Novel as a Form of Literature in the 18th Century

Novel as a Form of Literature in the 18^th Century

Introduction:

            According to William J. Long 18^th century was divided into two Ages.

Ø  The Age of Pope

Ø  The Age of Dr. Johnson

The English social life underwent a slow but steady change in social, political, religious and literature of 18^th century is remarkably complex, but we may classify it all under three general heads. The reign of so called Classicism. The Revival of Romantic Poetry and the beginning of the modern novel. The second half is lead by Dr. Johnson started reacting against complexity, Artificiality, Slavishness, of the Age of Pope the people of the Age of Johnson.

W. H. Hudson quotes that

“Found Themselves Discontent with the way in which their fathers had looked, at life, with their formalism. Their narrowness of sympathy and their controlling”

The Age of Johnson noticed contrast with the Age of Pope in the matter of thinking and looking at nature. In the Age of Pope novel was born. While the Age of Johnson novel becomes matured in the second half of 18^th century. During this period of second half 18^th century George third succeeded inventions. It was during this period this period James Watt invented steam engine, political stability established a peaceful life except Gorden Riots in 1780. Industrial Revolution began to spread in every corner of the society,

Now, let’s have a glance on novel as a major form of 18^th century in detail. But before that let’s elaborate development of Novel.

The Development of Novel:

            The Eighteenth century is the reign of so call classicism, the revival of romantic poetry and the discovery of Modern Novel. The Novel is the most modern and at present the most widely read and influential type of literature. The story element is therefore essential to the novel, but where the story original is impossible to say. As well might we seek for the origin of the race.

            After the publication of Richardson’s Pamela, in 1740 novel appeared in literature. A number of English novelists like Goldsmith, Richardson, Fielding, Smollent, Sterne all seem to have developed it simultaneously. The result was an extraordinary awakening of interest, especially among people who had literature. Four Wheels of Novel and other Novelist who was successful and powerful novelist. In prose Dr. Johnson and Gibbon who are noteworthy. This Age also witnessed various periodic magazines. So in 18^th century is a full development of Novel.

Four Wheels of Novel

            As the Augustan is known as the Age of Prose and Reason, the Age Dr. Johnson also witnesses a profound output of prose and especially Novel. That was just born years back. The group of four persons

 List of Novelists of  the Augustan Age.

1)   Samuel Richardson:

            Richardson was a 18^th century English writer and master of printer. Richardson received very little education, but he had a natural talent for writing letter, and even as a boy we find him frequently employed by working girls to write their love letters for them. Richardson belong the credit of writing the first modern novel. He printed a novel of his own, called Pamela or virtue Rewarded (1740) , which takes the born of a series of letters , deals with the fortune of Pamela , a poor and virtuous maid . Who resist them finally marries and afterwards reforms her wicked master, after Clarissa, or the history of a young lady, published in eight volumes in 1747 to 1748. This was another and it was received with sentimental novel and it was received with immense enthusiasm. Richardson’s heroines Clarissa is the most human. In her doubts and scruples of conscience.

      Richardson’s greatest ability lies in characterization. His psychological insight into human motives and feelings and particularly his understanding of the feminine hearts.

            Sir Charles Grandison (1754), a novel in seven volumes , whose hero was intended to be a model  of aristocredic manners readers .

 Richardson in these three books  gave  something entirely new to the literary words , and the word appreciated the gift.

2)   Henary Fielding:

       Henary Fielding was an English novelist and Dramatist. Fielding was the greatest of this new group of novel writers, and one of the most satirist that our literature has produced. His first novel Joseph Andrews (1742), the hero is a footman, and the brother of Pamela along with a poor and simple curate called   Abraham Adams he survivor numerous ridiculous adventures.

             Fielding’s later novels are Jonathan Wild, the story of a rogue. The history of Tom Jones, a founding (1749), his best work. In the book we have all his previous virtues, with the addition of greater symmetry of plot, clearer and steadier vision into human life and human frailty. Fielding had a genius for sounding the emotions of the human heart, but his methods are different.

          

  His last novel, Amelia, the story of a good wife in contrast with an unworthy husband. His other novels are A Journey from this world to the next (1743) and Jonathan Wild the great (1743) Jonathan wild is the biography of the famous thief who was hanged at Newphy.the story is one long ironical comment upon human action. Fielding’s style is very much different from other novelists of the same age that’s why he is considered as a father of English novel. Of course earlier seeds of novels were sprouted out but Henry Fielding was the first one who wrote a systematic novel in the Augustan age.

  

 3)  Laurence stern:

Laurence stern was one of the most shining stars of the neo-classical Age who was dominant novelists among the intellectual writers of the same age. Laurence Sterne was born on 24 November 1713 and died on 18 March 1768.but during short period of time Henry had contributed a lot as He was an Anglo-Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman.

He is best known for his novels

Ø  The Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy

Ø  Gentleman

Ø  A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy

But he also published many sermons, wrote memoirs, and was involved in local politics. Sterne died in London after years of fighting consumption.

Sterne is best known for his novel The Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy for which he became famous not only in England, but throughout Europe. Translations of the work began to appear in all the major European languages almost upon its publication, and Sterne influenced European writers as diverse as Diderot and the German writers.

His work had also noticeable influence over Brazilian author Machado de Assis, who made exceptional (and outstandingly original) usage of the digressive technique in the masterful novel The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras. Indeed, the novel, in which Sterne manipulates narrative time and voice, parodies accepted narrative form, and includes a healthy dose of "Bawdy" humour, was largely dismissed in England as being too corrupt.

4)  Tobias Smollett:

Tobias George Smollett was also most influential novelist of the Augustan Age. He was more famous for his effective writing which Henry depicted Indian his novels. Smollett was born on 19 March 1721 and though Henry lived very short life but Henry had written many novels which can be considered as a masterpiece. He was a Scottish poet and author.

He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as 

Ø  Roderick Random

Ø  Peregrine Pickle

The adventures of Roderick Random (1748) and the adventures of Peregrine Pickle (1751), which influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens and George Orwell, admired Smollett very much. His novels were amended liberally by printers; a definitive edition of each of his works was edited by Dr. O. M. Brack, Jr. to correct variants.

Another novelist was Swift but he was not belonging to the Four Wheels of the novel biut he is enlisted here because he was more popular.

5)  Jonathan Swift:

Jonathan Swift was also major novelist of the same age because this age produced many great novelists of the 18^th century. He was born on 30 November 1667 and died on 19 October 1745 who was an Anglo-Irish Satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer. Further we can say that first for the Whigs, then for the Tories Henry worked for both the parties containing the position of the dominat novelist

He is remembered for works such as 

Ø  Gulliver’s Travels

Ø  A Modest Proposal

Ø  The Battle of the books

Ø  A tale of a Tub

Swift was less well known for his poetry he was not famous as he was for his novels.

To Wind up:

            At the end of the topic we mat say that birth of the novel with its occasions of newness and originality occurs in the 18^th century. There were many causes which brought to the development of the novel, expansion of the reading public, and growth of new middle class positions of women reasons the growth of the novel in the Age.