Brief Overview On Neo-Classical Novelist

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Topic:  Brief overview on Neo-classical Novelist

Name        : Kishan Hariyani

Semester   : 01

Roll No      : 21

Paper No   : 2

Enrolment No: 15101021

Email ID    : kishanhariyani1992@gmail.com

Year            : 2015-17

Submitted To: Department Of English                     

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

 Introduction

The eighteenth century in English literature has been called the Augustan Age, the Neoclassical Age, and the Age of Reason. The term 'the Augustan Age' comes from the self-conscious imitation of the original Augustan writers, Virgil and Horace, by many of the writers of the period. Specifically, the Augustan Age was the period after the Restoration era to the death of Alexander Pope (1690 - 1744). The major writers of the age were Pope and John Dryden in poetry, and Jonathan Swift and Joseph Addison in prose. Dryden forms the link between Restoration and Augustan literature; although he wrote ribald comedies in the Restoration vein, his verse satires were highly admired by the generation of poets who followed him, and his writings on literature were very much in a neoclassical spirit.

 The Rise of the Novel

The most important figure in terms of lasting literary influence during this period, however, was undoubtedly Daniel Defoe. An outsider from the literary establishment ruled by Pope and his cohorts, Defoe was in some ways an anomaly during a period defined as 'Augustan,' despite the fact that he was a writer of social criticism and satire before he turned to novels. He did not belong to the respected literary world, which at best ignored him and his works and at worst derided him.

The works of fiction for which Defoe is remembered, particularly Moll Flanders (1722) and Robinson Crusoe (1719), owe less to the satirical and refined impulse of the Augustan tradition, and more to a contrary tradition of early prose narrative by women, particularly Aphra Behn, Mary Delariviere Manley and Jane Barker. Since Ian Watt's influential study, The Rise of the Novel (1957), literary historians have generally considered Robinson Crusoe the first successful English novel and Defoe as one of the originators of realistic fiction in the eighteenth century, but he was deeply indebted to his female precursors and probably would never have attempted prose narrative if they had not created an audience for it in the first place.

 Henry Fielding (1707 – 1754)

Henry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humor and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. Aside from his literary achievements, he has a significant place in the history of law-enforcement, having founded (with his half-brother John) what some have called London's first police force, the Bow Street Runners, using his authority as a magistrate.

He is remembered for works such as 

 A journey from his world to the next

Tom Jones

 Amelia

Voyages to Libson

 Jonathan swift (1667 – 1745)

                                                                         

Jonathan Swift was also major novelist of the same age because this age produced many great novelists of the 18th century. He was born on 30 November 1667 and died on 19 October 1745 who was an Anglo-Irish Satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer. Further we can say that first for the Whigs, then for the Tories Henry worked for both the parties containing the position of the dominant novelist.

His Major works

 Gulliver’s Travels

 A Modest Proposal

The Battle of the books

 A tale of a Tub

 Oliver Goldsmith

Oliver Goldsmith, one of the most popular 18th century English writers, lived a fascinating life of contradictions, between his unquestionable brilliance and self-destructive tendencies. Many details of Goldsmith's life are not precisely known, partially because he seems to have frequently lied to his official biographer, about details as innocuous as his birth year or as significant as his lineage. And yet this fact tells us as much about Goldsmith's life and character as any other detail.

Goldsmith was born sometime between 1728 and 1731 to a poor Irish family. He was one of seven children, and his father was a county vicar. When Goldsmith was still young, his father's death forced him to rely on a wealthy uncle for support. In his early days, he was frequently bullied because of facial disfigurement caused by smallpox. Goldsmith never bothered to hide his Irish origins, even maintaining his brogue despite the fact that it would have been considered low-class once he later settled in London amongst more esteemed company. His relationship with his mother was always a complicated one, and he later grew estranged from her. His novel The Vicar of Wakefield.

Laurence Stern

Laurence stern was one of the most shining stars of the neo-classical Age who was dominant novelists among the intellectual writers of the same age. Laurence Sterne was born on 24 November 1713 and died on 18 March 1768.but during short period of time Henry had contributed a lot as He was an Anglo-Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman.

He is best known for his novels

The Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy

 Gentleman

 A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy

 Samuel Richardson

Richardson was an 18th century English writer and master of printer. Richardson received very little education, but he had a natural talent for writing letter, and even as a boy we find him frequently employed by working girls to write their love letters for them. Richardson belong the credit of writing the first modern novel. He printed a novel of his own, called Pamela or virtue Rewarded (1740), which takes the born of a series of letters, deals with the fortune of Pamela, a poor and virtuous maid.

His major novels:

 The History of Young lady

Sir Charles Grandison

Tobias Smollett:

Tobias George Smollett was also most influential novelist of the Augustan Age. He was more famous for his effective writing which Henry depicted Indian his novels. Smollett was born on 19 March 1721 and though Henry lived very short life but Henry had written many novels which can be considered as a masterpiece. He was a Scottish poet and author

He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as 

 Roderick Random

 Peregrine Pickle

 Daniel Defoe

Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in England. He is also a pioneer of economic journalism. He was born Daniel Foe, probably in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London. Both the date and the place of his birth are uncertain. His father, James Foe, though a member of the Butchers' Company was a tallow chandler.

Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in England. He is also a pioneer of economic journalism. He was born Daniel Foe, probably in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London.

Defoe's famous novel Robinson Crusoe (1719), tells of a man's shipwreck on a desert island and his subsequent adventures. The author may have based his narrative on the true story of the shipwreck of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk.

          Defoe's next novel was Captain Singleton (1720), amazing for its portrayal of the redemptive power of one man's love for another. Hans Turley has recently shown how Quaker William's love turns Captain Singleton away from the murderous life of a pirate, and the two make a solemn vow to live as a male couple happily ever after in London, disguised as Greeks and never speaking English in public.

Defoe wrote an account of the Great Plague of 1665: A Journal of the Plague Year. He also wrote Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress (1724) offer remarkable examples of the way in which Defoe seems to inhabit his fictional (yet "drawn from life") characters, not least in that they are women.

 Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his time. In some ways Scott was the first author to have a truly international career in his lifetime, with many contemporary readers all over Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, Australia, and North America.

          His novels and his poetry are still read, but he is far less popular nowadays than he was at the height of his fame. Nevertheless many of his Works remain classics of English literature. Famous titles include The Heart of Midlothian.

He began dabbling in writing, translating works from German, his first publication being rhymed versions of ballads by Burger in 1796. He then published a three-volume set of collected Scottish ballads, The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. This was the first sign of his interest in Scotland and history from a literary standpoint.

 Conclusion :

In short contribution of neo classical novelists remain remarkable and some of them given remarkable work and made English literature more wealthy and always provides source of inspiration and they all are genius of their era and given new idea and their feeling not only for entertain but to change something and civilize society to provide new mental satisfaction and bring some changes from traditional literature.
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