A brief intrroduction to English literature HistoryA brief intrroduction to English literature History.doc

1305 Yolanda CCNU A Brief Introduction to English literature History From Neoclassic to Victorian Ages Among the splendid English literature history, I think the most impressive part for me, is the history of English literal from Neoclassic times to the close of the Victorian Era. In this essay, I’ll talk about the outline of this period English literal history. Chapter I. The Neoclassic Ages The neoclassical period refers the one in English literature between the restoration of the Stuarts in 1660 and the full assertion of Romanticism which came with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge in 1798, also known as “an age of enlightenment ” or “an age of reason.” 1. The historical background: Political and Ideological. (1) Political background from the Revolution of 1688 to the end of the 18th century. The reactionary rule of the Stuart Charles II, with their struggle for absolute political power and their corrupt rule and immoral court, led to greater and greater discontent from the bourgeoisie as well as a great part of the aristocracy. Eventually, James II had to flee in 1688, and William of Orange and Mary his wife became joint sovereign on the English throne. It was called the “glorious” revolution. The revolution of 1688 coming after that of 1640 definitely established the system of capitalism in England. The invention of textile machines and other machinery toward the middle of the 18th century led gradually to the industrial revolution. England became the first powerful capitalist country over the world, and her manufactured goods flooded foreign markets. The big changes, both in political and social, enriched the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy who ruled the country together, but brought great misery to the masses of people in England and even more in Scotland and Ireland. (2) The Enlightenment in England and its effect upon English literature of the 18th century. The Enlightenment,