Abstract This article explores the themes of religious hypocrisy rife in the literature of eighteenthcentury England. It utilizes the texts of "The Vicar of Wakefield", "Joseph Andrews", and "The Way of the World" to reveal the convergence of both early novel and constant drama as exposers of the Church of England and its contradictions.
Abstract This paper examines how eighteenthcentury English experienced a dramatic change in its culture and their economy. As the boundaries of the United Kingdom expanded world over, its interaction with several other cultures increased. The paper shows that because of this increased interaction with other cultures, the British culture itself went through a cultural change. In addition to this, several developments made in the areas of science and technology led towards an industrial revolution in England. The paper discusses how, as a result of the industrial revolution, the merchant class emerged as one of the most influential and authoritative group. Considering the enormous growth potential in the industrial sector, the English society adopted a purely mercantilist approach towards trade and commerce. The paper shows that with the increase in industrial developments in the region, the rural population of the country started to shift to the urban areas and thus the overall societal structure of England was changed.
From the Paper "All these developments made a far-reaching impact on the British culture. The consequences of the Industrial Revolution not only brought a change in population but also led to a drastic change in many societal aspects. It totally changed the utilization of labor in the British economy, the family structure, the economic system, the educational system and most importantly the individual's life style. The merchant class of England was the mostly affected group in this regard, as it composed of a considerable number of those people who previously belonged to the rural population. These individuals later totally changed their way of living, which was obviously a result of their exposure to the urban culture, increase in their income and changes in the society because of industrial revolution."
Abstract This paper analyzes the physical and chemical properties of the constituent elements used in typical eighteenthcentury watercolors. The structure of the sheet of paper, the function of the sizing, as well as the properties and drying of the gum Arabic and the coloration and permanence of pigments are discussed.
From the Paper "Indigo is a deep, transparent blue that is no longer used as a permanent colour. As it is not entirely light-proof, it absorbs a lot of light but also reflects some depending on the thickness and density of the paint when applied on the surface of the rag paper and the surrounding colours. Its permanence as a pigment considered to be problematic because it tends to fade or even flake if not properly diluted. However, artists can create a very attractive tonal effect, especially when used with compatible surrounding colours."
Abstract This paper explains that the eighteenthcentury period of the English royal court and the British aristocracy represents an attempt to acquire the accouterments of classical antiquity, which led to their mass consumption of forms of art, literature, philosophy and even politics. The representation of political philosophy in British great houses, gardens and portraits, the author points out, was dictated by the political and social elites of eighteenthcentury England, which in turn were dominated by the aristocracy and gentry. The paper reviews the works of various artisans, such as the architect Robert Adams.
From the Paper "Reuse of earlier styles occurred during the second half of the eighteenth century. Robert Adam (1728-1792) is regarded as the initiator of the Classic Revival. The spirit of the times encouraged greater interest in the past with a new attitude toward history. Interest in the past, in its history and monuments, increased as time went on, and the excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii (after 1748) gave it popular appeal. Adam's is considered by many to be the greatest architect of the late 18th century, and a leader of the neo-classical revival in England and Scotland."
Abstract The EighteenthCentury was a time of profound change and upheaval in the Western world. Alexander Pope, Samuel Pepys, and Jonathan Swift were among the most prominent of 18th century writers, and each left his mark on literature. This paper examines how the 1700s were characterized by the impact of social stratification on all aspects of life, including food, fashion, society, furnishings, and even literature.
From the Paper "Born in 1688, Alexander Pope is a well-known 18th century writer perhaps most famous for his works The Rape of the Lock, An Essay on Criticism, and a translation of Homer's Iliad. He was well known for his controversial stands, and often attacked other writers, and his satire was well known. The Rape of the Lock is simply the story of a young woman who has a lock of hair stolen, despite the intimation of the title. He uses literary allusion in the poem, largely making it a sometimes seemingly bizarre writing on a trivial theft in the style of a great epic poem. In sum, ?Pope will still stand out, not perhaps as a master-genius, but as the typical man of letters and as the great representative English poet of the first half of the eighteenth century" (Malaspina Great Books)."
Abstract This paper attempts to trace the history of English Literature starting from the Anglo- Saxon period to the EighteenthCentury. The paper attempts to trace the changes through the various important works of the great writers throughout history.
From the Paper "A look at the poetic tradition of that age shows that most of the old English poetry was more or less intended to be chanted, accompanied with a harp, by the Anglo-Saxon harp scop or bard (Encarta). The poetry was often bold and strong, but at the same time mournful and elegiac in its spirit. The subjects that this poetry expressed were the sorrow and the ultimate futility of life and lamented the helplessness of humans before the power of their fate. The versification pattern of almost all of this poetry was that it was composed without rhyme, in a characteristic line or verse of four stressed syllables alternating with an indeterminate number of unstressed syllables (Encarta). This form of versification strikes strangely, as it is different from the usual modern pattern. Hence this pattern becomes the striking feature of the era of Anglo-Saxon literature. Another striking feature in the formal character of the Old English poetry is structural alliteration that is the use of syllables beginning with similar sounds in two or three of the stresses in each line(Encarta)."
Abstract Contrary to assumptions about the position of women before the twentieth century, they were often able to gain power through several devices. This paper looks at how often in seventeenth and eighteenthcentury texts, woman are seen exerting themselves, verbally sparring on par with men, manipulating their supposed superiors, essentially outwitting them in their own games during a time the modern reader expects to see women subjugated, undereducated and suppressed. The texts examines include Aphra Behn's "The Rover", Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock" and Jonathon Swift's "Gulliver's Travels".
From the Paper "Unlike The Rover, the rage and indignation of a woman scorned cause battle to be fought in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. The mock battle scene at the ombre table sets up the actual battle quite well. Belinda seems to stand tall as Athena when she throws her cards on the table winning the war between the sexes. She is forceful in her moves to call trump and take tricks, but when the real battle begins, the crux of Pope's mock epic, for a moment she wavers. She is helpless until she becomes angry."
Abstract This paper is an examination of the Pietist religious movement which stressed education and hard work, and how it influenced the Prussian State of the Holy Roman Empire during the early eighteenthcentury. By improving society's social values, as well as disciplining and strengthening the military, the Pietist movement's influence, under Frederick William I, made Prussia a stronger and more stable force in the empire.
There is a good bibliography, but no footnotes, or endnotes.
From the Paper "The Pietist movement first gained a foothold in Brandenburg-Prussia following the exile of Spener and Francke from Saxony in 1690. In Brandenburg, the University of Halle was established, and Spener and Francke began preaching freely, in Berlin and the university respectively. Frederick I banned the two from being spoken out against by Lutheran opposition, and even channeled religious debates through them for their opinions. This close alignment with the Hohenzollern court proved vital to the spread of Pietism throughout Prussia under Frederick William I. The popularity and reputation of the University of Halle, which attracted more than 1200 students in just twenty-five years, also helped the new movement flourish."
Abstract The paper gives a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of taking part in the Grand Tour in the eighteenthcentury - a tour around Europe that the aristocracy embarked upon during this period.The main points include advantages such as health, cultural knowledge leading to modernisation throughout Britain and general pleasure including activities such as sex and gambling. Disadvantages include cost, crime and loss of health.
From the Paper "Young tourists found that tourism opened more opportunity for sexual adventure, seen in Britain as a less acceptable pastime due to the high standards of morality in Britain (as Douglas Hay and Nicholas Rogers describe "improvident, dissolute" sexual relations were seen to be a big problem and in need of reformation and sex was also illegal before marriage) as well as the problems that could arise - not only venereal disease. Many tourists went abroad to attend brothels and due to the generosity of foreign prostitutes because of the restrictions in Britain. Black also describes how what was seen as immoral in Britain was overlooked abroad so this would therefore be seen as a benefit of the Grand Tour by those who engaged in sex abroad."
Abstract A detailed analysis of the processes of fictionalisation and alterity amongst Eighteenth-Century French philosophers, with particular reference to the work of Diderot, Prevost and Rousseau. The paper also draws on the criticism of Kristeva and Todorov.
From the Paper "In attempting to portray the foreign Other, many eighteenth-century authors grappled with issues of fictional representation. This is particularly problematic when the figure of the Other is being employed, as it was in many cases, to act as a mouthpiece for the philosophical truths that the writer wished to convey. The inevitability of the process of fictionalisation is brought about not despite the intentions of these authors but precisely because of the agenda with which they approached the creation of their texts."
Abstract Included are the Church of England, the Catholic religion, the protestant religion, and many types just becoming popular during this period such as Unitarianism, Baptist, Methodist, and such. Included in the discussion is the expansion of England as a dominant force in Europe and its effect on the government's willingness to maintain a low-key attitude about religion. The latter portion of the eighteenthcentury ushered in a new era of freedom of religion and the key points leading up to this are discussed herein.
Abstract A book review of Barges' "An Introduction to English Literature" designed to educate the reader about the rich history of English Literature. Further, the book itself is written by renown author Jorge Luis Barges. His analysis concerning English Literature is focused in: The Anglo Saxon Period; The Fourteenth Century; The Seventeenth Century; The EighteenthCentury; Nineteenth Century Prose; Nineteenth Century Poetry and the end of the Nineteenth Century. Such topics are useful when presenting the reader with a thorough understanding of the history of English literature and writers.
From the Paper "The author's preface begins with a general introduction on how essential English Literature is to our society as a whole. Borges also offers the reader a glimpse, of how he strategically compiled essential information concerning the history of English Literature, and writers in sixty-eight pages of text. Evidently, English Literature imparts a wealth of critical information. Further, Borges goes on to explain the significance of English literature: Of all the vernacular literatures which developed during the Middle Ages on the fringe of literature in Lain, that of England is one of the oldest. To put it another way, there are few other texts that can be attributed to the end of the seventh or the beginning of the eight centuries of our era."
Explores the way in which female characters in eighteenth centry novels such as Samuel Richardson's 'Pamela' and Daniel Defoe's 'Moll Flanders' subverted sociaetal values and norms of the period.
800 words (approx. 3.2 pages), 0 sources, 2002, $ 28.95
Abstract An analysis of the options for women who wanted to secure financial security in the eighteenthcentury-particularly the marriage market. This paper shows the romantic concept of the idealized, passive female and observes how female characters subverted this ideal by gaining power through passivity. It focuses on the role of the conduct book and contemporary ideas about female education applied to 'Pamela' and 'Moll Flanders'.
From the Paper "Male values undeniably predominated eighteenth century society and directed people in the ways that they could behave in order to be socially acceptable. Interestingly, though, all the major speakers in the early novel are women, for example, Moll Flanders, Roxana, Pamela, Clarissa, etc. How then, did these heroines react to the difficulties of living in a time when every aspect of their lives was governed by the laws of men, for men? Here, I shall explore the textual evidence to discuss whether women in literature found ways to subvert the rules of eighteenth century society, and exert their own influence over their lives or whether they did, in fact, succumb to the norms of society and allow themselves to be dominated by males."
Abstract This five-page paper presents a detailed discussion about the changes that occurred in English literature from the Anglo Saxon period through the eighteenthcentury. The writer discusses subject matter, language, and style while comparing and contrasting the eras.
