Chapter 5: Neoclassical Ideals

Questions and Answers

Who is Julius Scaliger?

A musical composer

A poet

A playwright

A Dramatic Critic (correct)

What are the scholarly interests of Julius Scaliger?

Botany & zoology, grammar, and literary criticism

Ludovico Castelvetro was an actor.

False

What happened to Ludovico Castelvetro due to his theological controversy?

He was excommunicated by the Inquisition. Signup and view all the answers

Define decorum.

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety Signup and view all the answers

What does verisimilitude refer to?

A characteristic whereby a work seems true, lifelike, real, plausible, and probable. Signup and view all the answers

Plays that occur over long periods of time, in many locations, and involve multiple subplots do not observe the __________ of drama.

Unities of time, place, and action Signup and view all the answers

What is descriptive criticism?

An attempt to describe clearly and accurately what is happening in performance. Signup and view all the answers

What is prescriptive criticism?

Criticism that offers advice and suggests rules for what should be done in theatre. Signup and view all the answers

Why do we talk about Aristotle and Horace in neoclassicism?

The neoclassicists believed they were forming rules to force dramatists to imitate the Greeks and Romans. Signup and view all the answers

What is neoclassicism?

A revival of a classical style from a new perspective or with a new motivation. Signup and view all the answers

What is the rationale behind the invention of Opera?

Reviving Greek tragic style. Signup and view all the answers

Should a play be didactic or 'Art for art's sake' according to neoclassical beliefs?

No, it should reflect reality Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Figures in Neoclassical Criticism

Julius Scaliger: Renowned dramatic critic focused on various scholarly interests, notably botany, zoology, grammar, and literary criticism. Authored Poetics Libri Septem in 1561, a Latin work aiming to standardize literary forms with a didactic critical system that emphasized decorum and verisimilitude.
Ludovico Castelvetro: A prominent Italian literary critic and trained lawyer, excommunicated by the Inquisition due to a theological controversy. Believed that theatre served to entertain the ignorant majority.

Critical Concepts

Decorum: Relates to appropriate conduct and behavior in literature, dictated by character traits such as age, profession, sex, and rank.
Verisimilitude: Refers to the lifelike quality of a work, ensuring that its elements—setting, characters, dialogue, and actions—appear true, plausible, and believable.

Rules of Drama

Unities of Time, Place, and Action: Critical framework that dictates that plays should be confined to a specific time duration, location, and central plot, avoiding temporal paradoxes, extraneous subplots, and other complex narrative structures.

Types of Criticism

Descriptive Criticism: Focuses on accurately describing the performance elements and actions to convey what is occurring in a theatrical production.
Prescriptive Criticism: Provides guidelines and suggestions for theatrical practices, indicating how performances should be executed.

Influence of Classical Thinkers

Neoclassicists sought to establish rules based on the works of Aristotle and Horace, emphasizing the importance of imitating ancient Greek and Roman theatrical traditions.

Neoclassicism Overview

This movement represents a revival of classical styles across various artistic domains such as literature, architecture, and music, approached with modern perspectives and motivations.

Opera's Purpose

The invention of Opera aimed to revive the Greek tragic style, merging musical performance with dramatic storytelling.

Moral and Didactic Considerations

Didacticism versus "Art for Art's Sake": The debate centers on whether plays should instruct and uplift morally. One perspective advocates for drama as a reflective mirror of society, while another supports the combination of entertainment with moral instruction as the most effective form of drama, as suggested by Horace.

Description

Explore key figures and concepts from Chapter 5 on Neoclassical Ideals through these flashcards. Test your knowledge on important dramatic critics like Julius Scaliger and Ludovico Castelvetro, and their contributions to literary criticism. Perfect for students of literature looking to reinforce their understanding.