18世纪英国文学特点分析

1、TheLiteraryPrinciplesofthe18thCenturyEnglishLiteratureThe18thcenturywasgenerallyconsideredas“theAgeofReason”.IntheperiodEnlightenmentprevailedinEnglandandmostEuropeancountries.Mostoftheliteraryworksputsignificantemphasisonthesocialorder,morality,justiceandfreedomofhumannature,whicharetheessenceofEnl

2、ightenment.Reason,whichEnlightenmentadvocated,wasthemostimportantmodefortheEnglishpeopleinthe18thcentury.ThemaintasksoftheEnlightenersweretocallfortheeliminationofthefeudalremnantsandreligiousignorance,andtopavethepathforthedevelopmentofthebourgeoisie.The18thcenturywasofgreatsignificanceinEnglishhis

3、tory.Owingtotheenormousstridesinpoliticsandeconomy,theliteratureofthecenturyenteredtheperiodofprosperity.1.HistoricalBackgroundInpolitics,the“GloriousRevolution”in1688madethesmoothtransitiontoaconstitutionalmonarchyinpeacecomeintorealization,andafterwardsCapitalismwasdefinitelyestablishedinBritain.A

4、ftermanycenturiesofwarsandciviltrifles,the18thcenturysawaperiodfortheEnglishpeopletoenjoypeaceandtranquilityintheirsocialandpoliticallife.ThepowerofthemonarchwasdeprivedandfellintothehandsoftheParliament,whichwasunderthecontroloftwomajorpoliticalparties,theWhigsandtheTories.EventhoughtheWhigswerefor

5、thedemocracyandtheTorieswerethesupportersoftheBritishmonarchy,thetwopartieshadnomuchdisputeineconomicdevelopmentandthepolicyofmoderation,whichensuredarelativelyspeedydevelopmentoftheEnglishsocietyineconomyandindemocracy.TheActofUnionunitedEngland,ScotlandandWelshintoonecountry,whichlaidafoundationfo

6、rtheriseoftheBritishEmpireinthemiddleofthe18thcentury.Ineconomy,theinternationaltradingandthelucrativeslavetradebroughttremendouswealth.AlthoughalmostalltheEuropeancountrieshadbeenontheprocessofindustrialization,inEnglandthedevelopmentwasacceleratedwiththehelpofthenewinventionsandalarge-scaleEnclosu

7、reMovementalloverthecountry.Thesocialstatusofthenewlyrisingbourgeoisiewasgraduallysetupbytheboomofeconomyathomeandabroad.However,thetimethecapitalistsaccumulatedtheenormousprofitswasthetimethousandsofpeasantswereexpropriatedoffthelandandthelaborworkerslosttheirjobs.Thegapbetweentherulingclassandtheo

8、ppressedwasaggravated.Thesocialcontradictionswereaccumulatedanddeteriorated.Insociallife,economicdevelopmentalsobroughtchangesfortheEnglishpeople'swayoflife.Thepeoplebegantohavemoreenergytoparticipateinthesociallife.Suchplacesforthesocialactivitiesasthecoffeehouse,thetheatersandlibrariesgraduall

9、ythrived.Inthecoffeehouse,information,opinionsandevengossipsonvariousissueswereexchangedandthestyleofliteraturewasformedandinfluencedinthepublicway.Theeconomicprosperityandtherisingofthebourgeoisclassproducedanewrequirementforanewsocialorderandrulestomeettheneedofthesocialdevelopmentinpoliticsandmor

10、ality,andtheneedofawaytoclearawaythefeudalremnants.Theliterarymenachievedtheaimbymeansoftheintroductionofthereason,morality,andequality.Thedevelopmentofscienceandtechnologyboostedtheprocess.IsaacNewtonexertedgreatinfluenceuponEnlightenmentwithhislawofgravitation,whichsmashedthemedievalsuperstitionto

11、thenaturalforces.2.ThePrinciplesofLiteraryItwasimpossibletomakeacleardistinctionofthedifferentliterarygenreswithsomanyfactorsmixedtogether.Roughly,theliteratureinthe18thcenturywasdividedintothreeperiods,fromthelateofthe17thcenturytothemiddleofthe18thcenturythepopularityoftheNeoclassicism,theearlytot

12、hemiddle18thcenturytherapidgrowthoftherealisticnovelsofDefoe,andtheoutstandingnovelistsFieldingandSmollett,andthelastdecadesoftheprevalenceofSentimentalismandtheappearanceofRomanticism.Theliterarytrendofthiscenturycouldbesummarizedasthedevelopmentofpoetry,theprosperityofprose,theriseofnovelandthedec

13、lineofdrama.2.1 EnlightenmentinLiteraryThe18thcenturyisknownas“theAgeofEnlightenment”,whichisaprogressiveintellectualmovementasafurtheranceoftheRenaissanceofthe15thand16thcenturies.TheEnlightenmentleftalastingheritageforthe19thand20thcenturies.Enlightenmentwasnotonlyacultureandthoughtmovement,buthas

14、exertedhugeinfluenceonalmostalloftheaspectsoftheEnglishpeople'ssociallife.TheEnlightenerstookthetasktoenlightenthepeoplewiththemodernideasinphilosophy,politicsandarts.TheEnlightenersbelievedthattheuniversewasrationalandcouldbeunderstoodthroughReason.Truthcouldbegotthroughtheempiricalobservation.

15、Andreasonwastheonlyyardsticktomeasureallhumanactivitiesandrelations.Onlyinthiswaycantheprimitivethoughtsandfeudalbehaviors,suchassuperstition,injustice,oppressionandreligiouspersecution,beeliminated.TheEnlightenersalsofoughtagainstthesocialhierarchysystemandcalledonthedevelopmentofscienceandtechnolo

16、gy.Besides,theypraisedhighlyforthefunctionofeducation.Theyheldthebeliefthattheuniversaleducationcouldbringaboutrationality,equalityandtruth.Theybelievedthatthehumanbeingscouldbemanipulatedliketheengineoncetheyacquiredthesecharacteristics.Inessence,theEnlightenmentMovementwasthestruggleoftheprogressi

17、vebourgeoisieagainstFeudalism.Forthebourgeoisintellectuals,theReasonwastheweapontooverthrowthedominationofFeudalism.TheysoughtthefreedomofpoliticsandacademicthinkingtopavethewayfortheestablishmentoftheCapitalism.Inbrief,theEnlightenmentmovementwastoenlightenoreducatethepeoplewiththemodernphilosophic

18、alandartisticideas.Literatureatthetimeshowedthestrongcharacteristicsofdidacticismandmoralization.AmongthefamousEnlightenersinEngland,JohnDrydenandAlexanderPopewerethemostconspicuous.2.2 NeoclassicismTheinfluenceoftheEnlightenmentMovementtotheEnglishliteratureofthe18thcenturywasfirstreflectedintheeme

19、rgenceandpopularityoftheNeoclassicism.Neoclassicismwasaliteraturegenrethatcameintobeinginthemiddleandlateofthe17thcenturyinEnglandandFrance,andthrivedinthebeginningofthe18thcentury.JohnDryden，thoughdeadin1700,wasthefirstadvocatorandthemostimportantperformer.AftertheRenaissance,areactioncameagainstin

20、tricacy,boldnessandextravagance.Intheperiod,theliteraturebroughtaboutarevivalofinterestintheoldClassicalworks.Thewritersgottheideasandartformsfromtheclassicaltimes.AsJohnDrydenstatedinhisEssayofDramaticPoesy,theNeoclassicistsdemandedthatliteratureshouldlearnfromtheClassicalworksoftheancientGreekandR

21、omanwritersandalsotheircontemporaryFrenchwriters,suchasVoltaireandDiderot.TheNeoclassicistsadvocatedsimplicity,restraint,regularityandgoodsense.Theybelievedthataccuracyandwitsshouldbethemostimportantelementsintheartcreation.TheNeoclassicistsformulatedfixedrulesandlawsguidedbyGreekandLatinworksforthe

22、genresofliteraturetofollow.Theybelievedthattherewastheproperlanguagetochooseandtherightstyleandtonetousewhentheywrotedifferentliterature,whichwasthe“correctness”thattheypursued.Therefore,suchstandardsoftheClassicsasdrama,rhymeandgoodproportionwereadvocated.Undertheguideline,poetryshouldbelyric,epic,

23、didactic,ordramatic,andproseshouldbeprecise,direct,smoothandflexible.Meanwhile,theNeoclassicistsarguedthatliteratureshouldbejudgedbythefunctionofmoralizationandeducation.Therefore,mostoftheliteratureduringthatperiodwasdidacticsoastoformanewsocialorderandmoralitytomeettheneedsofthenewera.What'smo

24、re,anotheraimoftheliteraturewastoentertainthereaders.Withtheboomofthepublishingindustryandtheincreaseoftheeducatedpopulation,newwaystoentertainthemass,especiallythepeopleofthemiddleclass,werecalledon.Theexpectationofthepeopletoparticipateinsocialactivitiesandexpresstheiremotionsgrewstronger.Hence,th

25、esimple,elegantandrestraintwritingstylesgainedpopularity.Furthermore,thewritingsofNeoclassicismsharedacommonfeatureobjectivity.AstheneoclassicistsemphasizedReasonandthoughtthatartshouldbelogicallyorganized,neoclassicalartdidnotappreciatetheemotionorimagination,butlogic,goodorganizationandproportion.

26、However,literatureunderthisguidelineseemedabitcoldandinhumane.TheabsenceofanyelementsofromanticandtheoveremphasisonReasonledtotheriseoftheoppositegenreRomanticismintheperiodfollowed.However,literatureatthatperiodwasnotsimplytheimitationoftheClassicsbutsomethingnewwasinjectedintoit.Dryden,theadvocato

27、roftheMovement,laidemphasisnotonlyonNeoclassicism,butalsoonthetraditionalEnglishliterature.HepraisedtheworksofShakespeare'sandChaucer's,andencouragedthecombinationoftheclassicswiththenativeelementsofEnglandtomakethewritingstylenew.Dryden'stheorywasmodernandflexible,soitwaseasytobeaccepte

28、dandpromotedbyhisfollowersinthe18thcentury,suchasAlexanderPopeandSwift.TheideapromotedthepopularityoftheEnglishliterature,especiallythefirsthalfofthe18thcentury.WiththeinfluenceofNeoclassicism,theprosewasdevelopeddramatically.Alotofprosewritersandnovelistsappeared,likeAddison,DanielDefoe,HenryFieldi

29、ngandSamuelRichardson.EventhoughtheNeoclassicismdidnotflourishverylonginthehistoryofEnglishliteratureandwassubstitutedbytheSentimentalismandRomanticism.Theideasofreason,wit,simplicityandregularityexistedandinfluencedtheEnglishliteratureeventothemoderntimes.2.3 TheOriginoftheEnglishNovelThe18thcentur

30、ywasthegoldenageofthenovel.TheoriginofthenovelcandatebacktoHomer'sepic,thelegendinthemedievaltimesofEuropeandtheadventurestoriesinEurope.However,inEnglishliterature,thenovel,thenewgenre,emergedandtherealisticnovelsreachedthepeakinthe18thcentury.Manygreatnovelists,suchasDefoe,Swift,Richardson,Fie

31、ldingandSmollett,werenotonlyworldfamous,buthasleftagreatculturalheritage.Inthe18thcentury,therapidgrowthofeconomyboomedthecitylife.Themiddleclasshadmoreleisuretimetoentertainthemselves.Theycalledforfreshwaysofentertainmentandexpressionsoftheirthoughtsandemotions.Inthenewsocialsystem,thepatronage,whi

32、chusedtobethemainmeansforthewriterstogetsubsidization,wassubstitutedbythenewsystemofpublishingandcopyright.Thewritershadmorefreedomtowritewhattheywantedtoandsomeofthemwrotetocatertothepopulartaste.Atthesametime,anewandgreatneedforthereadingemerged.Librariessteppedintothepeople'sdailylife,sothatm

33、oreandmoreprintswerecalledforinthehugemarket.TheywereallthereasonstopromotetheoriginalityanddevelopmentofEnglishnovels,especiallytheriseandtheprosperityoftherealisticnovelsinthe1730sto40s.TheRealisticNovelInthefirsthalfofthe18thcentury,“reality”becamethemostimportantconceptionofthecreationofnovels.N

34、ovelswerenotonlythemeansforthewriterstoreflecttheirlifeandfeelingsbutalsothewayforthecommonpeopletoexpresstheirpassionandemotions.Intheprocessofelevatingtheirsocialstatusandaccumulatingthewealth,thebourgeoisfoughtwiththeoldsystemandhadenduredthehardships.Thewholemeaningoftheirlifewastoworkhard,tomak

35、ewealthandtogetabetterlife.Whatwasrealisticinthetruelifewasrepresentedfaithfullyintherealisticnovelsofthecentury.ThefeaturewasbestfoundinRobinsonCrusoe,DenialDefoe'smasterpiece.DenialDefoewasnamedthe“fatherofEnglishrealisticnovel”bysomescholarsnotonlybecauseRobinsonCrusoewasthefirstrealisticnove

36、linthe18thcenturyandthefirstmodernEnglishnovel,butalsoitwasagoodexampleofthe“truthtolife”.Inthenovel,thewritergavethereaderavividdescriptionofthespiritofstruggleandadventureatthebeginningoftheCapitalism,andsuccessfullyportrayedanimageofanenterprisingEnglishman.Therealisticpresentationofthegrowthands

37、truggleofRobinsonshowedthespiritofthattime.Robinson,asabusinessmanwhopursuedwealth,wasatypicalrepresentativeoftheEnglishmiddle-classmenwithcourage,energy,persistenceandwisdom.Hisstruggleagainstthehostilenaturalenvironmentshowedthestrongconfidenceofthebourgeoisietofightfortheambitions.Robinsongrewfro

38、manaiveyouthfullofdreamsintoarealisticandhardenedman,temperedbynumeroustrialsinhiseventfullife.Besides,Robinsonwasalsotherepresentativeofthebourgeoiscolonizerswhotookcontrolofthenewlandandhisservant,Friday.Therefore,thisnovelwastheproductoftheIndustrialRevolutionandarealpresentationoflifeofthecommon

39、people.Generally,thewritersoftherealisticnovelswouldclaimthatwhattheyhadwrittenwasreallybasedonthetrueeventswiththerealplacenamesandtheexactdateasthebackground.AtthebeginningofRobinsonCrusoe,“he”said,“IwasbornintheYear1632,intheCityofYork,ofagoodFamily,thoughnotofthatcountry,myfatherbeingaforeignero

40、fBremenwhosettledfirstatHull.”AndlaterthedescriptionofhislifeinBrazilasaplanterconformedtothehistoricalfactsatthattime.Inthenovel,thecolloquial,easylanguageandsometimes,short,plainsentenceswereusedtoleavethereaderstheimpressionthattheherowastruetolifeandwastellinghisstoriesfacetoface.Inthenarrative,

41、thewritersputanemphasisonthedetailedaccountoftheprocessandthedescriptionofthementalactivity.InRobinsonCrusoe,thevividdescriptionofthedetailsmadethestoryfascinating.However,thisnovelwascriticizedfortherepetitionandtheloosestructure.Besides,eventhoughthethemesoftherealisticnovelsweredifferent,theyhadt

42、hesamecore,whichwasthesearchingfortheessenceoflife.Throughtheaccountofthelivingconditionsandthewayoflivingatthatperiod,thewriterssoughttheanswersfromthecommonpeople,andeventhevulgarandthepoor,whichwascontrarytothetraditionalromanceofaristocratsorepics.ThroughRobinson,wholivedaloneinanisolatedisland,

43、andTomJones,anoutcastinHenryFielding'smasterpieceThelifeandHistoryoftheFoundlingTomJones,thewriters,againstthemodeoftheNeoclassicism,expoundedthatthecourage,thewisdom,thepersistenceandthemoralityofthemasspeopleweretheprimitivepowerforthesocialprogress.Tosummarize,therealisticnovels,forthefirstti

44、meturningtheirattentionfromthegrandthemesandthehighclassestothecommonpeopleandthereality,addingthemodernelementtothewritingstyleofthatperiod.ThatiswhyRobinsonCrusoewastakenastheforerunnerofthemodernnovel.BesidesDanielDefoe,HenryFieldingandTobiasSmollettmadeevenhigherachievement.Theirworkshadimpacton

45、someofthegreatworksofEuropeanwriters,andpavedthewayforthegreat19thcenturyrealisticwriterslikeJaneAusten,WalterScott,CharlesDickensandWilliamM.Thackeray.TheEpistolaryNovelInthe18thcentury,anotherstyleemergedandbroughtinanewwayofnarrative,whichistheepistolarynovel.SamuelRichardsonflourishedthestylebyt

46、hreefamousworksPamela,ClarissaandGrandson.ThenovelPamelawaswrittenintheformofaseriesoflettersfromtheheroinetoherparents.Inthelettersshetoldthemherlifeandexperienceathermaster''spsychology.Itdescribednotonlythecommonlifeofthecharacters,butthroughtheletterstheirinnerthoughtsandfeelings.Therefo

47、re,thisnovelwasalsoconsideredasthefirstpsycho-analyticnovelinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.Thevividdescriptionofthepsychologyofthefemalesgaveanimpetustothedevelopmentofthemodernnovels.Fromthisperspective,RichardsonwasthoughtoftherealfounderofEnglishmodernnovelsbysomescholars.Thesubtitleofthenovelwas

48、VirtueRewarded,thefunctionofmoralinstructionandeducationwasclearlyshowedinthenovelbesidethatofentertainment.2.3.3 TheGothicNovelInthelastdecadesofthe18thcentury,theEnglishrealisticnovelgraduallygavewaytotheGothicnovelortheGothicromance.TheGothicnovelreferstothestrange,mysteriousadventureshappeningin

49、darkandlonelyplacessuchasgraveyardsandoldcastlesbuiltinthemiddleages,suchastheGothiccastle.TheGothicnoveloriginatedfromHoraceWalpole'snovelTheCastleofOtrantoin1764.AsabranchoftheEnglishliterature,theGothicnovelsplayedanimportantroleinthedevelopmentofthehorrormoviesandleftgreatinfluenceupontheEng

50、lishromanticists.Generallyspeaking,theGothicnovelsincludedsuchelementsashorror,mystery,supernature,anddeath.Usuallythestorywouldbesetintheclassiccastleswithhauntedghosts.Thetypicalstoryfocusedonthesufferingsormysteryimposedonaninnocentheroine.Frequentusewasmadeofghosts,mysteriousdisappearances,sensa

51、tionalandsupernaturaloccurrences.Theprincipalaimofsuchnovelswastoevokechillingterrorbyexploitingmysteryandavarietyofhorrors.2.4 TheSatireStyleSatire，anothertypicalfeatureofthisperiodpre'vasilewdriitnintgh,efirsthalfofthe18thcentury.Acommonfeatureofsatirewastousestrongironyorsarcasm,usuallyinparo

52、dy,exaggerationandcomparison,toattacksomethingtheydidnotacceptorapproveof.Notonlywassatireaneffectiveweaponforargumentsofallkindsandattacksonthepoliticalviews,thesocialsystemandsociallife,butalsoitansweredwellthepurposeoftheEnlightenment,aimingatuniversaleducationtoperfectthemassinmoral,socialaswell

53、asculturallife.Inthe18thcentury,satireprevailedatacertainhistoricalbackground.EventhoughthiswasarelativelypeacefulperiodinEnglishhistory,variousdivergencesofvaluesandconflictsstillexisted.Withtheincreaseofthewealth,thebourgeoisieexpectedtohavehighersocialstatusandmorepowertocontrolthenation,whichwas

54、toturnoverthesocialhierarchyandsocialcustom.Thecontradictionsbetweenthetwopartiesincreasedthesocialunrest.Amongthemthecontradictionsbetweentherulingclassandthelaboringpoorweregraduallyintensified.TheindustrialRevolutionandforeigntradebroughtalargequantityofwealthtothecountry,butthatdidnotspreadtothe

55、massofthepoorpeople.Correspondingly,socialproblemsanddiscontentwereconstantlyemerging.Thesocialrealitywasreflectedintheliteraryworksinasatiricalstyle.PopeandSwiftwerethesuperbsatiristsduringthatperiod.Swiftdefinedagoodstyleas“properwordsinproperplaces”.Theirsatiresarewell-knownforwittyremarksandadep

56、ttechniques.Sosatirebecamethefashionandwasperformedalmostinallformsofwritingatthetime.JonathanSwiftnotonlywasoneofthegreatestrepresentativesofthegenre,butalsowasthoughtofthefirstwritertoperformthemodernsatire.EventhoughheadvocatedReason,hesometimesheldcertainskepticismtothe“universalReason”.Hewaswel

57、l-knownforhismeaningfulwordingandthediversifiedwritingtechniquesinhissatiricnovels.InAModestProposal,thewritersuggestedaseeminglylogicalproposalfortheIrishslum,onlytomocktheheartlessnessandselfishnessofthehighclassesaswellastheirinhumaneIrishpolicyingeneral.Thisessayhasbeenregardedasthemostridiculou

58、sandsavageironicalsatire.InGulliver'sTravels,thewriterusedfancytomakeupanimaginarysocialcondition,byusingimaginaryplotsandexaggeratedtechniquestosatirizeandattackthesocialsystemandthepolitics.Thebookseemedtobeanallegoricalstoryforchildren,butinitthevanityandhypocrisyofthecontemporarycourts,state

59、smenandpoliticalpartiesweresatiricallyattacked.Inthefirsttwopartsofthenovel,thewritermockedtheconflictsbetweentheparities,theWhigsandtheTories.InthepartoftheFlyingIsland,thewriterdescribedthestrangeanduselessexperimentsthatthescientistsdid,throughwhichSwiftsatirizedthatthesciencewasfarawayfromthepracticallife.HenryFielding''sPamelaforitsutilitarianmorality,butmadeabigsuccessunexpectedly.Heclaimedthatthisnovelwas“acomicepicpoeminprose”intheprefaceofJosephAndrews.However,differentfromthetraditionalepic,whichisagenregenerallyusedtopraiseheroes,