ENG 10B – Literature – Flashcards

The Imperfect Enjoyment. A Satire Against Reason and Mankind. RESTORATION PERIOD. known as a rake. wrote in satire. Libertine: skepticism/pursue pleasure but have restraint or slave to them/free-thinking/materialist

Charles II back to England from France and takes throne. End of Puritan commonwealth. tries to establish culture of absolutism. powers issued by the king. courtly culture. celebrate the return of Charles II. Neoclassicism ideas.

efforts to purity earlier metaphysical poetry. Emphasis on wit, detachment, restraint, balance. Heroic couplet was key element.--iambic pentameter and rhyming pairs. balance and restraint

-enlightenment (put ideas to the test through experience) -Empiricism (knowledge founded through experience/ senses) -The scientific method (inductive rather than deductive reasoning.

collection of Rochester's poems. neoclassical. witty poem about pre-ejactulation. serious skepticism of materials and vanity. relationship between mind a body are metaphor for power and favor and its instability. SUMMARY: a sexual encounter that is described as a battle of the sexes. Men are pictured as more powerful, and the fact that this sexual failure occurs is blamed on the woman for being "too beautiful" rather than on the man, where the blame is actually needed. The man is seen as a "martyr to love" who gets to celebrate in the glory of victory in this battle while the woman has to accept the fact that ahe has been defeated. PARADOX: too much love can't enjoy any love

The poem addresses the question of the proper use of reason, and is generally assumed to be a Hobbesian critique of rationalism.The narrator subordinates reason to sense.Confusion has arisen in its interpretation as it is ambiguous as to whether the speaker is Rochester himself, or a satirised persona.It criticises the vanities and corruptions of the statesmen and politicians of the court of Charles II. SATIRE: both comic and serious. anger over social failing. PARADOX: reason leads people to leaves senses. FREEDOM COMES FROM SELF-CONTROL

Response to "The Imperfect Enjoyment." PASTORAL style(traditional Greek names). provides woman's perspective--impotence rather than premature. LIBERTINE. casual view of rape. blames women for failure. PARADOX: too much love betrays love. Lysander, a shepherd, attempts to engage in sexual intercourse with Cloris, a maid. After a lengthy seduction, Lysander prematurely ejaculates and leaves Cloris sexually frustrated. Behn's focus on the female sexual experience is unusual for the time,though not unusual for Behn. Behn often dealt with overt sexuality in her writing, but this perspective often was not accepted by the public until well after death

RESTORATION PERIOD. literary role model for future women authors. poet.

the narrator relates actions in Africa and portrays herself as a witness of the actions that take place in Surinam. In the novel, the narrator presents herself as a lady who has come to Surinam with her unnamed father, a man intended to be a new lieutenant-general of the colony. He, however, dies on the voyage from England. The narrator and her family are put up in the finest house in the settlement, in accord with their station, and the narrator's experiences of meeting the indigenous peoples and slaves are intermixed with the main plot of the love of Oroonoko and Imoinda. At the conclusion of the love story, the narrator leaves Surinam for London. The narrative has two distinct parts. The first, set in the African country Coramantien, introduces the young prince Oroonoko, grandson of the country's aged king. Oroonoko is a Restoration love-and-honor hero, capable of intense passions. In love, Oroonoko knows no half measures, for Behn embraces the assumption of heroic love that great love implies a great soul. A man of natural nobility, he is not a primitive, but a well-educated, charismatic youth who can read Latin and French and speak English. He achieves rapport with all types of people, including the natives of the New World. king sells Imoinda to slavery tells Oroonoko she's dead he finds out truth and kills her and then gets dismembered

romance and travel writing. satire of domestic politics. specific tone to depict nature. offers novelty and familiarity. NOBLE SAVAGE. heroic romance. objects slavery amongst royalty. divine rights. COMPARE Oroonoko to Caesar. Oroonoko=the royal slave. exposes european dishonor/hypocrisy compared to honor and straightforwardness of O.

Massachusetts bay colony. uneasy balance of power between colonies and english power. increased pressure on new england puritans. tension between native americans and english=war. half of english towns were destroyed or harmed. N.A. sold/executed/exiled. Mary held captive. wrote preface sermon to her husband. only prose by woman in north america 17th century

talks about identity: how do the english stay english? controls grief. makes meaning out of trauma. works hard to keep descriptive distance from captors. Mary Rowlandson is from Bay colony where native americans attack village and kidnap her for eleven weeks. her daughter dies-her family is separated until the end on their way back to Boston.

during time of overthrowing Stuart monarchy. AUGUSTAN PERIOD. SATIRE.

development of the novel. explosion of the satire. shift from courtly satire to philosophical. politics, philosophy turned away from older traditions and closer to modern. decline of Latin.

Rape of the Lock. Epic Poem. Rape refers to taking anything by force. in this case: hair. Poet from London. most influential poet of 18th century. attacked corruption of whig government. not dependent on royal patronage. wrote against people who wrote for money "hacks" written during time of social and literary shift. poem has double vision: materialism vs. religious piety. tragic victim vs shallow. predator vs practical joker. uses parallelism/anthesis: contrasting meanings in consecutive lines

written by Pope. The poem satirises a minor incident by comparing it to the epic world of the gods. idea that beauty is fragile. women seen as decorative. Belinda is beloved by Baron and he sets fire to all past loves belongings and hopes to cut and take her hair. Sylth (airy spirit looking over Belinda) saves her 3 times from getting hair but but then is cut in half along with hair being cut of.. She freaks out and Baron celebrates victory. A gnome named Umbriel journeys to the Cave of Spleen and from the Queen receives a bag of "sighs, sobs, and passions, and the war of tongues" and a vial filled "with fainting fears, soft sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears"and brings them to Belinda. He finds her dejected in the arms of the woman Thalestris, and pours the bag and vial over them both. This causes all the emotions from the bag and vial to fill them. Belinda fights with baron for hair back but he refuses and her hair is now a star. MOCKS BEAU MONDE LIFESTYLE while still celebrating it. SATIRIZES: gender roles and consumerism

Action: instead of a person being abducted (e.g. Helen of Troy) or a real rape, a lock of hair has merely been snipped off. Place: instead of taking place across empires or worlds (as in classical epics or Paradise Lost), the location is all in London, specifically the River Thames and Hampton Court. Time: instead of taking place over several years, the action comprises half a day or so. Length: instead of being narrated through twelve or twenty-four books, the whole story is told in five cantos Machinery: instead of powerful gods and goddesses, Belinda is protected by delicate and somewhat ineffectual sylphs. EXAMPLE: RAPE OF THE LOCK

Objects: instead of being an accessory, a hairpin is a deadly weapon and a petticoat is not just an undergarment but an epic shield. Rituals: Instead of being everyday customs, putting on makeup is preparation for battle and drinking coffee is a sacred ritual. Recreations: Instead of being a pleasant pastime, playing cards is a fierce battle for fame and supremacy.

HAYWOOD. love is a game. equivalent to reality TV. (disposable entertainment) appealed to general public. fiction romance. first person perspective. the protagonist disguises herself as four different women (prostitute/country girl/widow/masked woman) in her efforts to seduce the man she loves. she has sex with him under several different identities and meets with him incognito. she then becomes pregnant and her mother demands to know father--Beauplaisir wants to take care of child but not marry narrator. girl sent off to monastery. Part of the tradition of amatory fiction, it rewrites the story of the persecuted maiden, giving its heroine power and sexual desire.

acts on stage before becoming writer. FANTOMINA. writes about love and deception. writes novels--controversial as morally wrong for young women. METAFICTION: fiction about fiction. shows heroine in a different light. she is neither condemned or disgraced.

Unfettered pursuit of pleasure in disregard of moral and social norms. Sometimes associated with materialist philosophy's implication that there is nothing to life beyond sensory experience.

a woman who likes to win the attention or admiration of men but does not have serious feelings for them

most influential theologian in North America. Late Puritan. fused science and theology. NARRATIVE. used narrative to illustrate true conversion. believed faith alone could save you. you can't save yourself only God can save you. focuses on true piety from false. natural sublimity/natural beauty.

Series of religious revivals. took place in Scotland, colonies, England, Northern Europe. challenged social authority. series of conversations in rural Massachusetts. Christianization of African slaves. new definition of piety and emphasis on expression of emotion. emphasis on oral eloquence of preaching. this made clergy unhappy. methodists preach without license. social leveling.

highly emotive. according to the Christian scriptures/gospel

the idea that people could free themselves--free will

judgment passed against you--external/social a religious conviction is the idea of being saved which requires judgment on your own unworthiness

emotional state between internal awareness and external experience (cognition and perception) --visible signs of inner conviction --must feel doctrine- not just understand it (emotional and cognition)

Edwards major innovator of enthusiastic religion. charisma or personal magnetism of preachers fear of false conviction--where performance of piety overrides authenticity

In Personal Narrative, Jonathan Edwards recounts his experience and assiduously urges his fellow Christians to stick to the Puritan beliefs and idealism, which have gone more obscure and even sour as more new settlers pour into this New World. Personal Narrative can be seen as Jonathan Edwards' mini-autobiography, in which he demonstrates his feelings to God and rejoices in his obedience and dedication to Him. He hopes others can wake up to the ugliness of their sin in front of His holiness, just as he does, and thus transform themselves into better Christians. Early example of natural reflection. looking at yourself from outside perspective (sublime)

addresses Irish social and economic problems. Anglo-Irish. Satire on nature and traveller's tales. attacks english government. Into Enlightenment period. Ireland=Catholic England=Protestant-- extreme tension. member of both cultures. deeply pessimistic.

travel narrative. prose. gulliver goes to four different places. land of little people/giants/scientists/and horses smarter than men. Liliput-- makes fun of people's small mindedness (which end of the egg should be cracked first. makes fun of religious fighting Brognignag--used to show how disgusting people are. how bad the giants smell. making fun of human boy Laputa--land of scientists. too busy to notice that their wives leave them. Land of the Houyhnhmns--(noble savages) the horses are more reasonable than humans. says you're not that great at the Enlightenment thinkers. Gulliver relates to horses over Yahoos who are humans that contain all the worst qualities(violent/promiscuous)-- what is an animal/what is a human? we're really not that great Yahoos = bestial side of mankind Houyhnhnms = reason Both are distortions Excessive reason leads to madness

exaggerates what we don't like about ideas or people and shows the ridiculousness--using humor as a weapon.

Inventor, writer, politician, printer, diplomat, self-made, work ethic, AUTOBIOGRAPHY

addressed to his son, William Franklin. first of its kind: written by himself about himself. does not detail major events of his public career. talks about how to become successful. temperance and abstinence. control over his reputation. social networking. appear to have virtues.

trust, belief; integrity; prior history (cf. Credible, creditor) both financial and moral term.

who you really are; type; fictional representation; reputation. internal but also socially derived

Some values associated with print: Publicity/authority. Anonymity. Disinterestedness. Power of the gov't to communicate Some problems associated with print:Controversy. Libel/lampoon. Misinformation. Threat to social order

RASSELES. sickly man. never very wealthy. made money from writing. believed to be written to pay for expenses of this mother's funeral. uses latin words. neoclassic . Johnson neither believes that lasting happiness is achievable nor that individuals hold much control over their own lives. Chapters 1-15: The Happy Valley, plotting to escape, escaping Chapters 16-30: "Experiments" on life, or, observing the world Chapters 31-49: Engaging with the world Final chapter title: "The conclusion, in which nothing is concluded"

Rasselas, son of the King of Abyssinia, is shut up in a beautiful valley, "till the order of succession should call him to the throne".He grows weary of the factitious entertainments of the place, and after much brooding escapes with his sister Nekayah, her attendant Pekuah and his poet-friend Imlac. They are to see the world and search for happiness, but after some sojourn in Egypt, where they encounter various classes of society and undergo a few mild adventures, they perceive the futility of their search and abruptly return to Abyssinia. Local color is almost nonexistent and episodic elements, e.g. the story of Imlac and that of the mad astronomer, abound. There is little of incident, no love-making, with few endeavours to charm the fancy, and with but slight recognition of the claims of sentiment.

a brief allegory or fable whose purpose is to convey a moral lesson--the moral takes priority over plot and characterization . EX: RASSELES

a work that attempts to justify the ways of God to man

King Philip's War and local insurrections leave N.A. colonies impoverished, deeply in debt to Britain, and dependent on British forces for security. tightening british rule on colonies.

First black/slave author to publish a book of poems. Poems circulated in manuscript among coterie of elite Mass. women -----"an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the Disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a Family in this Town" --Noble Savage. poems focus on black slavery. Neoclassicism Demonstration of poetic skills Religious devotion Moral sentiments Antislavery--or not? Complicating the discourse of "liberty" and "slavery" in the context of the Revolutionary War

Declaration: Text explains the vote in favor of separation ---Declaring independence combined the printed resolution with a public reading --Explanation of resolution for separation -Effort to recruit European allies -Catalogue of injustices and abuses -Focused on George III and not English population (divided sympathies: many colonists still felt English ties)

Two separate meaning in 18th century: Revolt: chaotic overthrow of an established order; violation of natural principles OR Cycle: natural process (astronomy, math) of cyclical change PATRIOTS CLAIM SECOND MEANING.

cannot be bought, sold, or transferred to another person.

POEMS focused on the abolition of slavery.

The gothic (Castle of Otranto 1764) Feudal, Italian, Catholic context. Action occurs in ancient castle. Claustrophobic interiors—entrapment. Curious, plucky heroine tries to escape. Malevolent villain. Terrible secrets—often involving taboos—are exposed. Atmosphere of melancholy. Narrative technique of suspense. Supernatural "machinery" BREAKS AWAY FROM NEOCLASSICISM

reclusive. melancholy poet. speaker is an outside observer ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD

decorum requires periphrasis to avoid common words E.g. "the glitt'ring Forfex" = scissors (Pope) "the finny race" = fish (Thomson) Latinate vocabulary, conventional epithets and archaisms, and personification "the language of the age is never the language of poetry"--Gray Poetic diction seen as necessary in pastoral poems to counterbalance "low" speech of rustic characters

contains elegy(song of lamentation) in name not form. idealizes rural setting. gothic setting: bell tower, ivy, twilight. personification. focuses on RETIREMENT. retirement verse desire for fame. SUMMARY: it embodies a meditation on death, and remembrance after death. The poem argues that the remembrance can be good and bad, and the narrator finds comfort in pondering the lives of the obscure rustics buried in the churchyard.

Anglo-Irish. THE DESERTED VILLAGE. It is a work of social commentary, and condemns rural depopulation and the pursuit of excessive wealth. (Urbanization) PASTORAL GENRE. speaker is outside observer. Uses America as the only way out

The poem is written in heroic couplets, and describes the decline of a village and the emigration of many of its residents to America. the moral corruption found in towns, consumerism, enclosure, landscape gardening, avarice, and the pursuit of wealth from international trade. ANALYSIS: condemns rural depopulation, the enclosure of common land, the creation of landscape gardens and the pursuit of excessive wealth.[15] In Goldsmith's vision, wealth does not necessarily bring either prosperity or happiness. Indeed, it can be dangerous to the maintenance of British liberties and displaces traditional community.[16] In making this argument, some have regarded Goldsmith not as a political radical, but as a socially-concerned "conservative".

English Romanticism broken into two parts: divided by Battle of Waterloo. Philology: Discovery of folk poetry and the history of languages leads to interest in: --archaic forms of poetry (ballads, songs) --Rural and working class culture --Belief that folk song speaks the national voice or spirit of a people **increased urbanization and industrialization --Anti-urban, anti-industrial, often anti-modern simplistic writing style. man speaking to man --Belief that older ways of life, folklore, folk culture still existed in rural regions

WROTE LYRICAL BALLADS WITH COLERIDGE. Romantic Poet. emphasis on common speech of "middle and lower classes"; hostility towards abstract personification

Written by Wordsworth and Coleridge. Overturns what they considered the priggish, learned and highly sculpted forms of 18th century English poetry and bring poetry within the reach of the average person by writing the verses using normal, everyday language. They place an emphasis on the vitality of the living voice that the poor use to express their reality. Using this language also helps assert the universality of human emotions. **"Lyrical Ballads" was to showcase 2 types of poetry, one drawn from "ordinary life" and the other "supernatural," with the intention of representing "the dramatic truth of such emotions as would naturally accompany such situations supposing them to be real."

emphasis on the senses as the basis of knowledge . shift from this way of thinking to Idealist epistemology during Romantic Period.

emphasis in the real existence of abstractions / ideals; importance of innate intuition.

Introduces romantic German philosophy into England. Wrote: The Ancient Mariner (The Mariner accosts The Wedding Guest and starts telling his story: Mariner tells how he killed the albatross/Bad stuff starts to happen, and the crew hang the albatross around the mariner's neck/He blesses the slimy water snakes and the albatross falls off But the Mariner must continue to tell and retell his tale to all he meets. Coleridge was to be responsible for the "persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic," and to do it in such as way as to create "a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient" to produce "that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith ... With this in view I wrote The Ancient Mariner" and Frost at Midnight (conversational poem)

1: human perception, construed as a creative act. 2. the poetic imagination: "it dissolves, diffuses, dissipates, in order to recreate.... 3. the empiricist imagination—can only rearrange those materials it receives "ready made" from perception

--Hill of Difficulty = difficulty --the Giant Despair = despair

EX: the Albatross is more suggestive—could represent nature, divine grace, the poet-outsider—not explicit or definite.

FRANKENSTEIN: influenced by materialism and vitalism. gothic novel. novel subtitled "the modern prometheus" Shelley says that prometheus is "champion of humanity". ------Walton naturally sympathizes with Victor, but is Walton reliable, given his own similarities to Victor—fellow explorer, scientist—and the prejudicing factor of the creature's appearance

**Walton and Victor are both are characterized by egotism, neglect of domestic duties through single-minded pursuit of ambition Summary: Captain Walton hopes to make scientific discovery. see's giant man driving dog sled and sees smaller man half dead chasing larger man. Walton brings man on ship and its Victor Frankenstein. F. grew up well off and with his cousin who he was supposed to marry. he goes to famous university. he find out scientifically how to make human. he is so horrified by his creation. he falls ill and his friend nurses him all winter. he gets letter that his brother william has been murdered and justine the nanny was arrested. Victor sees monster and knows he did it. Victor goes to court to see justine and she is convicted and he sees her die. he goes mountain climbing and sees monster. monster tells his story and says how he had to learn everything on his own. he walks into village but everyone is scared of him. they throw things at him. he lives in shed and watches people from crack. he sees love and learns language. he speaks french. family teaches girl all about history and monster does too. he reads books and papers about victor. the monster hates v. for giving him a terrible life. Delaceys were banished and lived in village. monster wants to be friends with them and he talks to dad because he is blind. monster decides to declare war. the delaceys leave and he destroys cottage. he sees little boy and kills him when h find out who his father is. he is more hateful and frames justine. monster demands female to have and will be left alone or he will kill many people. monster is mad victor promised he would and backed out. monster kills another friend and frankenstein is arrested bc police think he did it. he gets sick. he marries elizabeth and sits up waiting all night and monster kills her and dad dies from grief. they are chases each other on dog sleds. monster comes up on boat and says he will light himself on fire because he's naturally good and becomes evil.

RIP VAN WINKLE. SLEEPY HOLLOW. first internationally regarded author from US. ----The "Author's Account" is written from the perspective of Irving's persona, Geoffrey Crayon. --"Rip Van Winkle" questions the origin of America: what if the revolution was an ending, rather than a beginning? What was lost when the Revolution was won? --Natural supernaturalism --Transformation from fixed to fluid identifications --Rip's effort to identify himself as "loyal subject to the King" marks him as a traitor to the U.S.

Van Winkle wanders up the mountains with his dog, Wolf. Drinks moonshine with men he sees there and wakes up twenty years later. his wife is dead/his children are grown/ and his friends have died or moved away. : Rip can see the changes, but can't understand them, they might not matter

haunted by history. The "Legend" relates the tale of Ichabod Crane, a lean, lanky and extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, the town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of a wealthy farmer. The next morning, Ichabod has mysteriously disappeared from town, leaving Katrina to marry Brom Bones, who was said "to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related." Indeed, the only relics of the schoolmaster's flight are his wandering horse, trampled saddle, discarded hat, and a mysterious shattered pumpkin. Although the nature of the Headless Horseman is left open to interpretation, the story implies that the ghost was really Brom (an agile stunt rider) in disguise. Irving's narrator concludes, however, by stating that the old Dutch wives continue to promote the belief that Ichabod was "spirited away by supernatural means," and a legend develops around his disappearance and sightings of his melancholy spirit.

THE RAVEN. PHILOSOPHY OF COMPOSITION. eccentric. known for his gothic and grotesque writing style. during time of second great awakening. Major social unrest: Indian wars, battles over slavery, labor radicalism, social reform, new religions (Mormons). believes poetry shouldn't reflect author's feelings.

poetry is meant to convey particular moods or sensibilities that relate to idealizations of "beauty" SEEN IN POE'S WRITING

tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student,[1][2] is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore" THEME: Undying devotion.

POE. essay about a theory about how good writers write when they write well. He concludes that length, "unity of effect" and a logical method are important considerations for good writing. He also makes the assertion that "the death... of a beautiful woman" is "unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world". Poe uses the composition of his own poem "The Raven" as an example

ODE ON A GRECIAN URN. influenced by Renaissance writer. lack of education. Romantic poet.Keatsian structure: shift from here and now to ideal world, followed by return to real world but changed by imaginative excursion.

Divided into five stanzas of ten lines each, the ode contains a narrator's discourse on a series of designs on a Grecian urn. The poem focuses on two scenes: one in which a lover eternally pursues a beloved without fulfilment, and another of villagers about to perform a sacrifice. The final lines of the poem declare that "'beauty is truth, truth beauty,' - that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know", and literary critics have debated whether they increase or diminish the overall beauty of the poem. Critics have focused on other aspects of the poem, including the role of the narrator, the inspirational qualities of real-world objects, and the paradoxical relationship between the poem's world and reality.

when man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason

considered himself a failure. hard to make money writing because there was no intellectual property. American Renaissance. scared of Puritan and mob mentality. Themes in My Kinsman, Major Molineux::: considered a parable for America's "coming of age" in its quest for independence from Great Britain. The colonies do not attack their real father (the British King), but rather governors such as Molineux, a removed authority figure and representative of colonialists

THEME: alienation. self cause (Robin alienates himself from family) looking for freedom. In about 1732, Robin, a youth, arrives by ferry in Boston seeking his kinsman, Major Molineux, an official in the British Colonial government, who has promised him work. Yet no one in town tells him where the major is. A rich man threatens the youth with prison, and an innkeeper calls him a runaway bond-servant. At the inn, he meets a man with a face described as looking like the devil - two protrusions emanating from his forehead (like horns), eyes burning like 'fire in a cave'- who seems at the center of many evil things. Later, he runs into the man again, but this time his face is painted black and red. After blocking his path with a cudgel, he finally gets the answer that his kinsman will soon pass by. He waits at the spot on the steps of a church where he is greeted by the first polite gentleman he has met all night. Soon, the two men hear the roar of an approaching mob. At its head is the man with the red and black face and in its midst is Major Molineux, tarred and feathered. The crowd is in an uproar, and everyone is laughing. Soon, so is young Robin, as his eyes meet those of the Major, who knows him right away. Disillusioned, the youth asks the old gentleman the way back to the ferry. Yet the latter restrains him, saying that it is still possible for him to thrive without his kinsman's protection.

romance intro to the scarlet letter. This section introduces us to the narrator and establishes his desire to contribute to American culture. Although this narrator seems to have much in common with Nathaniel Hawthorne himself—Hawthorne also worked as a customs officer, lost his job due to political changes, and had Puritan ancestors whose legacy he considered both a blessing and a curse—it is important not to conflate the two storytellers. The narrator is not just a stand-in for Hawthorne; he is carefully constructed to enhance the book aesthetically and philosophically.