Compare Elizabethan age to Neo-Classical Age characteristics
Elizabethan Age:
Introduction:
It was an age of exploration and expansion abroad, while back at home the Protestant Reformation became more acceptable to the people, most certainly the Spanish Armada was repelled. It was also the end of the period when England was separate realm before it's Royal Union with Scotland Development of Elizabethan Age Play, Drama and Poetry, and great periods in which English drama flourished and changed in part due to Elizabeth's own support for the Arts.
Quotes on Elizabethan Age:
"The great age did not perhaps produce much more talent than ours"-T. S. Eliot
"If I could create an ideal world, it would be an England with the fire of the Elizabethan s, the correct taste of the Georgians, and the refinement and pure ideals of the Victorians."-Timothy West
Neo-Classical Age
Introduction:
Neoclassical Literature was divided into three part: (1) Augustan Age, (2) Restoration Age (3) Age of Johnson. The Neoclassical period tried imitate the style of Romans and Greek. The neoclassical name itself suggests that classicas the literature is but something new the writer of this age following classics writer means of ancient but with newness.
1)The Augustan Age
This age is also called the Augustan Age. Pope, Addison, Swift, Johnson and Burke, the modern parallel to Horace, Virgil, and other Brilliant writers who made Roman literature famous during the reign of emperor Augustus.
2)THE AGE OF REASON AND PRICE
Neo-classicism gave a lots of importance to order, correctness , the application of reason, in this way the age is known as the age of Reason and Prose. Matthew Arnold in the essay called " The study of poetry " called the Augustan age " Our excellent and indispensable 18th century, the age of prose and the reason."
Whatever above given is just basic information of both age. Now let give the differentiate general characteristics of both ages
Political Summary:
Elizabethan Age:
In the Age of Elizabeth all doubt seems to vanish from English history. After the reigns of Edward and Mary, with defeat and humiliation abroad and persecutions and rebellion at home, the accession of a popular sovereign was like the sunrise after a long night, and, in Milton's words, we suddenly see England, "a noble and puissant nation, rousing herself, like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks." With the queen's character, a strange mingling of frivolity and strength which reminds one of that iron image with feet of clay, we have nothing whatever to do. It is the national life that concerns the literary student, since even a beginner must notice that any great development of the national life is invariably associated with a development of the national literature.
Neoclassical Age:
The Revolution of 1688, which banished the last of the Stuart kings and called William of Orange to the throne, marks the end of the long struggle for political freedom in England. Thereafter the Englishman spent his tremendous energy, which his forbears had largely spent in fighting for freedom, in endless political discussions and in efforts to improve his government. In order to bring about reforms, votes were now necessary; and to get votes the people of England must be approached with ideas, facts, arguments, information.
Religious condition:
Elizabethan age:
The most characteristic feature of the age was the comparative religious tolerance, which was due largely to the queen's influence. The frightful excesses of the religious war known as the Thirty Years' War on the Continent found no parallel in England. Upon her accession Elizabeth found the whole kingdom divided against itself; the North was largely Catholic, while the southern counties were as strongly Protestant. Scotland had followed the Reformation in its own intense way, while Ireland remained true to its old religious traditions, and both countries were openly rebellious. The court, made up of both parties, witnessed the rival intrigues of those who sought to gain the royal favor.
Neoclassical age:
Like the age of Elizabethan there no so more religious questions but in this period so many question about morality in work. The immorality of the Restoration, which had been almost entirely a Court phenomenon and was largely the reaction against extreme Puritanism, soon spent itself. The natural process of time was hastened by opinion in high quarters. William III was-a severe moralist, and Anne, his successor, was of the same character. Thus we soon see a new tone in the writing of the time. and n new attitude to life and morals. Addison, in an early number of The Spectator, puts the new fashion in his own admirable way: "I shall Endeavour to enliven morality with wit, and to temper wit with morality." Another development of the same spirit is seen in the revised opinion of women, who are treated with new respect and dignity. Much coarseness is still to be felt, especially in satirical writing, in which Swift, for instance, can be quite vile; but the general upward tendency is undoubtedly there.
3) Social condition:
Elizabethan age:
As we all know that the era of queen is the era of Renaissance in England and that's why we have found so many social development. so many people got employment and it's increasing wealth of England.at least, that for the first time some systematic care for the needy was attempted. Parishes were made responsible for their own poor, and the wealthy were taxed to support them or give them employment. The increase of wealth, the improvement in living, the opportunities for labor, the new social content—these also are factors which help to account for the new literary activity.
Literally Development:
Elizabethan Age:
Poetry:
During this age the form of poetry developed by Edmund Spencer. Especially his work 'Faery Queen'. The Faery Queen is the great work upon which the poet’s fame chiefly rests. The original plan of the poem included twenty-four books, each of which was to recount the adventure and triumph of a knight who represented a moral virtue. Spenser’s purpose, as indicated in a letter to Raleigh which introduces the poem. In this period there were other poets who contributed in the poetry and is that Thomas Sackville, Sir Philip Sidney , George Chapman and Michael Drayton.
2) Drama
The literary form, the drama was largely developed in Elizabethan age. First the deed, then the story, then the play; that seems to be the natural development of the drama in its simplest form. before the development of drama and before the Marlowe, people just enjoy only play which was based on life of Christ. this form only based on Gospel. Gradually drama was developed and we can distinguished it in to three groups
Neoclassical Age:
Prose: In every preceding age we have noted especially the poetical works, which constitute, according to Matthew Arnold, the glory of English literature. Now for the first time we must chronicle the triumph of English prose. A multitude of practical interests arising from the new social and political conditions demanded expression, not simply in books, but more especially in pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers.
Poetry:
The poetry of the first half of the century, as typified in the work of Pope, is polished and witty enough, but artificial; it lacks fire, fine feeling, enthusiasm, the glow of the Elizabethan Age and the moral earnestness of Puritanism. In a word, it interests us as a study of life, rather than delights or inspires us by its appeal to the imagination. The variety and excellence of prose works, and the development of a serviceable prose style, which had been begun by Dryden, until it served to express clearly every human interest and emotion,--these are the chief literary glories of the eighteenth century.
Conclusion
To summing up the question we can say that both age has rapid change in so many forms. Elizabethan age is the beginning of the Renaissance in the English literature while neo-classical followed the rules and regulation, Both ages are quite different from each other. The Elizabethan age represent the freshness of each and every field while neoclassical followed the rules and regulations
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