neoclassicism

NeoclassicismNeoclassicism:Astyleofwesternliteraturethatflourishedfromthemid-17thcenturyuntiltheendofthe18thcenturyandtheriseofromanticism.Theneoclassicistslookedtothegreatclassicalwritersforinspirationandguidance,consideringthemtohavemasteredthenoblestliteraryforms,tragicdramaandtheepic.Manypracticedimitationofthe“masters”—andtheirpreferredliteraryformssuchassatireandtheode—inordertoperfecttheirownartandfosterpropermodesofexpression.Neoclassicistsrecognizedthatthecreationofartrequiresindividualinspirationandtalent,buttheyalsomaintainedthat,exceptfortheraregenius,longandcarefulstudyisequallyessentialtotheproductionofgreatart.Therestoration(ofthemonarchy)in1660markedthebeginningoftheNeoclassicalPeriodinGreatBritain,whosewritersincludedsuchwell-knowfiguresasJohnDryden,HenryFielding,SamuelJohnson,AlexanderPope,andJonathanSwift.ButneoclassicismwasbynomeansanexclusivelyBritishphenomenon;themovementflourishedthroughoutEurope,particularlyinFranceandGermany.ViewsofneoclassicalwritersNeoclassicalwriterssharedseveralbeliefs.Theybelievedthatliteratureshouldbothinstructanddelight,andthatthepropersubjectofartwashumanity.(Theiremphasiswasmoreonhumanityingeneralthanontheindividual.)Unlikesomeofthemoreidealistic,optimistic,andexpansivewriterswhoprecededthemduringtheRenaissance,neoclassicistsstartedfromtheassumptionthathumanityisimperfectandlimited.However,certainneoclassicistsfoundcauseforoptimism,particularlyinthepowerofreasontoperfecthumancivilizationgradually.ViewsofneoclassicalwritersNeoclassicismstressedrules,reason,harmony,balance,restraint,decorum,order,serenity,realismandform—aboveall,anappealtotheintellectratherthanemotion.AlexanderPope(1688-1734)Agreatpoetandtypicalrepresentativeofneoclassicisminthe18thC.Hepopularizedtheneoclassicalliterarytraditionandwasagreatsatiristandaliterarycritic.Theearlyperiodofthe18thCwasnamedafterhimastheAgeofPope.Masterpiece:AnEssayonCriticismDanielDefoe(1660-1730)•Borninatypical18thCmiddleclassfamily.•Hardworking,ingenious,liberalinmind,advancedinopinion.•Amerchant,aneconomist,apolitician,ajournalistandnovelist.•RobinsonCrusoe1719RobinsonCrusoeStory:amanshipwreckedaloneonanisland,basedontheexperiencesofAlexanderSelkirkwhohadrunawaytoseain1704andwasleftonanuninhabitedislandtoberescuedfiveyearslater.Character:RobinsonCrusoe,FridayNarration:FirstpersonpointofviewSetting:EnglandanuninhabitedislandThemes:TheImportanceofSelf-AwarenessTheglorificationoftheimperialistdreamRobinsonCrusoe—themovieIssuedonJune12,1997Directors:GeorgeMiller,RodHardyActors:PierceBrosnan(RobinsonCrusoe),WilliamTakaku(Friday),IanHart(DanielDefoe)PointsofviewDefinition:thevantagepointfromwhichanarrativeistold.Therearetwobasicpointsofview:first-personandthird-person.1)Inthefirst-personpointofview,thestoryistoldbyoneofthecharactersinhisorherownword.Thefirst-personpointofviewislimited,sincethereaderistoldonlywhatthischaracterknowsandobserves.Pointsofview(2)Inthethird-personpointofview,thenarratorisnotacharacterinthestory.Thenarratormaybean“omniscient”or“all-knowing”observerwhocandescribeandcommentonallthecharactersandactionsinthestory.(omniscientpointofview)Ontheotherhand,thethird-personnarratormighttellastoryfromthepointofviewofonlyonecharacterinthestory.