 --- 1735)
The Dunciad --- three books of long poem
Four Epistles --- moral and philosophical nature
An Essay on Man --- a collection of poems
Imitations of Horace --- a collection of poems
32
Quotable lines in Popes poem

• To err is human, to forgive is divine.
• For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
• The proper study of mankind is man.
• A little learning is a dangerous thing.

????,????
??????????????????
???????????????
??????????