History of Lit II 2251 PDF

Jan 6/25 Week 1 Introduction Getting to understand the class  Jan 6/25 Week 1 Intro to the Enlightenmen...

Jan 6/25 Week 1 Introduction Getting to understand the class  Jan 6/25 Week 1 Intro to the Enlightenment What did English Literature look like up to the turn of the 18th century? ​ Religious ​ Literature less accessible (written ​ Male-dominated (Authors) literature) ​ No novels ​ Warrior culture - political ​ Poetry [dominant] instadility ​ Oral culture (Literacy rates are low) ​ Emphasis on poetic form ​ Death ​ Theater popular ​ Nobility and Honour ​ Emphasis on socio-economic ​ Generally conforms to social norms issues (Class structures) ​ Didactic ​ Things are dramatic ​ Scandals ​ Male dominated ​ Often had a political message ​ Morality really central ​ Lots of Romance ​ Supernatural (Christin or secular) ​ Simplistic prominent ​ Warfare frequent ​ Fantastic and supernatural common ​ Poetry favoured ​ Superstition ​ Oral literary culture ​ Overtly religious ​ In england french and latin ​ Heroic characters ​ Superstitons prevalent ​ Flat or round (non-complex) The Long 18th Century ​ C. 1690 -1780 ○​ Begins before the 18th century ○​ Goes right into the romantic period ​ Prior to the late 17th century, western society guided more by religion and superstition ○​ The world isn't guided rationally ○​ Not a lot of room for discussion and debate. ○​ Fath isn't a decided thing in early literary ○​ Debated how God decided things ​ Significant developments in science and philosophy occurred in the late 17th century. ○​ John Locke (English philosopher) (end of the 17th century) ​ He’s significant on how people are based ○​ This changed the source of literature Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) “If we will attentively consider newborn children, we shall have little reason to think, that they bring many ideas into the world with them. For bating perhaps some faint ideas of hunger and thirst, and warmth, and some pains which they may have felt in the womb, there is not the least appearance of any settled ideas at all in them; especially of ideas, answering the terms which make up those universal propositions, that are esteemed innate principles. One may perceive how, by degrees, afterwards, ideas come into their minds; and that they get no more, nor no other, than what experience, and the observation of things, that come in their way, furnish them with: which might be enough to satisfy us, that they are not original characters stamped on the mind.” (Locke, I, iv, 2) ​ Some of his key ideas were said in this essay. ​ Rejects “innate ideas” ○​ Something you born with ○​ Class ​ Upper ​ Middle ​ Lower ○​ Born good or bad ○​ Religion ​ Born with knowledge/understanding of god. ​ John believes humans are born knowing nothing ○​ Tabula Rasa (Blank slate) ○​ Babys are born with no knowledge ​ Born without a self. Just with needs ​ No mental conception just physical needs ​ No evidence that babies have any knowledge of God ​ Can learn by experience and observation ○​ Learn through their own experiences in the world ​ Going against what was prior ​ NOT BORN BELIEVING IN GOD YOU LEARN TO BELIEVE IN GOD ​ Very shocking ○​ Goes against everything they believed ​ Brings down what they build Empiricism “A mode of philosophical reasoning which holds that the only reliable source of knowledge is experience (i.e. that which can be observed). It denies that there is any knowledge outside of the realm of the observable.” (A Dictionary of Critical Theory, Ian Buchanan) ​ Can truly know something when it is learned ​ How is this different from before then? ○​ No one cared ○​ Happy being led blindly  ○​ Kinda was stupid ○​ Valued their titles and how they were born ○​ More room to debate and talk about ○​ Supernatural ○​ Social norms and Religious beliefs ○​ Birth of Science ​ Medical Route ​ More developed around this time ​ Is this idea still thought about today? (Still relevant) ○​ It is still talked about and shown today ○​ People still use ​ “Can’t believe unless they see it” ○​ Can learn more about our curiosity ○​ Able to observe more today than before ○​ Not physical experiences but still experience it The Long 18th Century ​ C. 1690 -1780 ○​ Begins before the 18th century ○​ Goes right into the romantic period ​ Prior to the late 17th century, western society guided more by religion and superstition ○​ The world isn't guided rationally ○​ Not a lot of room for discussion and debate. ○​ Fath isn't a decided thing in early literary ​ Significant developments in science and philosophy occurred in the late 17th century. ○​ John Locke (English philosopher) ​ Tabula Rasa (Blank slate) ​ Rationalism and empiricism become the dominant modes of thought ○​ Shape the way people explore the world ○​ Rationalism ​ Taking more observation than what someone had told them ​ Not necessary to believe unless seen ​ Thinking logically ​ Proof ​ Concluding something with evidence rather than guessing ​ Someone dying ○​ Because they weren't a believer meanwhile it was cancer ​ Writer/ Thinkers/ Philosophers begin to question traditional authority ○​ Period of revolution ○​ Traditional Authority figures ​ Kings ​ Monarks ​ Church ​ Pope ​ Serving people  ​ Is said that this period was corrupt ○​ American and French Revolution The Enlightenment “The period of European thought characterized by the emphasis on experience and reason, mistrust of religion and traditional authority, and a gradual emergence of the ideals of liberal, secular, democratic societies.” (The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, 3 ed., Simon Blackburn) Jonathan Swift ​ Literary had Changed because of him ​ 1667–1745 ​ Born in Dublin, Ireland. ​ Is English ○​ Father was a lawyer ​ Educated in Ireland and initially worked as a secretary. ​ Ordained as a priest in 1695. ​ Produced a variety of literary works – mostly satirical. ​ Protested authoritarian rule and injustice. ○​ Ill-treatment of the Irish and English ○​ Wanting more justice within society ​ Popular and controversial ○​ Would sell out quickly ○​ The talk of the time “A Modest Proposal” ​ Dark to some (Dark Houmor) ​ Funny to some ​ Was confusing ​ Was something you can see today ​ This was shocking ​ Was said to be a joke ​ The message in the story is meaningful ​ A lot to unpack ​ The man was fond of their wives again ​ The upper class would be the only one to ‘eat’ babies ​ Is somewhat violent ❖​ Written in 1729 ❖​ Published as a political Pamphlet ​ Meant to make a point ❖​ A parody ​ Imitation of another person's literary work ​ Mocking someone style ❖​ Appeals to the rationalism/logic of the reader ​ An issue with all these poor people  ​ Trying to get that solved ❖​ Writing style offers empirical observation ​ Math equations that he solved ​ Making his point threw numbers ​ Using human forms and objects to add to his point ​ Makes an issue show and adds a political point ❖​ Employs rhetorical irony ​ Say one thing but mean the opposite ​ Along the last lines of the story ​ Throughout the entire story ​ Page 4 mostly ❖​ A satire critiquing English treatment of Irish ​ Mocke something in society ❖​ One of his shorter works “Herein is deposited the body of Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Divinity and Dean of his Cathedral Church, where savage indignation can no longer tear at his heart; go traveller and imitate, if you can, one who strove with all his strength to champion liberty.” ​ (Swift, Epitaph) ​ Justice ​ Wanted others to follow in his footsteps Parody A mocking imitation of the style of a literary work or works, ridiculing the stylistic habits of an author or school by exaggerated mimicry. (Baldick, Dictionary of Literary Terms) ​ political/economic pamphlets Satire A genre in literature, film, and other media which is used to deflate, ridicule, and censure the perceived folly or immorality of what is represented. Tools include irony, sarcasm, wit, caricature, exaggeration, distortion, and parody. Satire invites the audience’s moral indignation. (Daniel Chandler and Rod Munday, A Dictionary of Media and Communication, 3rd ed., OUP, 2020)  Jan 13/25 Week 2 Defoe and the Rise of the Novel Novel Extended Fictional Prose Narrative (Many exceptions to the form) Longer than a novella or short story ​ Novella is a 75-page book. Short story ​ Novel is a 360-page book Demonstrates Realism ​ Characters that develop and/or are psychologically complex ​ Has a complex plot ​ Various subgenres are distinguished by structure or plot ​ First European example: Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote de la Mancha (1605) ​ In English established by Daniel Defoe ​ Achieved predominance in the 19th century Realism “A mode of writing that gives the impression of recording or ‘reflecting’ faithfully an actual way of life.” Can refer to... “both to a literary method based on detailed accuracy of description (i.e. verisimilitude) and to a more general attitude that rejects idealization, escapism, and other extravagant qualities of romance in favour of recognizing soberly the actual problems of life.” (Baldick, Dictionary of Literary Terms) What Characteristics of the Enlightenment does the novel (as a form) exhibit? -​ Stears away from Lovely Dovey ​ Emphasis on education -​ Somewhat of a criminal-like book ​ Rejects inherent morals and God’s ​ Reach a large audience — popular authority ​ Depicts flawed - more of an actual ​ Realism rejects superstition reflection of society ​ Focus on humans and humanity ​ The novel allows for empirical ​ Focus on experience evidence ​ Diverse, rounded character types ​ Learning through experience ​ Focus on Social issues ​ Rational understanding ​ More room for critique of the ​ Dissenting against traditional Church etc. authority  ​ Focus on mundane ​ Greater ability for empathy for ​ Deconstruction of innate ideas those in lower social situations through a focus on the mundane. ​ Exercise in empiricism - a scientific approach to life ​ Realism rather than idealism Daniel Defoe and Moll Flanders Daniel Defoe ​ Born in 1660 in London ​ Educated at a dissenting academy ​ Became a hosiery merchant. ​ Travelled extensively throughout his life ​ Began writing in the late 17th century ○​ Many of his early worlds were political ​ He turned to fiction later in his life ​ Went to prison several times ○​ Died in 1731 hiding from the debtors ​ Helped shape the modern novel Moll Flanders How does Moll Flanders differ from earlier literature? ​ Written in prose ​ Not put into a specific role ​ Not a huge focus on religion ​ Focus on mundane ​ Complex character ​ Moll is a fully realized character ​ Happy ending ​ Focused on character ​ Logical punishment ​ Long and rambling because it is ​ Lack of secondary not recited orally characters/description ​ Organic language ​ Realistic ​ Not a big focus on religion ​ Not symbolic no metaphors ​ No clear moral point ​ Not emotional ​ Not idealizing setting ​ Women as the primary character ​ Expanded role for women ​ Goes against social norms and is not ​ Less plot heavy punished ​ Takes place over a long period of ​ No magic/supernatural time ​ A wider cross-section of society ​ Critique of upperclass Moll Flanders ​ Published in 1722 ​ Written in haste ​ Extremely popular upon release ​ Contemporary vogue for accounts of criminal’s lives ​ Fictional autobiography ​ Early fiction Is Moll Flanders truly a novel? Make an argument with evidence -​ Is Moll psychologically complex? (Yes/No) -​ Does Moll develop as a character? (Yes/No) -​ Does the writing style demonstrate verisimilitude (Yes/No). -​ Does the plot deal with realistic/plausible events (Yes/No). -​ Is the tone realistic rather than idealistic? (Yes/No)  Jan 15/25 Week 2 Moll Flanders Moll Flanders ​ Published in 1722 ​ Written in haste ​ Extremely popular upon release ​ Contemporary vogue for accounts of criminal’s lives ​ Fictional autobiography ○​ Cautionary tale ​ Early fiction Cautionary Tale ​ Tale of caution or warning against vices or immoral behaviour ​ Prevalent in 18th-century children’s literature ​ Severe punishments often result Moll Flanders - Style and Themes ​ Single, continuous account ○​ Focus on individual episodes ​ Narrative Voice ○​ Moll tells her own story ​ The text points to social problems of the 18th century ​ Celebrates Moll’s industriousness  Jan 20/25 Week 3 Moll Flanders Cont. Some tips for stylish academic writing. ​ Use active constructions ​ Prioritize strong verbs ○​ Avoid “is” constructions ​ Vary sentence lengths ​ Use parallel structures ​ Use repetition effectively ​ Use visual language Moll Flanders ​ Published in 1722 ​ Written in haste ​ Extremely popular upon release ​ Contemporary vogue for accounts of criminal’s lives ​ Fictional autobiography ○​ Cautionary tale ​ Early fiction ​ Single, continuous account. ○​ Focus on individual episodes ​ Narrative voice ○​ Moll tells her own story ​ The points to social problems of the 18th century ​ Celebrates Moll’s industriousness. What Soical Issues does Moll Flanders Critique ​ Moral standards of the day ​ Position of women in society ​ Class structures ​ Treatment of underprivileged (Orphans) ​ Criminal justise system ​ Lack of legan supports ​ Social mobility ​ Lack of financial security ​ Marriage ​ Poverty ​ Corruption  Jan 22/25 Week 3 Equiano and Slave Narratives Olaudah Equiano ​ Borin in 1745 in ‘Eboe’ (Now Southeastern Nigeria) ​ Grew up happily in a powerful family ​ Abducted and sold into Slavery at age 11 ​ Serves Pascal, a captain in the royal navy, for many years ​ Sold again to Robert King in the West Indies ○​ Begins to improve the fortune ​ Buys freedom in 1766 ​ Returns to England and continues to work as a sailor, merchant, and a hairdresser ​ Converts to Methodism ​ Joins abolitionist cause ​ Marries Susanna Cullen in 1792 ​ Dies in 1797 The Interesting Narrative ​ Published in 1789 ​ Extremely popular upon release ​ Blends a variety of genres ○​ Autobiography ○​ Conversion Narrative ○​ Travel Narrative ○​ Slave narrative What aspects of the book align with Enlightenment thinking? ​ Forced to follow traditional authority ​ Emotions are blunt ​ Desire for freedom ​ Freedom of expression ​ Emphasis on experience ​ Emphasis on education ​ Use logical/ rational discourse ​ Appeals to the rationalism of the ​ Born with certain rights use quotes reader from outside sources as evidence ​ Makes slavery antirational ​ Emphasizes free will ​ Truthfulness of account ​ Divine Providence ​ Abolition ​ Political message ​ Scientific tone ​ Empirical ​ Objective observation ​ Glosses over emotional bits  ​ Focus on social issue of slavery ​ Written to spread knowledge ​ Part of interllectual climate ​ Personal account from not elite ​ Reliable narrative person ​ Truthfull account ​ Realism and realistic ​ Appeal to the rationalism of reader Autobiography “A narrative account of an extended period of some person’s life, written by, or presented as having been written by, that person” (Baldick, Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms) Conversion Narrative ​ Recounts conversion to Christianity ​ Usually away from a life of sin ​ Celebrates spiritual journey ​ Extremely popular in 18th-century Travel Narrative ​ Narrative that recounts the journey of a person to one or more countries ​ Focuses on… ○​ The perils of the journey ○​ The features of the country visited ○​ The thoughts and experiences of the traveler ​ Very popular in the 18th-Century Slave narratives ​ Begins in the 18th century and continues to the 19th century ​ One of the first extensive and polish slave narrative ​ An account of the life of a fugitive slave or formerly enslaved person ​ Usually autobiographical ○​ Often told by slaves themselves ​ Recounts their struggles from slavery to freedom ​ “Key features of the genre: capture or birth in slavery, early life in bondage, a struggle for literacy which often proved instrumental in obtaining freedom, and a post-emancipation life spent in antislavery activism or other activity of benefit to the community” (Carey, p. xviii) ​ Testifies to the horrors of slavery while simultaneously advocating for its abolition The Interesting narrative as an Abolitionist text ​ 18th century saw growing abolitionist movement in Britain  ​ Text published at a significant moment in the history of the slave trade and the abolitionist movement ○​ Published in 1789 ​ Brought awarness of horrors of slavery to a complicit English audience ​ Equiano ideally suited for role of abolitionist Narrative Strategies ​ Presents horrors of slavery and slave trade ​ Challenges white supremacy that underlines European justification for slave trade ○​ Image of African ○​ Images of Europeans ​ Presetns slavery as corruptinog and unchrisitan ​ Clearly states message  Jan 27/25 Week 4 Equiano, Abolitionism, and Romantic Poetry The Interesting Narrative ​ Published in 1789 ​ Extremely popular upon release ​ Blends a variety of genres ○​ Autobiography ○​ Conversion Narrative ○​ Travel Narrative ○​ Slave narrative Slave narratives ​ Begins in the 18th century and continues to the 19th century ​ One of the first extensive and polish slave narrative ​ An account of the life of a fugitive slave or formerly enslaved person ​ Usually autobiographical ○​ Often told by slaves themselves ​ Recounts their struggles from slavery to freedom ​ “Key features of the genre: capture or birth in slavery, early life in bondage, a struggle for literacy which often proved instrumental in obtaining freedom, and a post-emancipation life spent in antislavery activism or other activity of benefit to the community” (Carey, p. xviii) ​ Testifies to the horrors of slavery while simultaneously advocating for its abolition The Interesting narrative as an Abolitionist text ​ 18th century saw growing abolitionist movement in Britain ​ Text published at a significant moment in the history of the slave trade and the abolitionist movement ○​ Published in 1789 ​ Brought awarness of horrors of slavery to a complicit English audience ​ Equiano ideally suited for role of abolitionist Narrative Strategies ​ Presents horrors of slavery and slave trade ​ Challenges white supremacy that underlines European justification for slave trade ○​ Image of African  ○​ Images of Europeans ​ Presetns slavery as corruptinog and unchrisitan ​ Clearly states message The Romantic Period ​ Emerged in the late 18th century ○​ C. 1790 in Britian ​ Grappled with issues brought on by scientific progress ​ Rejected rationalism, balance, order and restraint of the Enlightenment ​ Grew from increased interest in antiquarian texts and transcendental philosophy The Industrial Revolution ​ 18th-19th Century in Britain ​ Shift from agrarian to urban society ​ Technological advances led to development of factories in cities and a need for cheap labour ​ Came with terrible working and living conditions for adults and childern On Kant’s Philosophy “Critique of Pure Reason…sought to overcome what Kant saw as the problem of the empiricist David Hume’s scepticism concerning causation. He agreed with Hume that it is impossible to prove that every event has a cause by power of experience, but disagreed with him that one should thereby abandon the general principle that every event has a cause. Kant’s solution is to divide the psychical apparatus in two: on the one side there are ‘intuitions’, the perceptions of given sense data, and on the other side there are categories and concepts (such as space and time), the universal laws of the mind. His rationale is that we could not describe the world in a variety of different ways if we did not have concepts that enable us to see it differently too.” (Buchanan, Dictionary of Critical Theory) The Romantic Period ​ Emerged in the late 18th century ○​ C. 1790 in Britain ​ Grappled with issues brought on by scientific progress ​ Rejected rationalism, balance, order and restraints of the Enlightenment ​ Grew from increased interest in antiquarian text and transcendental philosophy ​ Prioritized the freedom of individual self-expression ​ Emotion, nature, freedom, personal experience and imagination become of central importance Romanticism “The restrained balance valued in 18th-century culture was abandoned in favour of emotional intensity, often taken to extremes of rapture, nostalgia (for childhood or the past), horror, melancholy, or sentimentality. Some—but not all— Romantic writers cultivated the appeal of the exotic, the bizarre, or the macabre; almost all showed a new interest in the irrational realms of dream and delirium or of folk superstition and legend. The creative imagination occupied the centre of Romantic views of art, which replaced the ‘mechanical’ rules of conventional form with an ‘organic’ principle of natural growth and free development.” (Chris Baldick, Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms). ​ William Blake ​ 1757-1827 ​ Bron in London ​ Trained as an engraver ​ Worked as an artist and engraver ​ Published first book of poetry in 1783 ​ Unknown in his time Mary Wollstonecraft Frontispiece for the 1791 edition of original stories from real-life Engraved by William Blake Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience ​ Songs of Innocence published in 1789 ​ Songs of Experience published in 1795 ​ Eventually published as one volume ​ Engraved and hand painted by Blake Poems in second volume reflect on those in first  Jan 29/25 Week 4 The Romantic Period ​ Emerged in the late 18th century ○​ C. 1790 in Britian ​ Grappled with issues brought on by scientific progress ​ Rejected rationalism, balance, order and restraint of the Enlightenment ​ Grew from increased interest in antiquarian texts and transcendental philosophy The Industrial Revolution ​ 18th-19th Century in Britain ​ Shift from agrarian to urban society ​ Technological advances led to development of factories in cities and a need for cheap labour ​ Came with terrible working and living conditions for adults and childern On Kant’s Philosophy “Critique of Pure Reason…sought to overcome what Kant saw as the problem of the empiricist David Hume’s scepticism concerning causation. He agreed with Hume that it is impossible to prove that every event has a cause by power of experience, but disagreed with him that one should thereby abandon the general principle that every event has a cause. Kant’s solution is to divide the psychical apparatus in two: on the one side there are ‘intuitions’, the perceptions of given sense data, and on the other side there are categories and concepts (such as space and time), the universal laws of the mind. His rationale is that we could not describe the world in a variety of different ways if we did not have concepts that enable us to see it differently too.” (Buchanan, Dictionary of Critical Theory) The Romantic Period ​ Emerged in the late 18th century ○​ C. 1790 in Britain ​ Grappled with issues brought on by scientific progress ​ Rejected rationalism, balance, order and restraints of the Enlightenment ​ Grew from increased interest in antiquarian text and transcendental philosophy ​ Prioritized the freedom of individual self-expression ​ Emotion, nature, freedom, personal experience and imagination become of central importance Romanticism “The restrained balance valued in 18th-century culture was abandoned in favour of emotional intensity, often taken to extremes of rapture, nostalgia (for childhood or the past), horror, melancholy, or sentimentality. Some—but not all— Romantic writers cultivated the appeal of the exotic, the bizarre, or the macabre; almost all showed a new interest in the irrational realms of dream and delirium or of folk superstition and legend. The creative imagination occupied the centre of Romantic views of art, which replaced the ‘mechanical’ rules of conventional form with an ‘organic’ principle of natural growth and free development.” (Chris Baldick, Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms). ​ William Blake ​ 1757-1827 ​ Bron in London ​ Trained as an engraver ​ Worked as an artist and engraver ​ Published first book of poetry in 1783 ​ Unknown in his time Mary Wollstonecraft ​ Frontispiece for the 1791 edition of original stories from real-life ​ Engraved by William Blake Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience ​ Songs of Innocence published in 1789 ​ Songs of Experience published in 1795 ​ Eventually published as one volume ​ Engraved and hand-painted by Blake ​ poems in the second volume reflect on those in the first William Wordsworth ​ 1770-1850 ​ Born in England ​ Well-educated in youth ​ First poem published in 1787 ​ Deeply impacted by the French Revolution ​ Achieved notice with poems published in 1793 ​ Major work Lyrical Ballads a landmark text for romanticism ​ Successful and critically acclaimed in life