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Questions and Answers
What is considered to be the first European novel?
What is considered to be the first European novel?
The 18th century novel was characterized by romantic features like enthusiasm, passion, and imagination.
The 18th century novel was characterized by romantic features like enthusiasm, passion, and imagination.
False
What was the main appeal of novels to the newly educated middle class in the 18th century?
What was the main appeal of novels to the newly educated middle class in the 18th century?
The realistic picture of everyday life and problems of common people
Who wrote the novel 'Gulliver's Travels'?
Who wrote the novel 'Gulliver's Travels'?
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The Industrial Revolution and increase in trade and commerce led to the rise of the _________________ class.
The Industrial Revolution and increase in trade and commerce led to the rise of the _________________ class.
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Drama and poetry were becoming more popular in the 18th century.
Drama and poetry were becoming more popular in the 18th century.
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Match the following authors with their respective works:
Match the following authors with their respective works:
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The novel was a combination of some features of drama and poetry, with some new features added to the form, and was the prominent form in the ______________________ century.
The novel was a combination of some features of drama and poetry, with some new features added to the form, and was the prominent form in the ______________________ century.
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What is the origin of the word "novel"?
What is the origin of the word "novel"?
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The novel is a relatively long narrative fiction that describes intimate human experiences normally in a poetic form.
The novel is a relatively long narrative fiction that describes intimate human experiences normally in a poetic form.
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What is the main purpose of a novel according to the passage?
What is the main purpose of a novel according to the passage?
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The Greek Romances, dating from the second to sixth century, are among the early __________ of novel.
The Greek Romances, dating from the second to sixth century, are among the early __________ of novel.
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Match the following authors with their notable works:
Match the following authors with their notable works:
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What is the primary function of a novel according to the passage?
What is the primary function of a novel according to the passage?
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The novel has a history of about one thousand years.
The novel has a history of about one thousand years.
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The novel has adopted __________ prose in the modern era.
The novel has adopted __________ prose in the modern era.
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Study Notes
The Novel as a Literary Genre
- The eighteenth century introduced two new forms to English literature, one of which is the novel.
- The novel caught the spirit of the eighteenth century, being intellectual, sentimental, and realistic.
- A novel is a long narrative fiction that describes intimate human experiences in prose form.
- The word 'novel' is derived from the Italian 'novella', meaning 'new'.
- Novels narrate stories with details of time, place, nature, people, and their minds, creating a picture of the society at that time.
History of the Novel
- The novel has a history of about two thousand years.
- Greek Romances (2nd to 6th century) are among the early precursors of the novel.
- These imaginative stories of ideal love and marvelous adventures profoundly affected creative writing for the next thousand years.
- Murasaki Shikibu's 'Tale of Genji' (1010) is considered the world's first novel.
- The European novel is often said to begin with 'Don Quixote' by Miguel de Cervantes (1605-1615).
The Emergence of the Novel in 18th Century England
- The appearance of newspapers and magazines in the 18th century attracted a large number of readers from the middle class.
- These readers had little interest in romances and tragedies, leading to a need for a new type of literature that expressed the new ideas of the 18th century.
- The 18th century literature was characterized by realism and denial of romantic features.
- The novel originated as a literary form in England after 1740.
- Increase in trade and commerce, along with the Industrial Revolution, gave rise to the middle class, who were appealed to by the novels depicting everyday life and problems of common people.
Development of the English Novel
- 'The Pilgrim's Progress' by John Bunyan (1678) and 'Oroonoku' by Aphra Behn (1688) initiated the tradition of English novels.
- Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders) and Jonathan Swift ('Gulliver's Travels') followed, contributing to the tradition.
- Other major novelists of the 18th century include Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, and Ann Radcliffe.
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Description
Explore the origins and characteristics of the novel as a literary form, including its emergence in the 18th century and its focus on intimate human experiences. Learn about the Italian roots of the word 'novel' and how novels weave stories with details of time, place, and character.
