Assignment : 5 : The Romantic Literature
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Assignment
Name : Parmar Krupa Jivabhai
Roll No : 20
Enrollment No : 2069108420180040
M.A.Sem. : 2
Year : 2017-19
Email id : parmarkrupaj25@gmail.com
Paper No : 5 - The Romantic Literature
Submitted To : Department of English Bhavnagar
Topic : The development of prose in the Romantic
age
Introduction :-
The novel of
the different kind of the prose composition. The novel showed in this period
the most marked development. This was largely due to the work of Scott and Jane
Austen, who respective established the historical and domestic types of novel,
with regard to the rank of one of the major kinds of literature; he brought to
it knowledge, and through the divine gift of knowledge made it true to life, he
fired historical character with living energy ;he set on foot the device of the
unhistorical hero- that is, he made the chief character purely fictitious ,and
caused the historical person to rotate about it; he established a style that
suited many periods of history and pervading all these advance was a great and
genial personality that transformed what might have been more lumber into an
artistic product of truth. Miss Austin`s achievement was of a different kind.
She revealed the beauty and interest that underline ordinary affairs. She displayed
the infinite of common life, and so she opened an inexhaustible vein that her
successors were assiduously to develop.
(1) Sir Walter Scott :-
About 1814 Scott largely gave up writing poetry and saves for pieces,
mainly in the novels, wrote no more in verse. As he confessed in the last year
of his life, Byron had `bet’ him by producing verse tales that were first
swelling up the popularity of his own. In 1814, Scott returned to a fragment of
a Jacobean prose romance that he had started and left unfinished in 1805. He
left the opening chapters as they stood, and on to them tacked a rapid and
brilliant narrative dealing with the forty-five. This made the novel waverely,
which was issued anonymously in 1814. Owing chiefly to its sponsored and
lifeless beginning ,the book hung fire for a space but the remarkable remainder
was almost bound to make it success .After Waverley Scott went on from strength
to strength: Guymannering (1815),The antiquary (1810), the black dwarf
(1816),old morality (1810) , Robroy (1818), The Heart of Midlothian (1818), The
bride of Lammermoor (1819) ,and a legend of Montrose (1819).All these novels
deals with scenes in Scotland , but not all with historical Scotland. They are
not of equal merit, and the weakest is the black dwarf. Scott now turned again to
Scotland suffered failure with the monastery (1820),through the triumphantly
rewarded rehabilitated himself with the abbot (1820) ,(1820), a sequel to the
last henceforth he ranged abroad or stayed at home as he fancied in Kenilworth
(1821), The pirate(1822),The fortunes of Nigel (1822), Peveril of the peak
(`823) Quentin Durwared (1823), St Roman`s well (1824) Redgauntlrd (1824), The
betrothed (1825). By this time, such enormous productivity was telling even on his
gigantic powers. In the letter books the narratives is often heavier, the
humour more cumbrous, and the descriptions more laboured.
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His contribution to the
novel:-
His
contribution to the novel is great indeed, to the historical novel he brought a
knowledge that was not pedantically exalt, but manageable, wide and beautiful.
His novels are old English baron (1777), and miss porter`s. The Scottish chief
(1810), had been life less productions, but in the hand of Scott the historical
novel became of the first importance, He has also developed domestic
novels like guy Mannering and the
antiquary. To this type of fiction, he added freshness as, well as his broad
and handing of character and incident.
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His Shakespearian
qualities:-
Scott has often been called the prose
Shakespeare. He resembles Shakespeare in the free manner in which he ranges
high and low ,right and left, in his search for material on the other hand, in
his character- drawing he lacks much of the Elizabethan `s deep penetration.
His villains are often melodramatic and his heroes and heroines wooden and
dull. His best figures are either lowland Scots of the middle and lower class or eccentrics, whose idiosyncrasies are skilfully kept within
bounds, He has much of Shakespeare’s genial, tolerant humour, in which he
strongly resembles also his great predecessor Fielding. It is probably in this
large urbanity that the resemblance to Shakespeare is observed most strongly.
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His Style:-
The following extract will give
some idea of Scott’s as its best. It lacks suppleness, but it is powerful,
solid, and sure. In his use of the Scottish vernacular, he is exceedingly
natural and vivacious. His characters who employ the Scottish dialect, such as
Cuddie Headrigg or Jeanie Deans, owe their freshness and attraction to Scott’s
happy use of their native speech.
“Fergus,
as the presiding, judge was putting
On
the fatal cap of judgement, placed
His
own bonnet upon his head, regarded
Him
with a steadfast and a stern look,
And
replied in a firm voice, “I cannot let
This
numerous audience suppose”
That to such appeal I have no answer to make. But what I have to say you
would not bear to hear, for my defence would be your condition .proceed then in
the name of god, to do what is permitted to you yester day and the day before
you have condemned loyal and honourable blood to be poured forth like water
spanot mine were that of all my ancestor in my veins, I would have periled it
in this quarrel.” He resumed his seat, and refused again to rise.
(2) Jane Austen (1775-1817) :
The chronology Jane Austin’s novels are too easy to follow, for her
works were not published in their order of composition.
Her first novel was pride and prejudice (1796-97) published 1813. In it
, as in her all works we have middle class, people pursuing the common round
the heroine is a girl of spirit , but she has no extra ordinary qualities , her
prejudice and the pride of rank and wealth are gently but pleasingly titillated
,as if they are being subjected to an electric current of carefully selected
intensity. The style is smooth an unobtrusive but covers a delicate pricking of
irony that is agreeable and masterly in its quiet way.
Sense and sensibility (1797-98) published 1811 was her second novel,
it’s followed the same general lines as its predecessor. It was followed by
Northanger Abby 91798, published posthumously 1818).
Between 1798 and 1811 there was a pause in her writing , but then
followed in quick succession her other three great novel, Mansfield park
(1811-13, published. 1814), Emma (1815, published 1816 ) and, Persuasion
(1815-16, and published 1818) Jane
Austen`s novels are all much the same ,yet subtly and artistically different.
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Feature of her novels
i ) Her plots:-
Her skilfully
constructed plots are severely unromantic, her first work, beginning as a
burlesque of the horrible in fiction, finishes by being an excellent example of
her ideal novel. As her art develops, even the slight casualties of common
life-such an incident, for example, as the elopement that appears in result
that the later novels, such as Emma, are the pictures of everyday existence
Life in her novels governed by an easy decorum and moments of fierce passion,
or even deep emotion never occur, only the highest art Can make such plots
attractive and Jane Austen is does so.
ii ) Her Characters:-
Her
characters are developed with minuteness and accuracy. They are ordinary
people, but are convincingly alive. She is fond of introducing clergymen, all
of whom strike the reader as being exactly like clergyman, though each has his
own individual characteristics. She has many characters of the first class.
Like the servile Mr Collins in pride and prejudice, the garrulous miss Bates in
Emma and the selfish and vulgar John Thorpe in Northanger abbey. Her characters
are not types but individuals. Her method of portrayal is based upon acute
observation and a quiet but incisive irony. Her male characters have a certain
softness of thaw and temper, but her female characters are almost
unexceptionable in perfection of finish.
Her qualities are kinds of that are slow to be recognized, for there is
nothing. Loud of garish to catch the casual glance the taste for this kind of
fiction has to be acquired, but once it is acquired, it remains strong. Jane
Austen has won her way to a foremost place and she will surely keep it.
3) Maria Edge worth:-
Her books are numerous but are today little read, though they enjoyed
great popularity in her own day. They fall into three classes, short stories
for children Such as simple Susan, which were collected in ‘The parent’s
Assistant(1795-1800) and Early Lessons (1801-15, Irish Lakes, which in clued
her best works, Castle Kackrent (1800) The Absentee (1809) Patronage (1814) and
Harington(1817). Her field is the limited domestic circle also explored by the
Jane Austen and like the latter, she writes in simple, unaffected style. Sir
Walter Scott declared that,
“Her
tales of something Irish life
Inspires
his attempt to do something
Similar
for Scotland”
4) John Galt (1779 –
1839)
The best of his novels are the Ayrshire legates or the Pringles Family
(1891) in the form of a letter series, containing much amusing Scottish
narrative. The annals of the parish (1821), his masterpiece, which is the
record of a fictitious country minister
,doing in prose very much what crabbed had done in verse provost (1822) and the
entail; or The lairds of grippy (1823). Galt had a vigorous style and abundant
imagination with a great deal of humour
and sympathetic observation. He is too haphazard and uneven to be a great
novelist, through he has value as a painter of Scottish manners. And his
portraits are masterly in their terseness and power of self-revelation.
5) William Harrison
Ainsworth (1805-62)
An early imitator of Scott Ainsworth wrote a great number of novels,
which cover many periods of English history. The first was Sir John Chiverton
(1826) written in collaboration with John Aston, but his great success. With
Rook Wood (1834). A few of many others were jack Sheppard (1840), old St.
Paul`s (1841), an immense success .The tower of London (1840), old St. Paul’s
(1841), window castle (1843).The star chamber (1854) constable of the tower
(1861), and prestan fight , or the Insurrection of 1715 (1875).
6) George P.R. James (1801 -60)
James another follower of the method of Scott and he was responsible for
hundred and eighty-nine volumes chiefly novels. A tale of France (18290 which
bears a strongly resemblance to Quentin Durward, was his earliest, and it by
many considered to be his best novel. Others include Darnley or the field of
the cloth of gold (1830), The Gipsy and Lord Montagu’s page (1858).He has
little power in dealing with his character and no imaginative grasp of history.
In style, he is pompous and monotonous and his dialogue is stilted and formal.
7) Thomas Love Peacock
(1785 -1866)
His fame rests upon his novels rather than his verse. He wrote seven
novels Headlong Hall (1810) Melincourt (18170) Night more Abbey (1818),
Crotchet Castle (1831), and Grayll Grange (1860), in all these novels there was
contain well-recounted incidents. His favourite but was the contemporary cult
of romanticism and all who practised it. Like Wordsworth, Shelley, Byron etc.
His novels consist mainly of discussions phrased in concise polished, scholarly
style, full of wit and pointed satire
8) Washington Irving
(1783 -1859):-
He was the American novelist to establish European reputation, His
history of New York (1809) was the comic history of an imaginary, Dutchman
called knickers broker. His 'The Sketchbook' (1820) brought his name before the
English people. The volume is collection of short tales , those of two
favourites as kip van winkle and of sleepy hollow, it was followed by brace
bridge hall (1822) , a series of sketches of the life of the English
squirearchy done in the Addisonian manner. His another works are tales of a
traveller (1829), Legends of the Alhambra (1832).His historical works, such as
history of the life and voyages of Columbus (1828), the concludes of Granda
(1829) and his life of Washington (1859), more noteworthy for the ease of their
narrative than for deep learning or insight.
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Writers of miscellaneous
prose :- (1775-1834)
(i) Charles Lambs
Lamb started his literary career as a poet, he has also written takes
and also written critical work, the most substantial selection of which is to
be found in his specimens of English dramatic poets, who lived about the time
of Shakespeare (1808), is remarkable for its delicate insight and good literary
taste.
The first of his essays appeared in the London magazine in 1820, when
lamb was forty-five years old. It was signed `elizaza’.The original series was
published as the essays of Elias (1823) and a second under the title of the
last essays of Elias (1833).The essays are unequalled in English. In
subject they are of the usual miscellaneous kind,raning from chimney sweeps to
old china, They are touched with personal opinions no essayist is more
egotistical than lamb but no egoist can be so artless and yet so pedantic and yet so humane. It is delicate
clashing of humours, like the chiming of sweet bells that affords the chief
delight to lamb`s readers.
It is almost impossible to do justice to his style, It is old fashioned
and bearing echoes from older writer
like sir Thomas Browne and faller, it is full of long and curious word and it
is dashed with frequent exclamations and parentheses. The humour that runs
through it all is not strong, but airy, almost elfish, in note; it vibrates
faintly. But application never lacks precision. His pathos is of much the same
character and something as in “Dream Children”; it deepens into a quivering
sigh of regret. He is so sensitive and so strong, so cheerful and yet so unutterably
doomed to sorrow, the extract given below deals with the playhouse. The reader
can easily observe some of the above- mentioned features of his style,
“In
those days were pit orders, beshrew the uncomfortable manager
Who
abolished them with one of these we went, I remember the waiting
At
the door-not that which is left –but between that an inner door in
Shelter-o
when shall I be such an expectant again –with the cry of
Nonpareils
and indispensable play house accompaniment in those
Days,
as near I can recollect the fashionable pronunciation of the
Theatrical
fruitiness then was chase some oranges, chase some
Nonpareils,
chase a bill of the play.”
Every aspect of lamb`s character and thought is to be found still more
cleanly revealed in the natural, intimate letters, which cover the last thirty
five years of his life. Among his many correspondents were Wordsworth,
Coleridge, Southey, and Hazlitt.
(ii) William Hazlitt
(1778-1830)
The period now under review is very rich in critical and miscellaneous
work of the writers of literary criticism Hazlitt may be taken as
representative. Hazlitt’s writings constituted of miscellaneous philosophical
and political work, which are of interest for the light they through upon his
mind, but are now little read. His reputation rests on the lectures and essays
on literary and general subjects all published between 1815 and 1825 of the
former we have his lectures and characters of Shakespeare’s plays(1817).The
English poets(1818),The English comic writers(1819) and The Dramatic literature
of the Age of Elizabeth(1820).His best essays were collected in the round
table(1817),Table talk, or original essays on men and manners(1821-22) and the
spirit of the age; or Contemporary portraits(1825).His writing is
remarkable for its fearless expression
of an honest and individual opinion.
In style, Hazlitt contrasts strongly with the elaborate orchestration of
the complex sentence and magic of delicate word tracery. His essays have mainly
simplicity the following extract is of interest as showing his courageous
exposition of an opinion diametrically opposed so that generally accepted, on
the relative merits of Addison and Steele in his lectures on the English comic
writers
‘’It will be said, that all this is to be found,
in the same or a greater degree, in the spectator, for myself, I do not think
so, or at least, there is in the last work a much greater proportion of
commonplace matter I have on this account, always preferred the tattler to the
spectator whether it is owing to my having been earlier or better acquainted
with the one than the other, my pleasure in reading these two admirable works
is not at all in proportion to their comparative reputation ".
Some other miscellaneous writer had done also a great job as De quiency, savage Landor, Sydney smith, Johnwilson, Lockhart, Francis Jeffery etc. but Lamb and Hazlitt both were more popular writers among them during the age.
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