John Milton as a classicist | Women novelists of victorian period | sir Roger De Coverly | Short questions of History of English Literature

Short questions of History of English Literature / John Milton as a classicist, Women novelists of Victorian period, sir Roger De Coverly.  Part -3 

Q. Discuss John Milton as a classicist.

Ans:

 Milton,a great puritan poet followed the classical rules of compositions as well as the forms of compositions. In Spirit, he was a Renaissance writer but in style he was a classicist. 

              1.Like the classical poets of ancient Greece and Rome, he adopted the forms of epic and sonnet such as "Paradise Lost", "Paradise Regained", "On his Blindness".

              2. Like the classical writers, he placed logic over emotion in his writing like Aeropagitica.

              3. Like the classical writers, he followed three unities in his writings like Samson Agonistes.

              4. In his writings, he had the purpose to shape, moderate and modify the life of his readers as was found in the writing of classical writers like the classical writers .

              5. Like the classical writers, he followed rhythm, rhyme,verse pattern, stanza pattern, diction in most of his writings. In consideration of all these Milton can be called a true classic  writer.

Q. Who were the prominent women novelists of the Victorian age.

Ans: 

 Victorian age was an age of diverse literary activities. The important genres of literature like prose, poetry and novel become popular in the Victorian age. Like the poets, the novelists wanted to focus the conflict of the age. Jane Austen is the supreme woman novelist of the Victorian age. At the end of the Romantic Era, Jane Austen attempted to write novel. Her famous novel "Pride and Prejudice" gives us a picture about the theme and subject matter of women novelists. Her best novels are "Sense and Sensibility" and "Emma". Jane Austen in her novel shows that women are mainly concerned with love and marriage. She deals with domestic life of women. She shows that "a good marriage" is the highest objective in the life of a girl. Her novel foreshadows  the life and experiences of women. She can be called a successful pioneer of women novelists.

                   Victorian women novelists were greatly influenced by Jane Austen. They have shown new ideas of life and society in their novel. They are no longer concerned with domestic life, emotional life of women, love and marriage. They took interest in various social affairs. The three Bronte sisters:- Charlotte,Emily and Anne made notable contribution to the English novel during the early part of Victorian era. Charlotte Bronte tries to focus the life of the middle class people, their sorrows, sufferings, dreams and expectations. After Jane Austen, she successfully portrayed the life of women. She wrote for the freedom of women.

                  The most important of the Victorian novelists is George Eliot. Her real name is Mary Ann Evans. She wrote under the pen name George Eliot. She wrote some famous novels like "Adam Bede", "The Mill on the Floss", "Silas Marner".

Q. Who is Sir Roger de Coverley?

Ans: 

Of Addison's various gifts as an essayist, the most important is definitely his rare character  portraits. The Spectator Papers are, no doubt, periodical essay. Addison along with Steele is found to portray here living human characters. Sir Roger de Coverley, who forms the chief intense of the essays, is presented graphically with all his human qualities and human deformities.

               The character of Sir Roger de Coverley is mostly revealed not through any direct description. This is rather brought out in various contexts, revealing distinctly his notions, ideas, reactions, attitudes, likes and dislikes. Sir Roger with all his qualities and eccentricities  come out through circumstantial details. Sir Roger is not merely an embodiment of qualities but a lively man who moves, talks and acts and in the process reveals his specific traits and qualities. Sir Roger's portrait is, all real living, with different aspects to show what he actually is. The essays reveal Sir Roger as kind and good but this is not told  in flat terms but brought out through his action and conduct and reaction to ì around him.

                  Sir Roger is good, kind, generous but eccentric too. These are the basic qualities of the old knight. All through the essays there are subtle touches, minute details, showing the same characteristic in different circumstances so that consistency is built up. The character gains incredibility and becomes life-like.

Short questions of History of English Literature

This content is written by :

 Ayeesha Tahanee.

Honours in English,NU, BD