Augustan poetry

1. Augustan poetry Ally Landingin, Jill Robles EdninoMalamanig, Niko Villa Period 2

2. Augustan poetry defined • 18th Century English poetry (Neo-Classical) • Marked by the end of the Restoration era • English Literature: Augustan poetry is a branch of Augustan Literature. • Latin literature: Augustan poetry flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus as the Emperor of Rome. • English Augustan poets emulated Virgil, Ovid, and Horace, who were notable Latin poets. • Inspired by their political and philosophical verses • Typically long verse narratives or mock epics, often satirical classical models • Take features found in classical epics: Divisions into cantos, lavish speeches, and battles.

3. Techniques and themes • Commonly known for its rhymed, heroic-couplet satire. • Iambic Pentameter: Unit of rhythm in poetry. • Ten syllables in each line where there is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. • Example: (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM).  • Heroic Couplet: A verse unit consisting of two rhymed lines in iambic pentameter. • One can find wit, irony, paradox, and brevity = Satire. • Wit: Natural aptitude to quickly create humor. • Irony: An expression that normally signifies the opposite. • Paradox: A statement that is illogical. • Brevity: Concise words in speech • EX: Poems can be long but observations can be quite obvious.

4. Alexander Pope (1688-1744) • Raised as a Roman Catholic during a period in England’s history where holding public office and obtaining a university education was exclusive to Protestants. • Developed tuberculosis of the spine at age 12 as a result of drinking contaminated milk. • Hindered his growth, never grew more than four feet • Reduced the amount of physical activity he could do  contributed to his interest in reading in writing. • By the time he was 17, his poems were noted by some of the best literary critics in England.

5. Notable works • The Rape of the Lock (1712) • Translated Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey • Essay on Man (1734)

6. Jonathan Swift(1667-1745) • Irish Cleric, political pamphleteer, satirist • Father died 7 months before he was born and rarely saw mother because she was poor and the nurse that took care of him took him along wherever she went • Was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease 

7. Jonathan swift (cont.) • Received a BA at Trinity College; wanted an MA but couldn't due to political unrest from the Glorious Revolution and lack of financial support • Became a priest, and later on was awarded Doctor of Divinity from Trinity College-Had satirical views of religion and wanted to do away with taxation imposed by Irish clergy • Joined the Whig/Tories in hopes of making political change • Became even more sick with Alzheimer's or Meniere's and died

8. Notable works • Mostly known for Gulliver's Travels (under pseudonym Lemuel Gulliver) • Full of his political commentary 

9. John Dryden (1631-1700) • Born at the vicarage of Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire on August 9th • Attended Westminster School as a King’s scholar under Richard Busby • Entered Trinity College in 1650 and took a BA in 1654 • Theatres reopened– he began to write plays (1662) • “Year of Wonders” (1667) Position of Poet Laureate, degree of M.A. by Archbishop of Canterbury, and was made Historiographer Royal

10. John dryden (cont.) • Success brought along enemies– Ridiculed in Buckingham’s The Rehearsal (1671), attacked brutally in Rosa Alley, Covent Garden (1679) • Ruffians were possibly hired by Lord Rochester • Unsuccessful playwrights had him lean towards satire • Died on April 30th, 1700 due inflammation caused by his gout • Style: Lucid professional style, relied on patterns and rhythms of everyday speech, combination of methods; historical, analytical, evaluative, and dialogic • Heroic couplet, judicious enjambments, triplets, and metric variations

11. Notable works • The Conquest of Granada (1670, 1671) (Greatest heroic play of the century) • Marriage A-la-Mode (1671) (Greatest Tragicomedy) • All for Love (1677) (Greatest Tragedy of the Restoration) • Don Sebastian (1689) (Greatest Comitragedy) • Amphitryon (1690) (Greatest Comedy)

12. Isaac watts (1674- 1748) • Born in Southampton on 17 July 1674 • His father began tutoring him Latin when he was four. • Isaac started at the age 7 with his first biographer Thomas Gibbons • Isaac Watts was a Descendant of 17th century Independent Dissent • Throughout Isaac's early life and long career evolved around politics, pedagogy, and piety of Independency • Although his poetry is expressed by the religious culture he came from, its more than an expression

13. Isaac watts (cont.) • Isaac's writing of poetry and prose was widely read and used for at least 150 years. • Isaac's work of congregational song, and hymn, remains in use throughout the English world • He had a great interest in promoting education and scholarship than preaching for any particular ministry. • Watts died in Stoke Newington in 1748, and was buried in Bunhill Fields • On his death, Isaac Watts left his work and were given to Yale University • The use of his hymn has extended to all English-speaking countries, and it has been translated into many languages.

14. Notable works • The Day of Judgment • The Law Given at Sinai • A Prospect of Heaven Makes Death Easy • Psalm 114 • Our God, Our Help

15. Ap style writing prompts • “The Rape of the Lock” (Alexander Pope): Read an excerpt from the poem carefully. Then, write an essay in which you discuss the literary techniques used to convey the author’s conception on the upper class. • “Marriage a la mode” (John Dryden): Read an excerpt from the poem carefully. Then, write an essay in which you discuss the literary techniques used to describe sex and marriage. • “A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed” (Jonathan Swift): Read an excerpt from the poem carefully. Then, write an essay in which you discuss the literary techniques used to convey the author’s opinion on the connection between women and vanity.

16. Visual representationand resources

19. Interactive poetry lesson Recall: Augustan poets took aspects found in classical epics and applied them to trivial subjects in order to add humor to the poem. In addition, Augustan poets used heroic couplet, lines of iambic pentameter that rhyme in pairs.

20. Poetry lesson (cont.) Directions: Develop a poem based on the abovementioned characteristics of Augustan poetry and the following subjects: • Losing your keys before leaving for school • Forgetting to do your English homework • Missing your favorite TV show • Not getting what you wanted for Christmas • Losing a game of basketball against your little brother ** Can be written in third person form with different characters.

21. Quiz! 1. By which city and king is England’s Augustan age modeled after?

22. QUIZ! Answer: England’s Augustan age was modeled after Rome, when Augustus Caesar was in power.

23. Quiz! 2. In what form of pentameter did Augustan poets write in? Explain what it is.

24. Quiz! Answer: Iambic Pentameter: Iambic pentameter is a unit rhythm in poetry. There are usually ten syllables in each line where there is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

25. Quiz! 3. What is Heroic Couplet?

26. Quiz! Answer: A heroic couplet is a traditional form for English poetry where poems are constructed in a sequence of rhyming pairs.

27. Quiz! 4. Name 4 literary techniques that Augustan poets used.

28. Quiz! Answer: Wit, Irony, Paradox, and Brevity.

29. Quiz! 5. Why is structure important in Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock?

30. Quiz! Answer: The main structure of the poem is the form of an epic, an extensive poem. Thus, it is critical for poets to break down the different parts of the poem to highlight significant events.

31. Quiz! 6. What is the purpose of describing Belinda’s material goods in Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock?

32. Quiz! Answer: Pope conveys the worthlessness of these items and highlights the superficial characteristics and vanities of the upper class.

33. Thank you for listening! Have a great day.