Hello Friends!

 

Its me Reshma who is going to write a blog given as a Thinking Activity on the topic given below:

Thinking Activity- 1

  

1) Compare the general Characteristics of the Elizabethan Age and Neoclassical Age

ELIZABETHAN AGE (1550 - 1630)

General characteristics of the Elizabethan Age:

• The Elizabethan Age, which lasted from 1558 to 1603, was a period of relative peace and prosperity in England.

• It was characterized by a flowering of artistic, literary, and intellectual culture, which is sometimes referred to as the "English Renaissance".

• The general trend of that age was that of romantic excess and extravagances.

NEOCLASSICAL AGE or AUGUSTAN AGE or THE AGE OF REASON (1700 - 1798)

General characteristics of the Neoclassical Age:

• On the other hand, the Neoclassical Age in English Literature spanned from the later half of the 17th Century to the end of the 18th Century.

• It was a period marked by a return to classical ideals and values, such as reason,order, and restraint.

• The general trend of this age was that of a more formal and structured approach to literature.

• To compare the two ages, we can say that while the Elizabethan Age was characterized by romanticism and extravagances, the Neoclassical Age was marked by a return to classical ideals and values. The Elizabethan Age was also a time of relative peace and prosperity, while the Neoclassical Age saw significant social and political upheaval.

Conclusion:

In conclusion both ages were significant periods in English literature. The Elizabethan Age saw a flourising of artistic and intellectual culture, while the Neoclassical Age marked a return to classical ideals and values. while both ages had their own unique characteristics, they contributed significantly to the  development of English literature as we know it today. 

Thinking Activity - 2

2)Who is your favourite Writer and the favourite text from the Neoclassical Age?How he is different from the writers of Elizabethan Age and Romantic Age?

Robert Burns

• Biography:

Born: 25 January 1759, Alloway, U.K

Died: 21 July, 1796, Dumfries, U.K

Nationality: Scottish

Other names: Rabbie Burns, The National Bard, and Bard of Ayshire

Spouse: Jean Armour

Famous Works: Auld Lang Syne, To A Mouse, Halloween, A Red, Red Rose(poem)etc.

• POEM: A Red, Red Rose

 

'A Red, Red Rose 'is a 1794 song in Scots by Robert Burns based on traditional sources. The song is also referred to by the title "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" and is often published as a poem. And a most famous of all Scottish love songs.

• Overriding theme of the poem: power of love.

• How Robert Burn is different from the writers of Elizabethan Age and Romantic Age?

-There are few key differences between Robert Burns and the
writers of the Elizabethan and Romantic eras:

-Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist who wrote in the late 18th century. He is considered a pioneer of the Romantic movement, but his writing career slightly preceded the main Romantic period in the early 19th century.

-The Elizabethan era writers flourished during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century. Major names includes Willam Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spencer, and others. Their writing was characterized by lavish language, themes of nationalism and exploration, and a flowering of poetry and drama.

- The Romantic era writers emerged in the late 18th century and early 19th centuries as a reaction against the Enlightenment and industrialization. Leading Romantic writers included Willam Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, P.B.Shelley and others. Their works emphasized emotion, imagination, and connection with nature.

- Compared to the Elizabethans, Burns wrote in a simpler, more direct style and focused on themes of common humanity versus high drama. He was inspired by folklore and Scottish cultural tradition.

- Compared to later Romantics, Burns works were generally more grounded in realism and everyday life versus escapism. He wrote before the full emergence of Romantic idealism.

- So in conclusion, Burns shares qualities with both earlier Elizabethan writers in his use of colloquial language, and late Romantic writers in his emotional expressiveness and admiration for nature and common people. But his writing style and themes are also distinct and mark a transition between these literary eras.

Thinking activity - 3

3) Sharing our presentation which we presented in the classroom. Attached with the blog.

Thinking activity - 4

4)Describe any one thing about this age which i look upto:

-One aspect of the Neoclassical age that I admire is the emphasis on order, reason and rationality in literature and the arts.

Some key things about the Neoclassical approach that I appreciate:

- The focus on logic, structure, and form

- Neoclassical writers and artists favoured an ordered, logical approach, with clearly defined rules and priciples. This can be seen in the poetic forms popularized in this age like the heroic couplet, and the use of rhyme schemes.

- The imitation of classical Greek and Roman models - Neoclassical artists  looked back to the ideals of  harmony, symmetry.

- Satire and social criticism - Neoclassical writers like Alexander Pope used the forms of satire, parody and criticism to provide commentryon society.

- Belief in universal truths - The Neoclassicists valued universal truths and insights into human nature.

- Rejection of superstition.

- Overall, I admired the measured, reasoned approach of the Neoclassicists. - The emphasis on order, logic and human insights still resonates.

👍👍👍👍👍👍 !!