Literary+Movements+of+the+18th+Century

The literary world of the 18th century was dominated by the Augustan movement. However, other important waves of thought such as the Enlightenment, the Neoclassicism period, and the Strum and Drang movement were all present on the world stage during the 18th century. This page will provide a brief insight into how these different literary movements coexisted and collaborated to form what is now referred to as 18th century literature.
 * The Restoration & 18th Century ** Chris Carroll Period 1A

** Augustan Poetry ** : - This literary period started in 1631 with the birth of John Dryden and didn’t disappear until 1744 with the death of Alexander Pope. - Augustan poetry came between the Enlightenment and the Romantic period. - It is known for its satire and comedic poetry that is expressed through heroic couplets. - Augustan poetry was highly political and poets often employed satire to express their political views. - Poets often aggrandized their topics to the point of heroic poetry as a means of providing comic relief. - Through wit, irony, paradox, and satire, poets often examined the condition of human frailty.

Popular poets and works: - John Dryden (1631-1700) – “Mac Flecknoe”; “Marriage a-la-mode”; “Absalom and Achitophel” - Alexander Pope (1688-1744) – “The Rape of the Lock”; “Windsor Forest”; “Epitaph on Sir Isaac Newton”

Useful Links: Poems of John Dryden: [] Poems of Alexander Pope: []

** The Enlightenment ** : - The period lasted from 1660-1790 and stressed a new wave of reason and liberty in thinking. It is also known as the Age of Reason. -  The movement was born in France with writers such as Voltaire, but took hold in England and America through the works of Locke, Jefferson, and Paine. - The writers of the Enlightenment championed critical thinking and scientific observation.

Useful Links: More about the Enlightenment: [] ** Neoclassicism ** : - This literary movement coincided with the Enlightenment period and has three distinct time frames. 1. The Restoration period (1660-1770) was dominated by Dryden and Milton. 2. The Augustan Age (1700-1750) was dominated by Pope 3. The Age of Johnson (1750-1798) was dominated by Samuel Johnson who shed light on Shakespeare’s works. - The period contradicted the Renaissance in literature in that man was no longer seen as good with unlimited intellectual capacity. Man was now confined in his abilities and was seen as sinful. - Pope’s heroic couplets are the most popular trait from poetry in this period. - This period is known for its order, logic, and accuracy, which mirrored the themes in architecture of the Romans and the Greeks. Such order and accuracy was employed as a way to conquer the wild beast of man. - 17th century French writers had the largest impact on shaping the Neoclassicism period of literature.

Popular Poets: - Alexander Pope - Jonathan Swift

Useful Links: More about Neoclassicism: [] The Age of Johnson: [] ** Sturm und Drag ** : - This was a period of literature in Germany from 1767-1786 which literally translated means “storm and stress.” - However, this period was not as violent as its name might suggest. It was seen as a revolutionary movement and a departure from the ideals of the Enlightenment. - The young writers who wrote literature during this time were in their twenties and were looking for a way to champion the individual and one’s emotions. - Man was painted as all-powerful while they praised nature and individuality. - This also coincided with a political upheaval in Germany. However, literature was not used for that purpose.

Popular Poets: - Franz Schubert

More Useful Links:

Poets of the 18th Century: [] [] Pastoral Poetry: []