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Chapter Five English Literature in the Eighteenth
Century
ⅠEnglish Neo-classicism
Neo-classicism flourished in England from late the 17th
century to 1730s. Addison, Steele and Pope were the representatives of this
school. The neo-Classicists emphasized reason rather than emotion, form
rather than content. Therefore, a typical neo-classic writer would more
probably rewrite a line from an old classical version instead of creation.
Because of this ancient-orientation, the classicists modeled themselves in
Greek and Latin writers, and drawn fixed laws and rules from them such as
rimed couplet instead of
blank verse, and the three unities of time, place
and action in play writing. Under the principle of imitation, elegance,
correctness, appropriateness and restraint were the preference. Since the
humble elements were lack of elegance, noble, they were outside the door of
literary work. Therefore, there was no love of nature, landscape or
commonplace in the classical works. As reason was stressed, most of the
writings of the age were didactic and satirical. The stress of reason also
meant its wanting of romantic, which caused the rising of the romantic
movement in early the 19th century to revolt its fixed, loveless.
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