comparison between Neoclassical and romantic age

Introduction

    Now Classical and Romantic ages both are very crucial ages which had great fame during their times.  First comes the classical age which starts in 1700 and ends in 1798. This age is known as the Augustin age because the authors of the different fields like novelist, poet, prose writers imitate the style and pattern of Roman and Greece literature which was the era when Augustin was the ruler of England whose main writers were Horace and Virgil, and Homer. Therefore, this age is called the age of Augustine age because this era’s writers were copied and translated by the great writers and critics of the Neoclassical age. The main representative of the age is Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, denial Dafoe, Samuel Richardson, and Henry field.  On the other hand, Romanticism comes after the age of neoclassicism. It starts during the 18th century and emerges as a reaction against the age of Neoclassicism. The main representative of the age is William black, William words worth, ST Coleridge, who comes in the first group, are called lake poet, and Byron, PB shelly, Keats who are known as young poet of the age. Thus, both played a great role in their ages.

The difference between ages

    Classical age is known as the age of reason, or the age of enlightenment. The characteristics are based on empiricism, satire, irony, comedy, imitation of classics, political and social issues, individualism, and so on. Empiricism is based on personal experiences. For example, those persons had the freedom to write things which they had experienced in their lives. It was not necessary that only aristocratic and rich dominant people should impose their ideas to the people. This is also called individualism. In the same manner, the writer also used satire and irony in the age. It was very famous at the time because authors utilized satires and irony in their literary pieces to depict the social and political corruption of the society of the time. If one sees the novel (battle of the book) which is a satire written on john Dryden by Jonathan swift, and as well the great poet Alexander pope also writes satire. His book (the rape of the lock) is completely a satire was written at that time. It must be in the notice that they especially imitate the works and contributions of Augustine's age. Like Alexander pope translated the homer’s (Iliad and odyssey) in the heroic couplet which becomes profoundly famous.  Furthermore, this age was objective and they followed the rules of literary rules, for example, they used particular diction and style in their writing, and as well writing should be difficult which must compel readers to think rationally and logically which were as well appreciated during the age of Augustin. However, this age is criticized very much and called pseudo literature or fake literature. Because this age did not bring real things and natural things of Augustine age rather they were artificial.

    On the other hand, the romantic age was completely different from the above-mentioned age because this age did not focus on objectivity rather it focusses subjectivity. Here every individual had the right to choose their own way to write and show personal feelings and emotions. Whatever comes in the mind they put on the paper, no matter if they had any meaning or not. For example, if one sees the great ST Coleridge who wrote all his poetry like Kubla khan, the ancient Marine after seeing them in his dreams. In the meanwhile, they did not also follow rules and style in writing. Any writer had own style of writing. They praised that things be in a simple form that common people also must understand. The characteristics of the age are based on love and worship of nature, subjectivity, individualism, solitary life rather than life in society, freedom from rules, and they believe that imagination is superior to reason and respect devotion and beauty. Above mentioned things don’t show any reason rather all focus on imagination. For instance, William words worth who is known as the lover of nature, whose most of early poetry focus on nature. He shows dislikes urban life and praises countryside life where everything is calm and beautiful. Furthermore, this age got influenced by the French revolution which starts during this time which was against the monarchy, religion, and social differences and favored equality, citizenship, and human rights.

Conclusion

    In a nutshell, it proves that both were different in many aspects, among which one focuses the reason and the other focuses the imagination and nature. One focuses on the city and urban life and the other appreciate the life of the village. One is concerned more with rationality and the other is connected with emotions and feelings. One is in the love of searching meaning in the social activities and the other is in search of meaning in nature. However, it is clear that both differ from each other and, now what is better that depends on the reader of this time: The one who favors reason will say neoclassicism is better and the one who is a lover of nature will take the side of romanticism. 


By: Shahzad Naseem 

The writer is a post-graduate student from English Literature Department University of Turbat

Turbat Kech Balochistan