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Neoclassical Age of Poetry: Alexander Pope and the Augustan Era

Explore the literary landscape of the Neoclassical Age through the influential works of Alexander Pope. Learn about the Augustan Age in England, the background context of the era, notable writers, literary genres, and Pope's life and literary contributions. Discover the principles and characteristics that defined this era of reason, wit, and elegance in poetry and literature.

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Neoclassical Age of Poetry: Alexander Pope and the Augustan Era

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  1. POETRY-1 (ENG403) LECTURE – 27

  2. REVIEW • JOHN DONNE • Love Songs • Holy Sonnets

  3. ALEXANDER POPE (1688-1744) • THE RAPE OF THE LOCK

  4. THE AGE OF POPE • NEOCLASSICAL AGE • AUGUSTAN AGE • AGE OF REASON • PSEUDO CLASSICAL • THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

  5. ERA OF AUGUSTUS • The Augustan Age • Roman Ruler • 27 B.C – 14 A.D • Classical writers • Horace, Virgil, Ovid • Golden Era of Latin Literature • Common sense, moderation • Reason for Emotion • Elegance for Brevity

  6. NEOCLASSICAL AGE THE AUGUSTAN AGE IN ENGLAND • TWO PARTS • The Age of Dryden- 1700 • The Age of Pope- 1744

  7. BACKGROUND TO THE AGE (1) • 17th century : period of great change • Queen Elizabeth- 1603 • James 1 (1603- 1625) • Scottland • Patriotic unity • People resented taxes, alliance with Spain • Middle Class clashed with monarchy • Dissolved 3 parliaments (1604, 1614, 1621) • Imposition of customs, money grants, right of speech

  8. 17th CENTURY BACKGROUND (2) • Charles 1 • Popular • Deceitfulness & wrong headedness • Henriietta Maria/ France • Buckingham as Lord Chancellor • Gave in the petition of civil rights (1628) • No taxation/imprisonment/billeting • 11 years

  9. 17th CENTURY BACKGROUND (3) • Archbishops punished Puritans • Civil war 1642- 1648 • Royalists/Cavaliers/Catholics • Parliamentary Forces/Puritans • Sentenced to death in 1649 • The Common Wealth (1649- 1653) • Scotland proclaimed Charles II • Cromwell took step & succeeded in 1651 • Parliament/dissolved

  10. 17th CENTURY BACKGROUND (4) • Cromwell/Lord Protector • Strong foreign policy • Monarchy by 1658 • He died in 1658 • Restored monarchy under Charles ll • Long conflict between Catholics & Protestants • Test Act 1673- banned public offices • Charle ll died in 1685 • James became king

  11. 17th CENTURY BACKGROUND (5) • His daughter Mary & William: joint monarchs • Protestants • The Bill of Rights (1689) • Catholics were banned • No Catholic king/queen • No king could marry a Catholic • Places of worship • Their own teachers & preachers • Government positions & universities

  12. SOCIAL BACKGROUND • Horse racing • Bear baiting • The sport of the cock-pit • Theatrical performance • Great Plague of London- 1 million Londoners • Isaac Newton escaped- moved away • Coffee Houses / Intellectual Huts • Centers of commercial & literary activities • Knowledge was taken out of libraries • Transplanted into the coffee houses

  13. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGE • 18th Century is characterized for: • Order • Clarity • Decorum • Stability • Reason • Wit • Intelligence • Imagination was replaced by reason.

  14. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGE • Appreciation of reason • Control of emotions • Correctness in life & art

  15. LITERARY GENRES • Poetry • Birth of Novel • Essays • Heroic Couplet • Satire • “literature of manners”

  16. NOTABLE WRITERS OF THE AGE • Dryden • Pope • Swift • Addison • John Gay

  17. LITERARY INSPIRATION • French Model of Writing • Nature as Model of Discipline • Logic & Reason • Long Sentences • Difficult Diction

  18. LITERARY MODEL • Latin & Greek Writers: • Ovid • Horace • Virgil • Imitated Classical Works • Epic • Pastoral • Satire • Pindaric Ode

  19. PRINCIPLES OF LITERARY WORKS • Dryden’s An Essay of Dramatic Poesy (1668) • Pope’s Essay on Criticism (1711)

  20. ALEXANDER POPE (1) • Born in London (1688) • Middle class • Alexander Pope & Edith • Roman Catholic Family • Her family; divided along Catholic & Protestant lines • Linen trader • Repressive legislations & Prejudices • No Universities for Catholics • No Public employment • Uneven education

  21. ALEXANDER POPE (2) • Often interrupted • Reading books/Father’s library • He was 12 years • Family moved to Benfield in Windsor Forest • Tuberculosis of Bones through infected milk • Pott’s disease • Became invalid • Dwarfish all his life (4.6 feet) • Could not travel on bumpy roads

  22. ALEXANDER POPE (3) • Also suffered from Asthma, Headaches • Humpback: target in literary battles • “Hunchbacked toad” • Remained a bachelor • His religious faith • Good educational institution • Self educated man • Several languages

  23. ALEXANDER POPE (4) • Aunt: taught him to read & write • Local Priest: Latin & Greek • Later learnt French & Italian • Read the works of great writers • Homer, Virgil, Chaucer • Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton, • Imitated the works of great writers • Resolute to be literary figure • Made several visits to London

  24. ALEXANDER POPE (5) • Made friendship with learned men • William Walsh, Congreve, Wycherly, Garth, 1st Earl of Oxford, Jonathan Swift • Moved to London • Published his major literary works • “An Essay on Criticism” • Discussion based on neoclassical doctrines “Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne’er was, nor is, nor e’er shall be.”

  25. ALEXANDER POPE (6) • “The Rape of the Lock” (1712) • Elegant Satire • Helped Swift: Gulliver’s Travels • Published “Essay on Man” (1733-34) • Examined human condition • Against Miltonic Cosmic background • Evocative, dramatic, exciting & concrete • Popular for his Satirical Works/witty • Translated Illiad & Odyssey • Great achievement/ financial support

  26. ALEXANDER POPE (7) • Moved to Twichkenham • It inspired him to study landscape gardening • No notable literary works • Revised & edited earlier works • His health declined • Died at the age of 56 in 1744

  27. THE RAPE OF THE LOCK • “The Rape of the Lock” (1712) • Elegant Satire • Hysterical Battles between the sexes • Follies of young • It consisted of 2 Cantos • Expanded in 1714 • Consisted of 5 cantos

  28. THE BASIS OF STORY • Based on a quarrel between two families • Pope knew both families • Lord Petre cut off lock of Miss Arabella Fermor’s hair • John Caryll’s suggestion: to write a poem on this incident

  29. STORY OF THE POEM • A young lady, Belinda • She wakes up • Description of her beauty aids • She plays cards, flirts, drinks coffee • She lost a lock of her hair • Stolen by a devoted young man

  30. THE RAPE OF THE LOCK • Trivial Incident • Mock-heroic treatment • Satire on the contemporary society • High-society obsessions & concerns • It recommends a reform

  31. REVIEW OF LECTURE 27 • Background of the Neoclassical Age • Characteristics of the Age • Literary Genres • Notable Writers • Biography of Alexander Pope • The Rape of the Lock • Origin of the Poem • Theme & Subject matter of the poem

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