Memory for your first year poetry lectures

The Augustan period is named after Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor from 63 BCE to 14 AD.
British writers referred to themselves as Augustans due to imperial ambitions and the desire for a peaceful, multicultural society conducive to art and wealth, mirroring the Roman Empire under Augustus.
During the Augustan period in Rome, Virgil and Horace wrote, with their texts rediscovered prior to Pope's era, inspiring British writers to create lasting works.

In 1660, Charles II returned from exile, marking the end of the republican commonwealth.
Charles II's return brought new ideas from his time in exile, similar to the influx of new ideas in South Africa in 1994.
Charles II reigned as King of England from 1660 to 1685.

Hobbes is considered the grandfather of sociology.
Hobbes's observation of King Charles' execution led him to believe that humans, not God, control society.
In his book, Leviathan, Hobbes argues that life in a state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
Hobbes advocated for a social contract to establish government and order, preventing chaos and ensuring survival.

Newton's work suggested that humans could understand the world through science, influencing the era's intellectual climate.
Newton's discoveries made people feel they could comprehend and control the world, paralleling Hobbes' ideas about human agency in society.

Our understanding and upbringing influence how we perceive the world.
Example: Someone knowledgeable about trees sees more than just "brown branch, something green on the top tree;" they identify species and understand the ecosystem.
The brilliant ideas of the time circulated in a less brilliant world, marked by disease and crime.

The penal code was harsh, and crime and disease were rampant.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine: exemplified the contradictions of the age; despite holding progressive ideas, he suffered from a severe case of syphilis.

Augustan writers like Pope often ignored the less savory aspects of the period, focusing on idealizing life and improvement.
Jonathan Swift was an exception, addressing the physical and disgusting elements of society in his poetry.
In Swift's poem, a character reels back in horror at the physical reality beneath Celia's beauty, highlighting Swift's willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.

Eighteenth-century poetry focused on public people, public events, and the general nature of human beings, contrasting with the modern focus on personal experiences.
Alexander Pope believed the proper study of mankind is man, emphasizing societal responsibilities and the role of poetry in that context.

Satire was a popular genre, defined by Samuel Johnson as a poem in which wickedness or folly is censured.
Wickedness: Truly evil acts
Folly: Silly or foolish behavior.
Pope attacked both wickedness and folly in The Rape of the Lock.
Juvenalian satire: savage, violent, and angry.
Pope attacked Lady Mary and Lord Harvey in an epistle, comparing Harvey to Sporus, whom Nero married in a fake wedding.
Pope describes Harvey as an insect with gilded wings, connecting him to an amphibious thing acting either part, the triumphing hedge or the corrupted heart.

Augustan writers imitated classical figures, like Horace and Virgil, to create lasting poetry.
By comparing Harvey to Sporus, Pope placed himself in a classical tradition of poetry.
New perspectives on science and society influenced the understanding of history.

Medieval paintings of the Virgin Mary often depicted her in medieval clothing and settings, lacking a sense of historical perspective.
With a new perception of history came the realization that their work would one day be seen as old and strange.
Horace Walpole predicted the next Augustan age would dawn on the other side of the Atlantic, with future travelers visiting the ruins of Saint Paul's.

London was a massive urban center, influencing the themes and settings of Augustan poetry.
Augustan poets wrote about both the city and idealized countryside settings.
Gardens and farms were portrayed as well-run and useful, with people as a central point of discussion.
Mister and Mrs. Andrews painting: Mrs. Andrews sits primly with a book, while Mr. Andrews looms over her with a shotgun, symbolizing property and potential instability.
Gardens like Starhead were created to be perfect nature, with temples and bridges emphasizing intellectual pursuits.

The restoration changed financial conditions for poets, with less support from wealthy patrons.
Poets like Pope and John Dryden acted as prophets, offering advice and understanding of the world to secure patronage and ensure poetry's survival.
To read more of Pope, try his "Essay on Man".

Augustan imagery was influenced by the classics, with imitations of classical figures and traditions.
Ordinary things, light and dark, were used as metaphors/similes.
Life was seen as a spiritual and physical battle, with poetry as the weapon for truth.