Genre Studies-Unit-II Age of Johnson

Unit-II 

Age of Johnson

General Characteristics of the age

Dr. Samuel Johnson is the representative writer of the second half of the eighteenth century. It is an era of change from pseudo- classicism to romanticism. So this period is called a transition period.

1. Decline of the Party Feud

The rivalry between the Whigs and Tories had lost its bitterness. So there was a decline in the activity of political pamphleteering. The patronage of noblemen also declined. So the men of letter had to depend entirely of the public.

2. The French revolution

The French revolution of 1789 was the climax of the long diffused unrest. Revolutionary ideas gave birth to democratic and humanitarian feelings and influenced literature.

3. Renaissance of Learning

This period is characterized by a mild Renaissance of Learning. This Renaissance revealed itself in literature in the study and editing of old authors like Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton and research into archaic literary forms like the ballad. The publication of Bishop Percy's 'Reliques' in 1765 contained some beautiful ballads. It is a landmark in the history of romantic movement. There was a swift rise of historical literature. Gibbon, Hume and Robertson were celebrated historians.

4. The New Realism

The birth of a new spirit of inquiry was at the root of realism which is conspicuous in the novels and poetry of this period.

5. The Rise of Middle Class

The rise of the middle class did not destroy the authority and influence of the aristocracy. The fusion of aristocracy and middle class began inthe age of Pope was complete in the age of Johnson. The middle class appropriated classicism with its moralizing needs. The emergence of middle class led to the rise of sentimentalism, feelings and emotions. In the Age of Pope religion was formal, utilitarian and unspiritual. The great evangelical revival led by Wesley and Whitefield abandoned the old formalism. A mighty tide of spiritual energy poured into church and the masses.

6. The Humanitarian Spirit

There was a rapid growth of democracy. It led to the spirit of humanitarianism. The philosophy of Rousseau and the French Revolution popularized the democratic ideals. It resulted in the rapid spread of the spirit of humanitarianism. Stress was laid on the individual worth of man.

7. An Age of Transition

This period was clearly an age of Transition. On one hand we have poets like Johnson and Goldsmith who slavishly follow the augustan tradition. At the other extreme we find poets like Blake and Burns at the closing years of the century who herald the new age of romanticism. Between these two extremes we have poets like Gray and Collins who share both the romantic and classic characters.