History of British Literature
Late 17th and 18th century (1660–1800)
Introduction
The period from 1660 to 1800 is a major phase in British literature. It shows a shift from religious rigidity to reason and later emotion. This era includes the Restoration Age, Augustan Age, Age of Sensibility, and leads to Romanticism.
Restoration Literature (1660–1700)
The Restoration Age began with the return of King Charles II in 1660. Theatres reopened and literature revived. Drama became dominant, especially comedy of manners. Writers used wit, satire, and realism to expose upper-class hypocrisy. Wycherley and Congreve were major dramatists.
The Augustan Age (1700–1745)
The Augustan Age is also called the Age of Reason. Writers believed in logic, order, balance, and classical models. Satire was the main literary tool. Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels criticised society and politics effectively.
Age of Sensibility (1745–1785)
This age reacted against too much reason and focused on emotion, sympathy, and morality. Writers showed concern for common people. Richardson’s Pamela stressed virtue, while Fielding’s Tom Jones presented social realism. Gray’s poetry expressed themes of death and humanity.
Romanticism (Beginning around 1785)
Romanticism emerged as a reaction against logic and industrialisation. Writers valued imagination, emotion, nature, and individual freedom. Major poets include William Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge. Nature became a source of inspiration and spiritual guidance in literature.
Conclusion
The period from 1660 to 1800 shows steady literary development. Each age contributed unique qualities—from wit and satire to emotion and imagination. Together, they prepared the foundation for Romanticism and the growth of modern English literature.
History of British Literature - Late 17th and 18th century (1660–1800) in Tamil 👇
History of British Literature
Late 17th and 18th century (1660–1800)
Introduction
The period from 1660 to 1800 is one of the most important phases in the history of British literature. This era marks a clear shift from religious rigidity to reason, logic, and later emotion and imagination. It mainly covers the Neoclassical Period, which includes the Restoration Age (1660–1700), the Augustan Age (1700–1745), and the Age of Sensibility (1745–1785). Towards the end, it prepares the ground for Romanticism. Social, political, and intellectual changes deeply influenced literary production during this time. Literature moved steadily from wit and satire to emotion and imagination.
Restoration Literature (1660–1700)
The Restoration period began with the return of King Charles II in 1660 after the Puritan rule. During the Puritan age, theatres were closed and arts were discouraged. With the restoration of monarchy, theatres reopened and literature flourished again. Society became pleasure-loving, fashionable, and liberal.
The most important feature of Restoration literature was the growth of drama, especially comedy of manners. Writers exposed the hypocrisy, immorality, and artificial behaviour of upper-class society. Literature was marked by wit, satire, realism, and boldness.
Major dramatists include William Wycherley, known for The Country Wife, and William Congreve, famous for The Way of the World. In prose, Samuel Pepys’ Diaries give a realistic picture of London life, while John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress stands as a great religious allegory.
The Augustan Age (1700–1745)
The Augustan Age is also known as the Age of Reason or Enlightenment. Writers believed in logic, order, balance, and discipline. They admired classical Roman writers and aimed for clarity and precision in style. Satire became the dominant literary tool to criticise politics, society, and human weaknesses.
Alexander Pope wrote The Rape of the Lock, a mock-heroic poem. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels attacked political corruption and human pride. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is considered one of the first realistic English novels. Literature became polished, urban, and middle-class oriented.
Age of Sensibility (1745–1785)
This age marked a reaction against excessive reason. Writers began to focus on emotion, sympathy, morality, and individual feeling. Literature showed concern for common people and human suffering.
Samuel Richardson’s Pamela stressed virtue and morality, while Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones presented a broad picture of society. Poets like Thomas Gray, in Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, expressed themes of death and human destiny. This period also saw the rise of the Gothic novel, with Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, introducing mystery and supernatural elements.
Romanticism (Beginning around 1785)
Romanticism emerged as a strong reaction against cold logic and industrialisation. Romantic writers valued emotion, imagination, nature, and individual freedom. Major poets include William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Nature became a source of inspiration and spiritual guidance.
Conclusion
The period from 1660 to 1800 shows the steady evolution of British literature. The Restoration revived drama and wit, the Augustan Age strengthened reason and satire, the Age of Sensibility added emotional depth, and Romanticism introduced imagination and nature. This era laid the foundation for modern English literature and shaped literary thought for future generations.
History of British Literature - Late 17th and 18th century (1660–1800) in Tamil 👇
History of British Literature
(Late 17th and 18th Century: 1660–1800)
The period from 1660 to 1800 in British literature primarily covers the Neoclassical Period, which encompasses the Restoration Age (1660-1700), the Augustan Age (c. 1700-1745), and the Age of Johnson/Sensibility (c. 1745-1785). It also covers The Romantic Period (1785 – 1837).
Introduction
The period from 1660 to 1800 in British literature marks a major transformation. This time was full of social, political, and cultural changes. The English society was moving away from the old religious restrictions and moving towards reason, science, and logic.
After the Civil War and Puritan rule, Charles II came back to the throne in 1660. This event is called the Restoration of the Monarchy. With him, theatres reopened, arts revived, and people again started enjoying literature, drama, and entertainment.
Gradually, the focus of writers changed — they started exploring human behavior, reason, wit, and later emotion. So, this period shows how English literature moved from wit and satire to emotion and imagination.
Restoration Literature (1660–1700)
The Restoration period is known for the rebirth of drama, marked by sharp satire, wit, and realism, with a clear focus on human vices and the social life of the time.
Background
• The monarchy was restored under King Charles II in 1660 after the Puritan rule.
• Puritans had banned theatres and arts, but Charles II allowed them again.
• Society became more open, and people enjoyed pleasure, fashion, and entertainment.
Literary Features
• Comedy and drama flourished.
• Plays became bold and realistic, showing the corruption and double standards of high society.
• The tone of literature was witty, satirical, and sometimes immoral.
• Writers made fun of pretentious manners and love affairs.
Important Writers
William Wycherley wrote “The Country Wife” which mocked hypocrisy in marriage and love.
William Congreve wrote “The Way of the World”, a famous comedy of manners.
Prose and Religious Writing
Samuel Pepys wrote “Diaries”, giving a real-life description of daily London life (including the Great Fire and Plague).
John Bunyan wrote “The Pilgrim’s Progress”, a religious allegory that taught moral and spiritual lessons through story form.
Augustan Age (1700–1745)
The Augustan Age made literature rational, polished, and urban, saw the beginning of the first modern novels, and marked a shift where writers wrote mainly for the middle class rather than only for nobles or kings.
Background
• This period is called the Augustan Age because writers compared themselves to the great Roman writers during Emperor Augustus’s time.
• It was also the Age of Reason and The Enlightenment — people believed in logic, order, and rational thinking.
Literary Features
• Satire became the main tool to criticize society and politics.
• Writers used wit and reason to expose human foolishness.
• Poetry, prose, and novels developed strongly.
Major Writers
Jonathan Swift – wrote “Gulliver’s Travels”, a satirical story criticizing politics and human pride.
Alexander Pope – wrote “The Rape of the Lock”, a mock-heroic poem that humorously describes a trivial incident as if it were an epic.
Daniel Defoe – wrote “Robinson Crusoe”, the first realistic English novel showing human courage, hard work, and survival.
Age of Sensibility (1745–1785)
This period came after the Augustan Age. People started feeling that reason alone was not enough, emotion, feeling, and sympathy were also important. So, this period is called the Age of Sensibility or The Age of Sentiment.
Literary Features
• Focus on emotion, morality, and human sympathy.
• Writers showed kindness, compassion, and emotional depth.
• Nature and personal feelings started becoming important themes.
Major Writers
Samuel Richardson – wrote “Pamela”, a novel about virtue and morality.
Henry Fielding – wrote “Tom Jones”, which explored society and human nature.
Poets of Sensibility
• Thomas Gray – wrote “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, expressing sadness, death, and human destiny.
• Thomas Chatterton – wrote about melancholy and sublime emotions.
Rise of the Gothic Novel
• Horace Walpole wrote “The Castle of Otranto”, the first Gothic novel. It introduced mystery, horror, and supernatural elements in fiction.
Romanticism (1785–1837)
Romanticism focuses on nature as a teacher and guide, gives priority to emotion over logic, values individual experience and imagination, and acts as a strong reaction against industrialization and materialism.
Background
• By the late 18th century, people started reacting against the cold logic of the Enlightenment.
• They wanted imagination, emotion, nature, and individual freedom.
• Romanticism started towards the end of the 18th century and continued into the 19th.
Literary Features
• Emotion was more valued than reason.
• Love for nature, beauty, and individual feelings.
• Focus on creativity, spirituality, and imagination.
Major Writers
William Blake – wrote mystical and visionary poems about innocence and experience.
William Wordsworth – celebrated nature and simple life; wrote “Lyrical Ballads” (with Coleridge).
Samuel Taylor Coleridge – added imagination and supernatural elements in poems like “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
Conclusion
From 1660 to 1800, English literature went through great evolution:
• The Restoration brought back drama and wit.
• The Augustan Age added reason, satire, and clarity.
• The Age of Sensibility added heart and emotion.
• Finally, Romanticism planted seeds of imagination and nature worship.
This entire period laid the foundation for modern English literature, shaping themes, styles, and genres that continue even today.
History of British Literature - Late 17th and 18th century (1660–1800) in Tamil 👇
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