What are the chief
characteristics of the Neo-Classical/ Pseudo Classical poetry/ Neo-Classicism
of the 18th century?
Ans. The term
'classicism' refers to a body of doctrine or theories which pertain to Greek
and Roman literature of antiquity. Classicism is in favour of stability and
order. Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides etc. were Greek classical
literary figures. Virgil, Horace, Juvenal, Cicero, Seneca were Roman classical
literary figures.
A strict adherence to rules and regulations set up by the
classical masters of antiquity, in the field of art and literature, is the hall-mark of classicism.
The aim of classicism is to establish a stable word-order. It reflects a
conservative and republican (as opposed to liberal) attitude to life.
Objectivity rather than
subjectivity is the goal of classical writer. The classicist is detached and dramatic
because he is impersonal. In classicism We find directness, clarity, simple
expression of ideas in balanced and well
Pr0P0rtioned forms, restraint of emotions. The classical genre has certain
distinguishable traits. These are as follows—
(a) Formal elegance: The Greek masters such as Homer, Sophocles,
Aeschylus etc. demonstrated elegance in style, be it epic or drama. We are left
with an elevated feeling, when we peruse the classical authors.
Addison and Steele, who
are Neo-Classical authors describe most
elegantly the ways of Sir Roger de Coverlay, which delights and
fascinates us.
They tried to avoid crudity in their works.
(b) Correctness: Classical and
Neo-classical authors endeavored to ensure correctness and precision in their
works. They were eager to follow accurately the rules and regulations
formulated by such masters as Aristotle. They were convinced that any
deviations from such rules will leave their works null and void.
(c) Simplicity:
Alexander Pope has always been most lucid and simple in his poetic pursuit. He
was a Neo-classical poet. Homer, a classical poet used similes and metaphors in
Iliad from the common objects of everyday living.
(d) Restraint:
To the classical authors and poets, poetry was not the spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings recollected in moments of tranquility. They were very
restraint and thought many times before putting down a verse or a paragraph.
(e) Order
and Balance: To the classicists, order both in society and literary pursuit
was important.
They never wrote any work which defied order and balance. They
followed moderation and balanced their ideas accordingly.
(f) Proportion: The classical and
Neo-classical literary figures had a good sense of proportion. Unlike the
Romantic poets who liked to indulge in unbridled flights of imagination, the
classical authors proportioned their emotion and intellect in their literary
works.
The chief
characteristics of Pseudo-classical poetry of which Dryden and Pope were the
chief practitioners, are the following:
(i) Poetry of the upper class: The
Neo-classical poetry is the poetry of the town and the fashionable upper class
people of the city of London. It deals with the vices, the frivolities and
follies of the belles and beaux, the life of coffee-houses and clubs, and the
artificial manners and fashions of the courtly circles. Poetry is found here
social and realistic rather than personal and emotional.
(ii) Satiric
Poetry: Lack of epic, dramatic and lyric poetry—drama and epic, the
grandest form of poetry, were beyond the reach of the writers of this period.
They lacked lyric intensity and could not write lyrics. They excelled only in
one kind Of poetry, i.e. Satiric.
This prevalent tendency to satire results
from the unfortunate union of politics with literature. Dryden's Absalom and
Achitophel and Pope's The Rape of the Lock are the most important satires of
the excelled. In the hands of Dryden and Pope it acquired perfection and
correctness..
(iii) Universal truth and General Ideas: The
poets of the Neoclassical period must deal with universal truths and general
ideas.
(iv) Emphasis
on Moral Teaching: The function of poetry was to instruct and delight. The
didactic function was considered more important than the aesthetic one.
(v) Language
and Poetic Diction: In the Neo-Classical Age a number of devices were used
to achieve a noble, pure and exalted diction, a diction proper for poetry meant
for refined and cultured audiences.
(vi) Decorum: The need of Decorum was also
emphasized. It was recognized that different kinds of poetry have different
styles proper to them.
In fine it can be said
that the essence of the poetry of Pope's Age is found in its artificial and
satirical character. This poetry belongs to the sphere of satire and
sensibility, and is a store-house of social sketches, personal invectives,
critical views and moral ideas. It is basically intellectual. The rigid
Neo-classical adherence to 'rules' and authority has a tendency to suppress
genius and so Neoclassicism has been much frowned upon since the rise of
romanticism in the last decades of the 18th century. However, Neoclassism has
its own merits and Matthew Arnold was right in calling it an "admirable
and indispensable Age."
0 Comments