János Barcsák, Márta Pellérdi

English literature 1660-1900


The 1730’s and the Final Phase of Pope’s Career

In spite of the pessimism and bitterness that characterizes The Dunciad, Pope was at this time still at the height of his creative powers and the 1730s saw the production of some of his most characteristic, as well as most famous poetry. Between 1731-35 he wrote a series of four verse satires, often collectively referred to as the Moral Essays, in the form of epistles addressed to some illustrious personages, Pope’s friends, and discussing some central social, moral and aesthetic issues of his day. Between 1733-34 he worked on what was probably his most famous poem in his own time: An Essay on Man; a poem consisting of four epistles and giving a comprehensive philosophical view of the human situation, society, morality, religion in easily readable, fluent and economical heroic couplets. This remarkable combination of philosophical depth and easy expression, of succinctness and graphic representation made this poem probably the most popular of all Pope’s poems in the period and was the main foundation of Pope’s overseas reputation. Voltaire, Rousseau and Kant regarded the poem highly and it was very soon translated into most European languages and even into Arabic. A Hungarian translation was also produced in 1772 by no smaller poet than György Bessenyei under the title Az embernek próbája. To the products of this especially creative decade belong also the Imitations of Horace (1733-38), a series of Horatian satires, which – in spite of the title – are often regarded as Pope’s most original and most characteristic achievements. They give a satirical vision of England in the time of George II and attack the corruption of Robert Walpole’s system (see below), as well as the cultural mediocrity of the royal court and of the whole era.

English literature 1660-1900

Tartalomjegyzék


Kiadó: Akadémiai Kiadó

Online megjelenés éve: 2018

ISBN: 978 963 454 261 2

A history of the English literature is presented here, with a scope on the years 1660 to 1900. The book is written in three main parts; beginning with the Restoration Period of the 17th century, followed by the first, and second halves of the 18th century. Thus, a sequential development of literary genres is presented, with explorations of the key figures and texts which drove these. The book also synthesises the historical, cultural and sociological background which gave rise to this literature, and allows the reader to effectively contextualise these.

Hivatkozás: https://mersz.hu/barcsak-pellerdi-english-literature-1660-1900//

BibTeXEndNoteMendeleyZotero

Kivonat
fullscreenclose
printsave