Classicism/ Neoclassicism ( )
Today’s Topic I. Neoclassicism, 新古典主义 II. Alexander Pope III. Addison and Steele IV. Swift as a master of satire
I. I. Neoclassicism 1. 1. Definition 2. 2. Origin of Classicism 3. The Augustan Age 4. 4. Three Divisions 5. 5. Purpose & Target 6. 6. Literary principles 7. 7. Standards
The central assumption ( 假设 ) The ancient authors had already attained perfection. So the modern authors’ chief task was to imitate them.
3. The Augustan Age (Rome & England)
The term “the Augustan Age” comes from the self-conscious imitation of the original Augustan writers, Virgil and Horace, by many of the writers of the period.
The Augustan Age Beginning: 1690, after the Restoration era Ending: 1744, to the death of Alexander Pope Major writers: Alexander Pope & John Dryden in poetry Jonathan Swift & Joseph Addison in prose
Major novelists: Daniel Defoe Samuel Richardson Henry Fielding Smollett
4. 4. Three Divisions Beginning: Age of Dryden (John Dryden, 德莱顿 ) Culmination: Age of Pope (Alexander Pope, 蒲柏 ) End: Age of Johnson (Samuel Johnson, 约翰逊 )
Alexander Pope: the central poetic figure the leader of English Classicism the first to introduce rationalism to England
Purpose: to restrain the liberal mind to arose a new literary movement Target: to write for the rising bourgeoisie to tidy up the capitalist social order Purpose and Target
6. 6. The literary principles the writing and criticism of poetry and drama were to be guided by rules and precedents derived from the best ancient Greek and Roman authors
Classicism places emphasis upon the qualities of the classical literature: (1) Rationalism: elegant and well-proportioned form precise idea true-to-life description standardized language
(2) Restraint of emotion & passion (3) An ability to think logically and to communicate objectively rather than subjectively (4) Follow the fixed laws and rules drawn from Greek and Latin works
7. 7. Standards in the literary genres Drama: rimed couplet ( 押韵双行体 ) instead of blank verse ( 无韵体 ) the three unities ( 三一律 ) of time, place and action regularity in construction the presentation of types rather than individuals
Three Unities 三一律 ; 三整一律 Aristotle in his work Poetics defined what he termed, “the three unities” Unity of time Unity of place Unity of action
Unity of time: the entire action to take place in a fictional 24- hour period Unity of place: the action to unfold in a single location Unity of action: a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots
Poetry: lyric epic didactic satiric dramatic each class guided by some peculiar principles
Prose: precise direct flexible
Major Representatives Alexander Pope Joseph Addison Richard Steele Jonathan Swift Samuel Johnson
Alexander Pope the epitome of English Neoclassicism the most important English poet in the first half of the 18th century a leading literary critic
One of the most quoted poets in the English language Established himself as a master of the heroic couplet in his “Essay on Criticism”.
Heroic couplet a rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter It is Chaucer who used it for the first time in English in his work The Legend of Good Woman
Major work: An Essay on Criticism A didactic poem in heroic couplet A manifesto of English neo-classicism as Pope put forward his aesthetic theories in it A comprehensive study of theories of literary criticism
Quotations Whatever IS, is RIGHT. 存在即合理。 A little learning is a dangerous thing. 浅尝辄止最危险。
Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul. 美貌只能迷住人的眼睛，美德才能打动人的心灵 To err is human, to forgive divine. 人皆会犯错，最难得是宽恕。
Order is heaven's first law. 秩序乃上天第一法则。 To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves. 愤怒是为了别人的过错而惩罚自己。
Epitaph to Sir Isaac Newton 蒲柏作牛顿墓志铭： “Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, Let Newton be! and all was light.” 自然及其法则无边暗夜中深藏。 上帝曰：牛顿出，寰宇顿生光。
Addison and Steele
Joseph Addison ( ) poet dramatist essayist politician
Addison’s simple, unembellished prose style marked the end of the 17th century’s the mannerisms ( 矫揉造作风格 ) conventional classical images
With Richard Steele, Addison was a leading contributor to and guiding spirit of the periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator
“The Tatler”, 《闲谈者》 widely read in London, especially in clubs and coffeehouses extremely popular because it was just the sort of thing that suited the needs of the reading public among the bourgeoisie
“The Spectator”, 《旁观者》 much more important than “The Tatler” because it dealt with a wide range of subjects it is written in a maturer style it contained a gallery of vivid portraits of the members of the “Spectator Club”
Supposed to be edited by a small club headed by Mr. Spectator Mr. Spectator: a man of travel and learning often goes to London as an observer
The most striking features: Mr. Spectator and the members of his club these sketches become the forerunner of the modern English novel
Aims of the 2 newspapers attempted to improve manners and morals continued to struggle against the ideas of the aristocracy.
Age of Johnson named after Samuel Johnson The period began to emphasize instinct, feeling or “ sensibility ”, rather than judgment and restraint.
A renewed interest in medieval ballads and folk literature Age of transition between the Neoclassical period and the Romantic period
Samuel Johnson ( )
A towering figure of 18th century English literature the last great neoclassicist enlightener in the late 18c. Best Known As: Author of 1755's A Dictionary of the English Language
Johnson’s writing style 1. His language is characteristically general, of Latinate ( 从拉丁文衍生来的 ) and frequently polysyllabic ( 多 音节的 )
2. His sentences are long and well structured, interwoven ( 交织 ) with parallel words and phrases but clearly expressed. 3. He tends to use “learned words”, uses words accurately.
Major works London: A Poem A Dictionary of the English Language The Plays of William Shakespeare The Lives of the English Poets
“To the Right Honorable the Earl of Chesterfield”: The Declaration of the Literary Independence in England
quotation Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help?
James Boswell: Life of Johnson
Jonathan Swift
I. I. Life & Political Views Anglo-Irish poet, novelist, satirist Wit of Augustan Age Born November 30, 1667 in Dublin
posthumous boy raised by his three uncles a sense of insecurity during his childhood because he had no father his home life was unstable
educated at Trinity College, Dublin the 1689 Jacobite rebellion in Ireland found shelter in England, under the auspices of Sir William Temple, a prominent diplomat and statesman.
served as secretary to Temple for the next ten years earned his M.A. at Oxford ordained into the Episcopalian Church of Ireland
Charged with the tutorship of Temple’s young ward, Esther Johnson, “Stella” Temple died in 1699.
moved back to Ireland, working at various posts in the Church. In 1704, two satirical pieces -- Tale of the Tub and Battle of the Books -- earned him some renown (and some enemies).
returning to England intermittently became intimate with the Augustan wits and literary men of the day Addison, Steele, Pope
Attacked on the Whigs Switched over the Tories completely and put his skills at their disposal by 1710
death of Queen Anne in 1714 the Tories fell from favor Swift returned to Ireland served as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin for the rest of his life remained bitter but quiet for several years
This series of works on the state of the Irish economy culminated in A Modest Proposal (1729). Incidentally, he also found time to write that masterpiece of satire, Gulliver's Travels (1726).
II. II. Major Concerns 1. Moral attributes 2. Human nature
1. 1. Moral attributes Swift was a man of great moral integrity and social charm. He had a deep hatred for all the rich oppressors and a deep sympathy for all the poor and oppressed.
2. 2. Human nature His understanding of human nature is profound. In his opinion, human nature is seriously and permanently flawed. To better human life, enlightenment is needed, but to redress it is very hard.
He intends not to condemn but to reform and improve man nature and human institutions, there is often an under or overtone of helplessness and indignation.
III. III. Style & Artistic Features Swift believed style — Proper words in the proper places makes the true definition of a style
Swift’s language: simple clear vigorous no ornaments A master satirist, his irony deadly
1. Satire His satire is usually masked by an outward gravity and an apparent earnestness which renders his satire all the more powerful.
2. Simplicity and Directness Swift is always most unsurpassed in the writing style of simple, direct, precise prose. He defined a good style as “proper words in proper places.”
diction: clear, simple, concrete sentence structure: uncomplicated language: economic and concise
V. V. Main Works A Tale of A Tub, 《木桶的故事》,1689 The Battle of Books, 《书的战争》,1697 The Drapier’s Letter, 《布商的书信》,1724 Gulliver’s Travels, 《格列佛游记》,1726 A Modest Proposal, 《温和的建议》,1729
VI. Gulliver’s Travels 1. 1. Original Title 2. 2. Type of Work 3. 3. Structure 4. 4. Summary 5. 5. Character List 6. 6. Themes
Jonathan Swift’s masterpiece first published in 1726
1. 1. Original Title Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.
2. 2. Type of Work Gulliver's Travels is a novel of satire and adventure which has four main sections, called “books”, divided into chapters.
actually a biting work of political and social satire a satire on human nature a parody of the “travellers’ tales” literary sub-genre
3. 3. Structure Structurally, the book is divided into four separate adventures, or travels, which Dr. Lemuel Gulliver undertakes by accident when his vessel is shipwrecked or taken over by pirates.
4. 4. Summary PPart I. A Voyage to Lilliput PPart II. A Voyage to Brobdingnag PPart III. A Voyage to Laputa, etc. PPart IV. A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms
(1) Part I Gulliver is shipwrecked at Lilliput where the inhabitants are six inches tall, except their emperor who is taller by almost the “breadth of my nail” than any of his court.
Travels in Lilliput is a mini picture of modern English society. Two parties: High Heel and Low Heel indicates the Tories and the Whigs. Here, Swift satires the two parties.
The war between Lilliput and its neighboring country about how to break eggs (big/small end) Big end – Roman Church. Small end – English Church. Swift satires the party and church fights are meaningless.
(2) Part II In Brobdingnag, the natives are tall. He engages in lengthy discussions with the king, who cannot understand the lofty pretentions and vanities of the warfare; what he hears strikes the king with horror.
(3) Part III In Laputa, men abandon all common sense and concern themselves with speculative philosophy.
In Lagado, the flying island, Gulliver is amazed to see the scientists trying to extract sunbeams from cucumbers.
He ridicules Academics ( 学术专家 ) scientists Enlightenment thinkers who value rationalism above all else Finally, he targets the human condition itself.
(4) Part IV Gulliver visits the land of the Houyhnhnms, where the masters: intelligent horses the slaves: the Yahoos, filthy, degenerate human beings
At last, Gulliver returns to his wife and family, but finds them impossible to live with, after having associated with the Houyhnhnms. The Yahoos represented for Gulliver the worst to which human beings could descend.
5. 5. Character List Gulliver Yahoos [jə'hu:] Houyhnhnms
(1) Gulliver narrator and protagonist vivid and detailed style of narration intelligent and well educated naïve and gullible perceptions
virtually no emotional life, or at least no awareness of it his comments are strictly factual
(2) Houyhnhnms ['huihnəm] Rational horses Maintain a simple, peaceful society governed by reason and truthfulness Having no word for “lie” in their language
highly intelligent and deeply wise live in a sort of socialist republic, with the needs of the community put before individual desires masters of the Yahoos, the savage humanlike creatures in Houyhnhnmland
(3) Yahoo Unkempt ( 粗野的 ) humanlike beasts live in servitude to the Houyhnhnms. Seem to belong to various ethnic groups, blond Yahoos [jə'hu:] dark-haired Yahoos redheaded Yahoos
naked and filthy extremely primitive incapable of government servants to the Houyhnhnms pulling their carriages performing manual tasks
6. 6. Themes OOriginally intended as an attack on the hypocrisy of the establishment, including tthe government tthe courts tthe church (both Roman or English)
In these fantastic tales, Swift satirizes the political events in England & Ireland in his day English values and institutions ( 习俗, 制度 )
VII. VII. A Modest Proposal 1. 1. The complete title 2. 2. Type of Work 3. 3. The theme
1. 1. The complete title A Modest Proposal for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public.
2. 2. Type of Work an essay that uses satire to make its point
3. 3. The themes It’s a satire against the English ruling class and the cruelty of English landlords.
a. The poor Irish people were forced to sell their one-year-old child for the rich people for food.
b. English King allowed French King to recruit soldiers from Ireland to solve the problem of over population.
c. Some politicians suggested sending Irish people to Australia to be concentrated servants because of over population.
d. Swift lists some terrible scenes in the prose: a beggar mother followed by children in rugs; poor parents sell children