1 Neoclassical Poetics and the Rise of the Novel.

Abstract.

This chapter outlines the role of neoclassical poetics at the time in the eighteenth century when the novel emerged as a new genre. It demonstrates through William Congreve’s Incognita (1692) and Alexander Pope’s “Essay on Criticism” (1711) that the neoclassical rules that were derived from classical authors such as Aristotle and Horace and at first applied to drama also served a crucial role in the critical discussion of novel. Don Quixote’s appearance in “Essay on Criticism” underlines that vraisemblance was conceived not as a one-to-one correspondence with reality but as a shaped mimesis which requires the discernment of authors and critics. The field of tensions between ancients and moderns in literature and the sciences is illustrated through the example of John Dryden. Neoclassicism is by no means simple dogma but rather describes a complex negotiation of critical currents with a shared interest in how literature engages the mind.

✳️Famous English Authors and Their Contributions to Literature.

The vast scope of literature includes entertaining and enlightening works that span numerous geographic locations, cultural traditions and historical periods. Every category presents its own unique flavor and holds strong literary merit, but English literature has long captivated readers with its compelling themes and vivid descriptions.

It’s difficult to appreciate the true scope and power of English literature without paying homage to the myriad of literary geniuses who have contributed to this impressive body of work. Keep reading for an overview of the most famous English authors, ranging from Middle English poets to contemporary English writers.

✳️The Foundation of English Literature.

The term “English literature” is often described as the body of works penned by those living in the British Isles — beginning during the 7th century and extending to the present day. The poem Beowulf is often highlighted as the earliest verifiable work of English literature, but it is challenging to date and attribute the works of the 1st millennium.

Middle English helped usher in the literary formats and themes we take for granted today. The transition from Middle English to Early Modern English was marked by two literary masters who were clearly ahead of their time: Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare.

Geoffrey Chaucer and the Middle Ages

Often referred to as the father of English literature, Geoffrey Chaucer is best known as the creative force behind The Canterbury Tales. That said, he penned many other poems and was also a philosopher, an astronomer and a civil servant.

Chaucer’s works were as eclectic as his numerous interests and professional pursuits. Philosophical quandaries were integrated into many of his poems, along with plenty of humor.

During the 1390s, Chaucer set to work on his magnum opus, The Canterbury Tales. Primarily written in verse, these tales center around a group of storytelling pilgrims who engage in a contest as they travel on horseback to a shrine in Canterbury. In addition to being wonderfully entertaining and thought-provoking, this series of stories popularized the use of Middle English in literature.

William Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Era.

No discussion of famous English authors would be complete without a deep dive into the fascinating life of William Shakespeare. Arguably history’s most famous poet and playwright, Shakespeare deserves credit for creating some of the most iconic characters not only in Elizabethan era literature, but of all time. Many of his concepts and even his phrases remain relevant to this day.

Highly prolific, Shakespeare is believed to have penned 38 plays. These include many noteworthy works that remain popular on the stage, in high school classrooms, on the silver screen and beyond:

• Romeo and Juliet

•Midsummer Night’s Dream

• Hamlet

• Macbeth

• Othello

✳️Satire in Literature | Definition, Types & Examples.

What is Satire in Literature?

One of the most important human skills is self-reflection. It is through understanding ourselves and our behavior, as individuals and as communities, that we grow and progress. The great human conversation of the arts has the power to help us reflect, find meaning, and create change, and an enduring way of observing and commenting on human behavior is through the use of satire.

Satire is an artistic genre or form that uses various types of humor such as parody, sarcasm or irony to ridicule a person or situation, usually with the intent of exposing harmful beliefs and actions, and inspiring change. It has been used throughout human history, in many cultures, and in various types of art. This lesson focuses on the use of satire in literature, which is defined as the use of humor in prose and poetry to ridicule and criticize behavior. However, satire has also been effectively employed in music and the visual arts.

Types of Satire

There are three main types of satirical writing:

• Horatian satire

• Juvenalian satire

• Menippean satire

(1) Horatian Satire

Horace wrote, "A cultivated wit, one that badgers less, can persuade all the more. Artful ridicule can address contentious issues more competently and vigorously than can severity alone." As this quote suggests, Horatian satire is less sharp and cruel, more clever, gentle mockery, and intelligently witty, than other types, and focuses more on human behavior and its paradoxes. Examples of Horatian satire are Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels, in which parodies of common behaviors appear in Swift's fantastic creatures, and Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, which cleverly and gently mocks society manners, particularly those dictating courtship and marriage in her time.

• History and Development of Satire

Satire in literature and drama can be found throughout the major eras of human history, and highlights the social and political issues of the time. The study of satire in history also reveals that some human behavior and faults are universal.

Satire in Classical Literature

                     Roman poet Horace

Many of the earliest uses of satire are found in drama and poetry of ancient Greece and Rome, in the Classical Age from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE. The early Greek playwrights criticized aspects of their society using ridicule and parody. For example, Aristophanes (446 - 386 BCE) satirized the ongoing warfare between Greek cities in his comedy Lysistrata. Aristophanes was able to approach the serious topic of war's destruction of lives through the comic device of having women use denial of sex as a weapon to prevent their husbands from going to war. Rather than a straightforward recital of the effects of war, the playwright set up a humorous situation, easing the audience into a realization of what the cost of war is to families, and to question the point of ongoing conflict.

The Greeks were conquered by the Roman Empire and many of their art forms were assimilated into Roman culture. Though the Greek playwrights and poets had used satire, Romans elevated it to a more precise form, a more effective weapon against the excesses of rulers. Among the greatest Roman satirists, Menippus (3rd century BCE) Horace (65 - 8 BCE) and Juvenal (1st - 2nd century CE) had enduring types of satire named after them. Horace was the leading lyric poet of his time, and wrote collections of what was referred to as blame or shame poetry, meant to embarrass his fellow citizens into more dutiful behavior.

Satire in Medieval and Early Modern Literature

The satire of the Classical Age was a strong influence on writers of the Middle Ages (5th century CE to 1400 CE). Medieval satire is sometimes referred to as estate satire because it targets the three classes or estates of society of the time:

• The clergy

• The aristocracy

• The peasantry

Chaucer (c 1340 - 1400), author of The Canterbury Tales, satirized all three in his stories of a group of travelers representing the different estates. He depicts a luxury-loving, indolent Monk, and a Pardoner who sells indulgences (forgiveness for sins). Chaucer satirizes chivalry, the code of knights, in "The Knight's Tale," through descriptions of pointless violence, and depicts a Prince who speaks volumes without any clear meaning. The peasantry fares best in Chaucer's writing, often depicted as decent, hard-working, and free of vanity. The effectiveness of his satire derives from comic situations and the use of irony and contradictions, when the behavior of characters is at odds with their occupation or place in the world.

Satire During the Renaissance

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), the world's greatest dramatist, created many characters that used the same devices of Classical Age satire to ridicule the behavior of the nobility, such as the character Polonius from Hamlet, who lectures his son on being true to himself while also advising him to follow well-worn platitudes. Shakespeare's comedies satirized social conventions and pretentious behavior. In Much Ado About Nothing, the ironic title can refer to the expected conventions and rules surrounding courtship, as two couples (Beatrice and Benedict, and Claudio and Hero) navigate a complicated path to marriage where the rules of proper conduct complicate the love they feel

Satire During the Enlightenment

                       The Marriage Settlement by Hogarth

Satire flourished in the Enlightenment period in Europe (17th-18th centuries), a time in which reason and learning were prized above emotion. Enlightenment satire examined social conditions, particularly those caused or worsened by industrialization, and used irony and understated humor to point out the foibles of the wealthy and the shallow.

Definition of Satire

Satire is the use of different elements such as irony, sarcasm, humor and ridicule to criticize or mock the foolish behavior of others. Although the use of satire is often entertaining, it is also often used to bring attention to a particular subject and promote change.

Types of Satire in Literature: Horatian

Horatian satire is clever and humorous and generally mocks others. Horatian satire is not negative; it aims to make fun of human behavior in a comic way. In a work using Horatian satire, readers often laugh at the characters in the story who are the subject of mockery as well as themselves and society for behaving in those ways. One example of Horatian satire in literature is The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. In the play, the word 'earnest' is satirized throughout the story. In Victorian times, to be 'earnest' was to be intelligent; however, two of the women in the story desire a man named Earnest just because they like the name.

Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is also an example of a novel showing Horatian satire. Pride and Prejudice shows the ignorance of the people during the 18th century. In the novel, Jane Austen makes fun of various characters in the story and their views of marriage and relationships. Some characters are simply interested in the marriage but not the relationship.