18th century

THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

In the 18th century, Parliamentarians played a crucial role in every field. Parlimentarians were elected by wealthy families and were influential on the decision of the King. The industrial revolution was seen at the beginning of 1700s in Britain. With industrial revolution, middle class get a rich and bankers, traders, merchant and other professional figures become more of an issue. Transportation and industry developed in 18th century. Iron production and the first steam engine was seen in 1775. While wealth people lived happily, poor people lived in wretched conditions. Also diseases were rife. So only one child in four born in London lived to become an adult.

A MODEST PROPOSAL

For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland,
from being a burden on their parents or country,
and for making them beneficial to the publick.

by Dr. Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift argues a lot of events in this proposal. Also he gives a lot of data about the number of children to be sold, their weight and price. He suggests some solution to solve Ireland’s complex social, politicial and economic problems.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/modestproposal/summary.html

macflecknoe by dryden

John Dryden (1631 – 1700)

John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made Poet Laureate in 1668. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden. Also he used heroic couplets. Marriage-a-la-Mode was the fist comedy of Dryden. Dryden is the first major literary figure of the neo-classical period.

 These are his works.

·        The Conquest of Granada (1670).

·        All for Love (1678)

·        Essay on Dramatic Poesie (1668)

·        Annus Mirabilis (1667)

·        Absalom & Achitopel (1681)

·        Ode for Saint Cecila’s Day (1687)

·        Alexander’s Feast (1697)

·        MacFlecknoe (1682)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dryden

MACFLECKNOE (1682)

Macflecknoe is a mock heroic satire written by John Dryden. In this poem, Mac means ‘son of Flecknoe’ and then Richard Flecknoe is a poet but he was untalented. Richard Flecknoe is the king of dullness, stupidity and Shadwell inherits the throne of dullness.  In this poem Shandwell is  presented by SH--. It means shit. :)

restoration period

THE PURITANTS

The Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries.  They were against the pleasure so they did not like dancing, singing etc. They rejected to traditional rules of the Church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritan

JOHN MILTON (1608-1674)

John Milton was an english poet, polemicist, man of letters and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He has known his epic poem Paradise Lost(1667), written in blank verse. He was well-educated also he was fluent in five languages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Milton

SONNET XIX.

ON HIS BLINDNESS.

WHEN I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest He returning chide, 'Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?' I fondly ask.  But patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, 'God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best.  His state Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.'

5 10

ANDREW MARVELL

Andrew Marvell is an english metaphysical poet. He is associated with John Donne and George Herbert. Generally, He has known with his reviews. These are the most important his work:

·        Miscellaneous Poems, 1681,

·        Poems on Affairs of the State, 1689,

·        Horation ode to Cromwell,

·        The Rehearsal Transposed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Marvell

To His Coy Mistress

By Andrew Marvell

Had we but world enough and time,

This coyness, lady, were no crime.

We would sit down, and think which way

To walk, and pass our long love’s day.

Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side

Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide

Of Humber would complain. I would

Love you ten years before the flood,

And you should, if you please, refuse

Till the conversion of the Jews.

My vegetable love should grow

Vaster than empires and more slow;

An hundred years should go to praise

Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;

Two hundred to adore each breast,

But thirty thousand to the rest;

An age at least to every part,

And the last age should show your heart.

For, lady, you deserve this state,

Nor would I love at lower rate.

       But at my back I always hear

Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;

And yonder all before us lie

Deserts of vast eternity.

Thy beauty shall no more be found;

Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound

My echoing song; then worms shall try

That long-preserved virginity,

And your quaint honour turn to dust,

And into ashes all my lust;

The grave’s a fine and private place,

But none, I think, do there embrace.

       Now therefore, while the youthful hue

Sits on thy skin like morning dew,

And while thy willing soul transpires

At every pore with instant fires,

Now let us sport us while we may,

And now, like amorous birds of prey,

Rather at once our time devour

Than languish in his slow-chapped power.

Let us roll all our strength and all

Our sweetness up into one ball,

And tear our pleasures with rough strife

Thorough the iron gates of life:

Thus, though we cannot make our sun

Stand still, yet we will make him run.

METAPHYSICAL POETS

     METAPHYSICAL POETS

We learned a metaphysical poet in the second week. Metaphysical poet’s language is very simple and generally mentions physical loves not platonic. Also, similes and metaphors are used mostly in metaphysical poets. Another important point in the metaphysical poets is that poems rely on wit.

                                 John DONNE (1572-1631)

                                

John Donne is the founder of the metaphysical school of poetry. So, we consider that he is the founder of metaphysical poety. ‘The Flea’ is the most famous poem of John Donne. When I read this poem , I found it interesting because he told the physical love by using the flea.

  

                                George HERBERT

George Herbert experimented with ‘hieroglyphic’ poems, whose shapes match with their meaning. I found shapes of this poem interesting.