Present The age of Reason

English prose
in

AGE OF REASON

1. Social Situation
2. The three periods
3. People’ awareness about life
4. Two trends of authors’ writing in English prose
Content
SOCIAL SITUATION
It was an age of intensive industrial development
The majority of the English people were still ignorant
SOCIAL SITUATION (continue)
The 17th and 18th centuries are known in the history of European culture as the period of Enlightenment
The central problems of the Enlightenment ideology were that of man and his nature
THREE PERIODS
Early Enlightenment (1688 – 1740): The flourishing of journalism
Mature Enlightenment (1740 – 1750): The social moralising novel; theory of the novel worked out by Henry Feilding
Late Enlightenment (1750 – 1780) – Sentimentalism: While their predecessors believed in the force of intellect, they considered feelings (or sentiments) most important.
TWO GROUP OF WRITERS
The first group wanted to better the world by teaching, including Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, Daniel Defoe …
The second group openly protested against vicious social orders in their social satires, including Jonathan Swift, Henry Fielding and Robert Burns.
Daniel Defoe (1661-1731)
The father of the English novel

Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745)
The prince of the English satirists
People’ awareness
about life
In the past:
- Perfection of man obtained through death
- God considered as a source of truth
Age of reason:
- Man followed his own intellect
-Superstition abandoned
Two trends of authors’ writing
1st trend: wanted to better the world by teaching (Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, Daniel Defoe .)

2nd trend: protested against upper class (Henry Fielding, Robert Burns, Jonathan Swift .)
The 1st trend
Representative: Daniel Defoe (1659-1731)
“Robinson Crusoe”
“Robinson Crusoe”
. If one day I can comeback to my fatherland, I will tell my inhabitants to stop fighting and learn how to grow corn, raise goats .
Friday
“Colonel Jack”
“Colonel Jack”
Abandoned child
Experienced in many jobs
Fond of learning
Work as a servant in Virginia

Impress his master

Get freedom

Become a gentleman
The second trend
Including: Henry Fielding, Robert Burn, Jonathan Swift.
Strongly protested against the upper class
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
“Gulliver’s travels”
Voyage to Lilliput
Island of tiny people
Voyage to Lilliput
Good, skillful rope-dancers
on slender threat


High status in society



Criticize the upper class
Voyage to Brobdingnag
Island of giant people
Having dangerous situations

* Fight against with rats


* Nearly die in
a bowl of milk
King of Brobdingnag
Hard working, care for his people daily life

Look down on other countries


Imply English King & criticize English dominant policies