Poetry & Prose of The age of Pope (1700-1744)

A.

1. The early parts of the 18th century or the Augustan age in English literature are

called the Age of Pope.

2. Pope was the dominating figure of this age.

3. Though there were a number of other writers but Pope was one who devoted

himself in literature.

4. His poetry served as a model to others.

B.

  1. Poetry - the classical school of poetry dominated the age.

  2. Now the people rejected the Puritan values, especially those rejected innocent recreation.

  3. They chose the middle path, not in excess of moral or emotional ways.

  4. They insist on the role of intelligence.

  5.  ⤵️

  1. The 18th-century writers were deficient in emotion and imagination.

  2. Dominated by intellect, poetry in this age was didactic and satirical 

  3. Then the poet of this age were more interested in ‘cultural society’.

  4. There is no picture of village life, birds, flowers and nature.

  5. Thus they had no feelings for their early-age writers such as Shakespeare, Chaucer and Milton.

  1. ⤵️

  1. The form became more important in this age.

  2. The close couplet becomes the only form for serious work inverse.

  3. The couplet was too narrow.

  4. It become mono tonous and thus did not serve the high passion.

  5. ⤵️

  1. The prose becomes a prominent medium of expression.

  2. Precision exactness and clarity were demanded in poetry.

  3. Poets had to say in clear and simple language.

  4. The result was that poetry could not reach the demands in this way.

  5. There was nothing such as deep study and interpretation.

C.

  1. Alexander Pope (1688-1744) - Pope is called the ‘principle of classicism’ as 

  2. Prof Elton says.

  3. Physically he was short, invalid delicate. This made him weak and he himself said of his life as a ‘long disease’.

  4. Despite everything, he left a permanent mark on the literature of the age.

  5. He was highly intellectual and he was looked upon as a ‘model poet’.

  6. The poetry of the Pope had the quality of correctness.

  7. ⤵️

  1. At the age of 23, he published his essays in criticism (1711) 

  2. Here he insists on the rules of the Ancients as their rules were in harmony with nature.

  1. The Pope of the Lock is his masterpiece. It is a ‘mock-heroic’ poem. 

  2. He translated Homee’s Illiad and Odyssey.

  3. Now there were a host of jealous rivals against Pope, because of his popularity.

  4. Pope ridiculed his rivals in his work The Dunciad. Imitations of Horace and Epistles are also satire where Pope attacks his enemies.

  5. He is a supreme master of the Epigrammatic style of condensing an idea into a line or couplet.

               As a result, many of his lines have become proverbial language.

  1. “Hope springs eternal in the human heart.

D.

  1. Minor poets of the age were very few.

  2. ⤵️

  1. Mathew Prior (1685- 1732). He was an active and diplomatic politician also.

  2. He wrote Solomen on the vanity of the world and Alma or the Progress of the mind

  1.      a) J and Gay (1685-1765) Gay is the master of Vivid rural scenes.

     b) He wrote rural sports Trivia etc.  

  1.      a) Edward Young (1683-1718) thought of the 18th-century young  had the temper of    

         Romantics.

     b) his works are The Night Thoughts and Universal Passion to name a few 

  1. Thomas Parnell (1670-1708) Parnell excelled in translation. His best-known work is The Night Piece.

  2.      a) Lady Winchelsea (1660-1725) Winchelsea was followed by Pope but she was 

         more inclined Towards Nature.

     b) The Nocturnal Reverie may be considered to be the pioneer of Nature poetry.

E-1

  1. Prose of the age of Pope - The Prose writers of this age exhibits the classical qualities - clearness, vigour and direct statement.

  2. Daniel Defore (1661-1731) Defoe is the earlier literary journalist of the age. He wrote in all topics as- social political, and literature.

  3. His first novel was Robinson Crusoe. The other works are Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack etc.

  4. Leslie Stephen called him a, ‘Fictitious biographic’ or ‘History minus facts’.

  5. He is credited with being the originator of the English novel.

  6. He is one of the masters of English Prose.

E-2

  1. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) swift was one of the most powerful and original genius of the age.

  2. His best-known work is Gulliver’s Travels.

  3. It is very popular among the children's library and at the same time a bitter attack on political and social life.

  4. Swift was a profound pessimist.

  5. He was a master of prose style.

  6. His style was simple and direct.

  7. As a satirist his greatest weapon was irony.

E-3 

  1. Joseph Addison (1672-1719) and Sir Richard Steele (1672-1719). Steele and Addison worked in collaboration.

  2. They were the originators of periodical essays.

  3. Steele was the founder of The Taller.

  4. Then it was followed by the spectator.

  5. But the characters of Steele and Addison were constant.

  6. Steele was emotional and reckless but honest & good-hearted.

  7. Addison was an urbane, polished gentleman. He was a quiet and accurate observer of manners and fashions of life and conversations.

  8. The purpose of their writing was ethical.

  9. They tried to reform the society.

  10. They did this in a good-humoured way and not with bitterness.

  11. They made the people laugh o their own follies.

  12. Addison helps the English reader to understand Milton’s Paradise.

  13. Lost through his articles.

  14. Both Steele and Addison were great masters of prose.

  15. Both wrote in a clear, lucid, simple and effective style.

  16. Dr. Johnson remarked: ‘Give nights and days to the study of Addison if you mean to 

     be a good writer or what is more worthy, an honest man”.