Engels Alquin overzicht
Alquin 18th century: Pages 1 t/m 48, 54 t/m 63
The Restoration Period
Charles I waged expensive wars, kept taxing his population. Believed in divine (absolute) rule.
Parliament disagreed civil war (1641-1645). In the end, was defeated, convicted and executed.
Real power was soon taken by general Oliver Cromwell led the Parliamentarians to victory, ruled
with an iron fist. Was well-connected in Europe.
He was a strict Puritan (protestants). They believed the Church of England was too similar to the
Roman Catholic Church and should eliminate ceremonies and practices not rooted in the Bible.
After his death, the Republic fell apart. Lord Protector of the Commonwealth (1645 – 1658)
Theatre was forbidden.
King Charles II returns (fled earlier to France in excile).
Disasters: Bubonic Plague, Anglo-Dutch Wars, Great Fire of London.
Charles II dies, James II (Catholic) succeeds. He made several mistakes William III of Orange
(protestants) invited to remove the king.
1688: Glorious revolution: William III and Mary co-regency.
Charles II Restoration: revival of the theatre, but French-style: mostly comedies, aimed at nobles
and courtiers (in tegenstelling tot Shakespeare). Woman on stage. Shakespeare’s plays were much
more refined, Restoration drama lacked depth and was rather vulgar.
Newspapers
Diaries contain authenticity and honesty that other forms of prose tend to lack.
Henry the 8th catholic Church of England. Anne Boleyn protestant. Edward the 6th
protestant.
Jane Grey protestant. Mary catholic. Elizabeth protestant. James I protestant.
Charles I catholic. Cromwell protestant. Charles II protestant/ catholic. James II catholic.
William and Mary protestant.
Samuel Pepys
17th century London was described in a personal way by Samuel Pepys. He wrote about personal
matters, daily life, food, entertainment. Because of his diaries we know a lot about what life was like
during the RESTORATION.
Wrote his diaries in code.
John Dryden
Grew up as a Puritan
Converted to the Anglican Church when Charles II became king
Poet Laureate (Dichter des vaderlands).
Wrote poetry and plays (at first comedies, later tragedies)
Converted to Catholicism when James II ascended the throne
Focussed on satirical poetry later in life and became very influential
Satire = a form of humour, in which people are mocked and made to look ridiculous. Aims to make
people laugh, but also to let them think. Form of protest Humor as a weapon.
Unrealistic satire fantastic places + unrealistic settings > metaphors for world we live in.
,Absolom and Achitophel
Satire
Absolom represents the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimite son of Charles II
Achitophel, a priest who leads Absolom astray, represents the Earl of Shaftesbury
David represents Charles II
Heroic Couplets (A pair of rhyming lines, ten syllables (usually iambic pentameter)). Each couplet is
‘closed’. Dominant verse form of the 18th century (Age of Reason).
Allegory personificatie van een abstract begrip.
No action in the poem, its power is in its characterisation: the people whom Dryden most dislikes are
presented in the form of absurdly inflated caricatures.
Ode on St Cecilia’s Day
Ode= poem praising a person or thing in high-flown language (opposite of satire).
Cecilia: patron saint of music.
Dryden 2 poems describe effect of music and marvellously evoke a sense of listening to various
instruments.
Bij elk instrument hoort er een bepaald stuk.
Hymn to the power of music and to St Cecilia, who was wrongly credited with having invented the
organ.
Introduction to the eighteenth century
Scientific advances, philosophers (Spinoza) mankind helped by reason was capable of
understanding all aspects of life.
People were at the dawn of an Era of Enlightenment every person was naturally reasonable and
good.
Boom period for Britain’s economy. Industrialisation. Emergence of a new social class: middle class.
not content for political power exclusively in hands of aristocracy.
influence on British society: work ethic (geloof in een deugzaam leven), every person is good,
women’s position changed: more intelligent individuels. Influence was confined (beperkt) largely to
the home.
New underclass.
Improved printing methods and transport. Pamphlets and journals were cheaper. Widely read by all
classes. Novel: lives of ordinary people facing ordinary problems.
Theatre extremely popular. Literature: ordinary people and true-life accounts.
Addison & Steele
Addison wrote essays, Steele was wat serieuzer coffee houses. Started publishing a journal called
the Tatler (domestic and international news).
After 2 years: the Spectator imaginary group of society drawn from different sectors. karikaturen,
overdreven mensen neerzetten.
Broadsheet
Before the 18th century: single-edition pamphlets, devoted to a specific subject.
Then invention of the printing press government censors monitored what was published.
1605 Abraham Verhoeven Nieuwe Tijdingen.
De courante uyt Italien, Duytslan & C published twice a week. It was a collation (vergelijking), English
newspaper translation.
Developments of newspaper hindered by the Civil War.
1704 Daniel Defoe views on currents affairs and politics (therefore imprisoned).
The spectator comment political developments.
Newspapers like nowadays first appeared last decade of the 18 th century.
, Alexander Pope
Born as only child of a catholic linen merchant, Ill health, impaired growth (1,40!), Taught by private
tutors. Regarded as a child prodigy.
Poetry 1: depicting his rural surroundings e.g. Ode on solitude
Poetry 2: expressing his thoughts, dissatisfaction or derision, in heroic couplets e.g. The Rape of the
Lock
Translations of great classical writers
Poetry (satirical, moral poems)
Ode on Solitude (eenzaamheid)
Written by a 12 year old Pope. Exhibits real love for nature and country-side. Showed lack of
emotion. He comdemned (veroordeeld) the hystle and bustle of cities.
It is an iambic quandrameter (8 syllables, 4 stressed, 4 unstressed).
An ode is a poem which praises someone or something.
The Rape of the Lock
John Caryll asked him to mediate (bemiddelen) in a dispute between 2 noble families, got out of
hand. Attempt to reconcile the families (had no effect).
Lord Petre / Miss Arabella Fermor (Belinda)
Burlesque: a genre in which great deeds or elevated ideas are made to look ridiculous. High-flown
language for trivial thing = a form of satire
Heroic couplets (Each two lines form a unit, a thought, a statement) and an iambic pentameter.
A nymph is a demigoddess.
Rape iets afpakken zonder toestemming.
Daniel Defoe
WORK: Robinson Crusoe, he founded his own newspaper: The Review, Other novels: Moll Flanders
and Roxana
He was supporter of William III, his rebellious nature landed him in prison.
Robinson Crusoe
Sort of dairy form, people didn’t knew whether it was phantasy or not.
It is about how people act and who they are.
28 was he on the island.
It is a RELIGIOUS JOURNEY doubt about his faith 18th century Age of Reason,
don’t be just a slave of religion.
Jonathan Swift
Born in Ireland (Anglo-Irish parents), Brought up by prosperous relatives after his
father died, Secretary to Sir William Temple (in England), Held several clerical
posts in Ireland, later in life Deacon in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin (where he is
buried), Gulliver’s Travels: his masterpiece
The Battle of the Books and A Tale of A Tub
Gulliver’s Travels
Satire on British society
Although many children like the book, it was not meant for children.
Travel story (to extraordinary countries)
Several levels:
- superficially: a travel book