The neoclassical age thinking task.

• Thinking activity •

  

      This blog is on four questions & answers belong to neoclassical age as part of thinking activity.

        _ Assigned by vaidehi ma'am.

Q.(1) compare the general characteristics of the Elizabethan age and neoclassical age.

  

   ∆  The Elizabethan age ( 1558-1603) :

             

        1. Revival of Interest in Greek Literature :

The ardent revival in the study of Greek literature brought a dazzling light into many dark places of interest. The new classical influences were a great benefit. They tempered & polished the earlier rudeness of English Literature.

2. Abundance of Output :

The Elizabethan age was rich in literary productions of all kinds. Singing is impossible when one’s hearts undeclared & at any moment one may be laid prostrate.

Not till the accession of Queen Elizabeth, did a better state of things began to be. In the Elizabethan age, pamphlets & treatises were freely written.

Sometimes writers indulged in scurrilous abuses which were of personal character.

But on the whole, the output of the literature was very wide, & after the lean years of the preceding epoch, the prodigal issue of the Elizabethan age is almost embarrassing.

3. The New Romanticism :

The romantic quest is, for the remote, the wonderful & the beautiful. All these desires were abundantly fed during the Elizabethan age, which are the first & the greatest romantic epoch (period).

According to Albert, “there was a daring & resolute spirit of adventure in literary as well as the other regions, & most important of these was an un-mistakable buoyancy & freshness in the strong wind of the spirit. It was the ardent youth of English Literature & the achievement was worthy of it.”

4. Translations in Elizabethan Age :

           The Elizabethan age witnessed translation into English of several important foreign books. Many translations were as popular as the original works. 

          Sir Thomas North translated Plutarch’s Lives & John Florio translated Montaigne’s Essais.

No less popular were the translations in poetry. E.g. Metamorphoses by Arthur Golding, Arisoto Orlando Furioso by Sir John Harrington, Tasso’s Terusalom Liberata by Richard Carew.

5. Spirit of Independence :

           In spite of borrowings from abroad, the authors of this age showed a spirit of independence & creativeness.

Shakespeare borrowed freely, but by the alembic of his creative imaginations, he transformed the dross into gold.

Spenser introduced the ‘Spenserian Stanza’, & from his works, we got the impression of inventiveness & intrepidity.

On the whole, the outlook of the writers during the age was broad & independent.

6. Development of Drama :

       During the Elizabethan Age, drama made a swift & wonderful leap into maturity. The drama reached the splendid perfection in the hands of Shakespeare & Ben Jonson, though in the concluding part of the age, particularly in Jacobean Age, there was a decline of drama standards.

Popularity of Poetry

Poetry enjoyed its hey-day during the Elizabethan age. The whole of the age lived in a state of poetic fervour.

Songs, lyrics & sonnets were produced in plenty, & England became nest of the singing birds. In versification, there was a marked improvement.

Melody & Pictorialism were introduced in poetry by Spenser.

7. Prose and Novel :

For the first time, prose rose to the position of first rate importance.

“Even the development of poetical drama between 1579 A.D. -1629 A.D., is hardly more extraordinary than the sudden expansion of English prose & its adaptation to every kind of literary requirement.”

The dead weight of the Latin & English prose acquired a tradition & universal application.

English Novel made its first proper appearance during this age

 ∆  The neoclassical age(1660-1798) :

   

1.Emphasis or reason and order:

               Century writers replaced Renaissance emphasis on the imagination, on invention, experimentation, on mysticism. Their emphasis was on order and reason, on restraint, on common sense and on religious, political, economic and philosophical conservatism.

2. Use of satire for social critique :

         Satire is often a form of social commentary. Despite the strict adherence to the rules in most forms of neoclassical poetry, satire offered a relatively large amount of freedom for the writers. While restraint and order were emphasized, wit was also an important element during this time.

3.clear and structured language:

       Relying on the classic styles of the ancient Greeks and Romans, its main characteristic is an emphasis on logic, common sense, properness and adequate performance in society.

              Neoclassical literature is characterized by order, accuracy, and structure. In direct opposition to Renaissance attitudes, where man was seen as basically good, the Neoclassical writers portrayed man as inherently flawed. They emphasized restraint, self-control, and common sense.

 

   4. Alignment with enlightenment values :

              The thinkers of the Enlightenment, influenced by the scientific revolutions of the previous century, believed in shedding the light of science and reason on the world in order to question traditional ideas and ways of doing things. The scientific revolution (based on empirical observation, and not on metaphysics or spirituality) gave the impression that the universe behaved according to universal and unchanging laws (think of Newton here). This provided a model for looking rationally on human institutions as well as nature.

 

5.  Focus on morality and virtue :

          Artworks for the Neoclassical era were undeniably focused on morality and virtues accompanied with it. These works were not only beautiful and clean, but they were also laden with purpose. A message can be found in most (if not all) Neoclassical artworks that can be applied to everyday life. 

6. Emergency of the novel : 

       Neoclassical literature was written between 1660 and 1798. This time period is broken down into three parts: the Restoration period, the Augustan period, and the Age of Johnson. Writers of the Neoclassical period tried to imitate the style of the Romans and Greeks.

 

Q .(2) Who is your favourite writer and the favourite text from the neoclassical age?How he/ she different from writers of Elizabethan age and romentic age ?

  

Ans:

         My favourite writer is John Dryden and the favourite text is "Cato" by Joseph Addison.

    

 How he different from writers of Elizabethan age and romentic age?

     

       William Shakespeare (1564–1616) stands out in this period both as a poet and playwright. Shakespeare wrote plays in a variety of genres, including histories, tragedies, comedies and the late romances, or tragicomedies.

        Romantic writers were much more interested in nature. They respect nature. We found recurrent themes in the evocation or criticism of the past cult of sensibility with its emphasis on women and children, the isolation of the artist or narrator. 

Q.(3)  share your presentation present in the class attach it with blog......

Q.(4) Discribe any one thing about this age  which you look up to.

  Ans :

           One notable aspect of the Neoclassical age is its emphasis on reason, order, and restraint in art, literature, and philosophy. This movement drew inspiration from classical antiquity, valuing clarity, rationality, and structured forms of expression.

the Neoclassical age is its focus on moral lessons and didacticism in literature. Many works from this era aimed to instruct and educate readers by presenting stories with clear moral messages. This was often seen as a way to elevate the moral standards of society through literature.

 

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