Development of Prose
in Neo-classical Age
This period is called The Neo-Classical Age.
Its implications are clear, social conventions are more important than
individual conventions.
Nitches
says that,
“Reason is more important than Emotion,
Form is more important than Content”
Poetry
and drama of this Age were developed under the French influence. Stress was not
laid upon the originality of the idea but upon the value of the form. The prose
product of the period was at the highest point. In Prose periodical writing and
novels were more famous, which were developed by Steele, Addison and
Richardson. We have already noticed the rise of the two political parties,
accompanied by an increased acerbity of political passion.
The
development gave a fresh important to men of liberty ability, for both parties
competed for the assistance of their pens, bribed the authors with places and
pensions, and admitted them more or less deeply into their counsels. The
development of the prose can be more observed in the Neo-classical Age. It is
sufficient here to point out that the struggle for political mastery led both
factions to issue a swarm of examiners, guardians, Freeholder similar and publications.
These journals were run by a bound of vigorous and facile prose writers, who in
their differing degrees of excellence represent almost a new type in our
literature.
The
literature of the country is remarkably complex, but we may classify it all
under three general heads, The Reign of so called Classicism, The revival of
Romantic Poetry, and the Beginning of the Modern Novel. The first half of the
century, especially, is an age of prose, owing largely to the fact that the
Practical and Social interest of the Age demanded expression. Modern newspapers
like Chronicle, Post and Times, and literary magazines like The Tatler and
Spectator, which began in this Age, greatly influenced the development of a
serviceable prose style.Therefore,the development of the prose can be observed
more in the Neo-Classical Age than other forms.
Major Prose Writers of This Age as
given below
Ø Jonathan Swift
Ø Joseph Addison
Ø Richard Steele
Ø Daniel Defoe
Let’s
discuss these writers of this Age in detail.
1.
Jonathan
Swift:
Jonathan Swift was born
in 1667 at Dublin. His both parents were English. His condition was poor and
his father died before Swift’s birth. The life of Swift is just a living
tragedy. He was the Dominant prose writers of the Neo-Classical Age.Swift is
The greatest English Satirist. From a literary point of view, the next important
period of his life starts from 1710.Because his most famous works were written
by him during 1710 to 1730.
His famous works
Ø The
Battle of The Books
Ø A
Tale of a Tub
Ø Gulliver’s
Travels
Ø Journal
to Stella
Ø The
Drapier’s Letters
Ø Cardenas
and Vanessa
Ø A
Modest Proposal etc.
First
notable work,” The Battle of the books” was written by him in 1704 but not published.
Its setting is half allegorical and mock heroic. The central idea of the book
is the dispute between Ancient and Modern Writers.
Being
a Satire, “A Tale of a Tub” deals with the various churches of the day. It is a
religious allegory, which is written in1696, but not published before 1704.In
this novel the story moves around three brothers.Peter,who, who, stands for the
Roman Catholic Church, Jack, who represents the dissenters, and the third
brother, Martin, the personification of the Anglican as well as Lutheran Church.
“Gulliver’s
Travels”, his longest and famous work written between 1720 and 1725 and
published in 1726.this is an allegory, it has four parts.
“The
Journal to Stella”, written chiefly in 1710-1713,which comments excellently on
contemporary characters and political events.
“The
Drapier’s Letters”,a model of political language and of popular argument.
“A
Modest Proposal”, which published in 1729, concerning the children of Ireland.
Jonathan Swift is the most original writers of
the neo-classical Age, and one of the greatest masters of prose that is
undeniable.Directness, Vigor, simplicity, mark every page. Among writers of the
Age he stands almost alone in his disdain of literary effects. He drives
straight on to the end, with a convincing power that has never been surpassed
in our language. In his works we may easily find out the sense of reality, of
being present as an eyewitness of the most impossible events, power of
convincing others.
2.
Joseph
Addison:
He was born in1672, and,
who educated at the charter house. He obtained traveling scholarship of three
hundred pound year, and saw much of Europe under favorable conditions. In his
Latin verses, Addison attained early distinction. These verses were highly
praised at a time when praise for proficiency in such a medium was of some significance.
His father was a scholarly English clergyman. While he was traveling abroad,
the death of William and the loss of power by the Whigs suddenly stopped
Addison’s pension. He became in turn under secretary, member of Paliament,
Secretary of State. The rest of Addison’s life was divided between political
duties and literature. About Addison, one Scholar remarks,
“A
Life prosperous and beautiful a calm death;
An
immense fame and affection afterwards for
His
happy & spotless name”.
His some of works are
Ø The
Tatler
Ø The
Spectator
Ø The
Guardian
Ø The
Drummer
Ø The
Campaign
Ø The
Vision of Mirza
Ø Public
Credit
Ø Rosamond
Ø Cato
etc.
On April 12, 1709, Steele
published the first number of “The Tatler”,a periodical that was to appear
thrice weekly. Addison was a school and college friend of Steele.”The Tatler”
finished in January 1711.Addison wrote 42 essays out of 188 in the first number
of “The Tatler”
In “The Spectator”,
Addison rapidly became the dominating spirit, who wrote 274 essays out of a
complete total of 555.
“The Guardian”, which was
begun by his friend Steele, later on Addison contributed 51 essays out of 175,
which was successful one.
The Prose comedy of “The Drummer” is said;
with some reason. It was a failure one. It was written in 1715.
He wrote two Political
allegories “The Public Credit”, “The Vision of Mirza” as a means of throwing
his ideas vividly. Sometimes we may find half personal, half jocular-editorial
communication in the writing of Addison.
He wrote first, “Campaign”,
praising the war policy of the Whigs in general and the worthiness of in
particular.”Campaign” gave him a reputation as one of the major poet of the
Age.”Rosamond”, which was a failure attempt of Addison to write this Drama. It
was published in1707.He won more literary fame by the Classic tragedy “Cato”, which
was the longest among all his poem.It is the best example of the rhetoric and
fine sentiment.
3.
Richard
Steele:
Richard Steele was born
on 1672, in the Restoration Age, but his most of the works were published in
The Neo-Classical Age. He was in almost every respect the antithesis of his
friend, a fellow-worker,-a rollicking, good hearted, emotional, lovable, Irishman.Sttele
was in turn soldier,Captain,Poet,Playwright,Essayist,member of Parliament,
Manager of a theatre,Publisher of a newspaper, and twenty other things, He had
a varied and unfortunate career.
Richard Steele took
education at the charterhouse, and then proceeded to the Oxford University,
leaving without taking a degree like Joseph Addison. His next exploit was to
enter the Army as a Cadet; then he took to the politics and became a Member of Parliament,
and started to write for the Whigs. He was expelled from the House of Commons,
and then for his benefit, he joined Tory; quarreled with his friend on the
private grounds; issued a member of periodicals and passed away in the year of
1729.
Some of his works are as
given below,
Ø The
Tatler
Ø The
Spectator
Ø The
Guardian
Ø The
Englishman
Ø The
Reader
Ø The
Lying Lover
Ø The
Conscious Lover.
Ø The
Plebeian
Ø The
Funeral etc.
“The Tatler”, Richard
Steele published the first number of “The tatler”, on April 12, 1709, it
finished in 1711.The second periodical “The Spectator”, it has been started by
Steele on December 1712.Moreover, and he contributed 236 essays out of 555.
Firstly, Steele started
to publish some essays by his magazines, “The Guardian”, which published in
1713.Steele wrote some prose comedies like “The Funeral”,” The Lyling Lover”,”
The Tender husband”. Among them, the last drama was the reaction of the
Anti-Sentimental comedy. several other short lived periodicals, such as “The Guardian”,”
The English man”, and “The Reader”.
The
aim of his essays was frankly didactic, he desired to bring out a reformation
of contemporary social manners, and is notable for his consistent advocacy of
womanly virtue and the ideal of the gentleman of courtesy, chivalry and good
taste.
4. Daniel Defoe:
He
was born in 1661, who was the son of a London butcher named foe. He became a soldier,
and then took to journalism. He worked for both the parties like The Whigs and
The Tories, by whom he was frequently employed in obscure and questionable
work.
Some
of his creations are:
Ø Robinson
Crusoe
Ø Moll
Flanders
Ø Colonel
Jacque
Ø Journal
to steela
Ø Roxana
Ø The
memories of Cavalier
Ø Captain
Singleton etc
Daniel Defoe turned out a
mass of political tracts and pamphlets.defoe was famous for his political writings.
He wrote more remarkable novels than any other writer of the same Age. At the
head of the list stands prose work “Robinson Crusoe”, one of the few books in
any literature, which has held its popularity undiminished foe nearly two
centuries.”Robinson crusoe”, as a better treatise on education than anything
which Aristotle or The Moderns have ever written. His works in fiction were all
produced in the later parts of his life, at almost incredible speed. First came
“Robinson Crusoe”, then “Duncan Campbell”, “Memories of a Cavalier”, and
“Captain Sigleton”, these all three books were appeared between 1720 to 1722.
Conclusion:
At last, we may say that
thee all writers like Jonathan Swift, Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, and
Daniel Defoe etc.leading prose writers of a very high quality in the
Neo-Classical Age. They all contributed a lot to develop prose as a major form
of Literature.
