The Neoclassical Period 1660-1798

The Neoclassical Period1660-1798OverviewThe Neoclassical period is broken down into three parts: the Restoration period ( 1660-1700), the Augustan period (1700-1750) and the Age of Johnson ( 1750-1798).It was known as the era of The Enlightenment and emphasised logic and reason, focusing on the attitudes toward art and human existence.The writers of this period worked to reproduce or imitate structures and themes of Roman and Greek originals.This was an era where the middle class was developed, as more people were literate because they would often spent their time at coffee houses where they would talk about politics Neoclassical literature is characterized by accuracy, structure , satire and order. In comparison to Renaissance attitudes, Neoclassical writers portrayed man has being flawed, emphasising self-control, restraint and common sense.2Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal ( 1729)A Modest Proposal was an essay written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Swift ironically suggests that people in Ireland should eat their children as it would ease their economic troubles, due to the extreme poverty the Irish experienced as they were exploited by English people.Swift addresses the problems of poverty and overpopulation in Ireland, how they can be solved and mocks the heartless attitudes towards the poor.

Jonathan Swift - A Modest Proposal (1729)Swifts essay contains beliefs of the Neoclassical period as it is based on reason and logic. "A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased in discoursing on this matter to offer a refinement upon my scheme. Swift suggests what would be best for society to eat young children for money as he is not the only person who is prejudiced enough to support this idea.Swifts essay involves other elements of Neoclassical literature such as satire. I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom. Swift ironically suggests that we should eat children to solve our economic problems heightening the satire as the writer does not ever consider that eating children is wrong.Alexander Pope The Rape of the Lock (1712)The neoclassical age was dominated by Alexander Pope and The Rape of the Lock is (arguably) his best known poem. The word rape was used differently in this time period and referred to taking anything by force, andin this case that was a lock of hair.

Lord Petre cut of a lock of Belle Fermors hair and this led to an ongoing argument between the two families, and it was more serious because he was considered a potential husband for her.

This poem obsesses over the whole incident from the heroine waking up and getting dressed for the party to the card game at the party that distracts her and finally to the dramatic reaction to the event.

Alexander Pope wrote this funny mock-heroic poem to help the families be able to reconcile and move on. It is funny because it speaks about a trivial matter in the language and style usually reserved for epic poems. You could even say that the poem is more about its own style and language than it is about the actual event it describes.