Introduction
The Augustan Age refers to an important period of eighteenth-century English literature. It is called the Augustan Age because English writers admired the literary achievements of the Roman Emperor Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE). During his reign, poets such as Virgil, Horace, and Ovid flourished. English poets followed these classical models, leading to a revival of Classicism.
What is Neo-Classical Poetry?
Augustan poetry is the poetry of the eighteenth century that was strongly influenced by Greek and Roman classical literature.
The Augustan poets believed that poetry should be controlled, refined, and well-structured. They preferred reason over emotion and followed established literary rules.
They also believed that poetry should have a purpose. It should not only give pleasure but also teach and improve the reader.
The word Neo-Classical is made up of two words:
- Neo – New
- Classical – related to the literature and culture of ancient Greece and Rome
Thus, Augustan poetry can be understood as a new revival of classical poetry.
Main Characteristics
- Reason over emotion
- Classical influence
- Following literary rules
- Satire
- Heroic couplet
- Wit and polished style
- Didactic purpose
- Themes of human behaviour
- Urban and social life
The poets believed that poetry should instruct as well as delight.
Heroic Couplet
The heroic couplet was the favourite verse form of the Augustan poets. It consists of two rhyming lines of iambic pentameter. The poets often used closed couplets in which the meaning was complete within the two lines.
Major Forms
Augustan poets used forms such as pastorals, verse epistles, odes, mock epics, sonnets, and ballads.
Among these, the mock epic became especially popular. In this form, a small or ordinary event is presented in the grand style of an epic.
Alexander Pope
Among the Augustan poets, Alexander Pope is one of the most important names. He began writing poetry when he was only sixteen and became a master of the heroic couplet.
His important works include:
- Pastorals
- An Essay on Criticism
- An Essay on Man
- The Rape of the Lock
- The Dunciad
- An Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot
- Ode on Solitude
- Translation of Homer
- Imitation of Horace
An Essay on Criticism
Published in 1711, An Essay on Criticism is a verse essay written in the Horatian mode and in heroic couplets. It discusses poetry and literary criticism. Dr. Samuel Johnsonin his work Life of Pope says that,
If Pope be not a poet, where is poetry to be found?
An Essay on Man
An Essay on Man is another important work by Pope. It is a philosophical verse essay dealing with human beings and their place in the larger order of the universe.
The Rape of the Lock
The Rape of the Lock is one of the best examples of the mock epic in English literature.
Pope uses the grand style of an epic poem to describe a small social incident. In this way, he creates humour while also making fun of the fashionable society of his time.
Other Important Augustan Poets
Apart from Alexander Pope, several other poets contributed to Augustan poetry.
Some important names include:
- Lady Mary Montagu – Court Poems, Town Eclogues
- Dr. Samuel Johnson – The Vanity of Human Wishes
- Matthew Prior
- John Gay – Trivia, or, the Art of Walking the Streets of Londo
Conclusion
Augustan poetry is characterised by classical influence, reason, order, wit, satire, and disciplined poetic form. It reflects the social and intellectual concerns of the eighteenth century. Alexander Pope, particularly through his mastery of the heroic couplet and mock epic, remains its most representative poet.
Later, the Romantic poets reacted against the formal and artificial style of Neo-Classical poetry and moved towards greater emphasis on natural language, emotion, and imagination.
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