AGE OF CLASSICISM: against the ideals of the Renaissance and Puritan moralism
(1714-1760)

Augustan Age (1714-50): works inspired on Latin authors > focused on universal chiaracters as models

Increase number of readers

Between Classicism and Pre-Romanticism (1750-60): given more importance and voice to authors' feelings

FLOURISH OF
NEWSPAPERS AND NOVELS

⇒ downfall of poetry

It means that these poets tend to emulate prose writers as much as they can

Blank verse was replaced by the heroic couplet (each contains a single defined thought ⇒ perfect for debate or satire)

Works were more prosaic than poetic because written with same aims as prose

Alexander Pope, "The Rape of the Lock": parody of an epic poem > young nobleman tries to cut off a lock of a noblewoman's hair and she takes it as an offence

NEWSPAPER satisfies the need to be informed (middle class)

  • The Tatler (gossip): comment on the political issues, cultural events and social themes (three times a week)
    1709: Irishman Joseph Addison
  • The Spectator: wrote articles on a variety of different topics (daily)
    1711: Addison, Steele

It contributes to shaping the opinions of their contemporaries

NOVELS

BIG SUCCESS

  • middle-class readers wanted to read stories written in a simple, realistic style
  • they wanted to be the ideal protagonists of the stories they read

WOMEN: didn't have a public position in society and had lots of free time ⇒ read them because represented a chance to escape from their reality

While drama was strictly regulated, novels were a new creations so novelist did not have any specific rules to follow

Triumph of EMPIRICISISM: importance of experience over theory, so truth gained only through sensory experience

middle class desires to gain a refined education

circulating libraries: making books available at an affordable price

spread of coffeehouses as a place for meeting

middle class takes part in the political debate + wants to exchange views

  • there was a reading public who wanted to read them

NOVELS were meant to be a picture of a real life: portraits life in a realistic way