The Age of Enlightenment

Monarchy restored, but power weakened- Britain becomes more democratic

King rules by the consent of the people

Beginnings of the Industrial Revolution

Great Advances in the SciencesCelebrated the scientific method –

believed Man could perfect himself and society

Literature of the time very orderly and formed (rhymed couplets, etc)

Emulated Classic stylesFrequent references to classics

(myths, gods, and heroes)Tried to look at the world

objectively Use of Aphorisms (One liners—the

equivalent of the “sound byte”)Very fond of Satire

Age of Dryden Named for John Dryden Celebrates Human Achievement

Age of Pope and Swift Heavy Neoclassic style characterized by

Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift Age of Johnson

Beginnings of a shift toward Romanticism

The most accomplished poet of the period

Made prose acceptable to literary circles, and helped establish writing as a legitimate career

clear and concise and became the standard against which all other English writers were measured.

His work was a response to the excesses and political upheaval of the restoration.

Praised the virtues of order, balance & harmony

Poet laureate in 1668

A single, unified strain of exalted lyrical verse

Deals with ONE theme and praises its value/virtues

Elaborate, dignified and imaginative

Born into a working class family Considered the ministry but instead

decided on becoming a crappy businessman

Didn’t start writing the novels that made him famous until into his sixties

Was pilloried for political writing

Wrote two very popular novels (a new form at the time)

Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders (both purported to be nonfiction)

Crusoe started a genre Also wrote a real non fiction account—

Journal of the Plague Year

Was born in Dublin, Ireland Was a minister in the Church of

England His satirical works ruined his chances to

advance in the church Still remained a staunch supporter of

the Anglican faith Held a great amount of political power in

later years- wrote political pamphlets for the government

Wrote “A Modest Proposal” which championed the Irish cause

His greatest work, Gulliver’s Travels is considered one of the greatest satires in British Literature.

A work that blends humor and wit for the improvement of human institutions or humanity

Satire is not intended to “tear down” as much as to “inspire remodeling”

Does not attack an individual- it will “pass over a single foe to charge whole armies.”

Satire is subtle enough that the reader must make the inference to what or who is being mocked

The first English poet to support himself solely by his writing

Being Catholic prevented him from holding public office or getting a wealthy patron

First major work was An Essay on Criticism, which brought him to the attention of the leading literary figures of the time.

Very frail in health- was less than five feet tall. Was a sharp wit and was a sought after guest

A brilliant satirist-one of his best know works is The Rape of the Lock, one of the greatest Mock Epics in English

Iambic Pentameter in rhymed pairs Became a fixed for with Pope and

dominated English verse for decades