2. JOHN MILTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES, POPE, DRYDEN, JOHNSON AND THE NEOCLASSICAL POETRY OF THE LATE 17TH AND EARLY 18TH CENTURY

What were John Milton's contributions in the 1640s?

Milton supported the English republic, writing political treatises and advocating for regicide. He served as Latin Secretary and translated official correspondence.

What is the theme of Milton's Paradise Lost?

Paradise Lost explores the Fall of Man, focusing on Satan’s rebellion, Adam and Eve's temptation and sin, and their expulsion from Eden. It discusses themes like free will, obedience, rebellion, and the nature of good and evil.

What is Paradise Regained about?

Paradise Regained is a sequel to Paradise Lost, focusing on Christ’s temptation in the wilderness by Satan, and his moral victory. It contrasts with Paradise Lost, which is about the loss of paradise.

What was Milton's role during the Restoration?

Milton wrote Paradise Lost during and after the Restoration, a time when monarchy returned in England, offering a critique of political and religious themes in light of his republican ideals.

What did John Bunyan's work focus on?

John Bunyan focused on spiritual journeys, religious allegories, and the torments of Protestantism. His most famous work, The Pilgrim's Progress, depicts a character's journey to salvation

What is the main theme of The Pilgrim’s Progress?

The Pilgrim’s Progress is a religious allegory, focusing on Christian’s journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, symbolizing the path to salvation.

How did John Bunyan's imprisonment impact his writing?

Bunyan’s imprisonment (1660-1672) for preaching against the established Church influenced his writing, allowing him to express the Nonconformist conscience and spiritual struggles of the Protestant believer.

What are the key characteristics of Neoclassical poetry?

Neoclassical poetry emphasizes order, reason, restraint, and the imitation of classical models. It includes satire, social commentary, and often uses the heroic couplet.

What is the significance of Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock?

The Rape of the Lock is a mock-epic poem that satirizes high society by turning a trivial incident—the cutting of a lock of hair—into a grand epic event.

What is Pope’s An Essay on Criticism about?

An Essay on Criticism outlines Pope’s views on the standards of literary criticism, emphasizing the importance of adhering to classical ideals and proper taste in literature.

What is the theme of John Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel?

Absalom and Achitophel is a political allegory that uses the biblical story of Absalom’s rebellion to comment on contemporary political events, particularly the Exclusion Crisis in England.

What is the significance of Dryden’s Mac Flecknoe?

Mac Flecknoe is a satirical poem that mocks the playwright Thomas Shadwell, portraying him as the heir to the throne of dullness and ineptitude.

What are some of Samuel Johnson's major works?

Johnson’s major works include The Vanity of Human Wishes and London. Both explore moral and existential themes, reflecting Johnson's deep concern with ethics and human life.

What is the purpose of the heroic couplet in Neoclassical poetry?

The heroic couplet, a pair of rhymed iambic pentameter lines, was used in Neoclassical poetry to provide structure, order, and clarity, and to reflect the cultural values of reason and intellect.

What is the theme of Samuel Johnson's The Vanity of Human Wishes?

The Vanity of Human Wishes reflects on the futility of human ambitions and the inevitability of disappointment, highlighting the moral themes of Neoclassical poetry.

How did Dryden influence later writers like Pope?

Dryden’s use of the heroic couplet and his satirical and critical style laid the foundation for later Neoclassical poets like Alexander Pope, who continued to use poetry to critique society and uphold classical values.