Unit II The Seventeenth Century I--John Dryden

Unit II The Seventeenth Century I: Peacham, Drayton, Reynolds, Milton (Blamires, pp. 68-216)

Unit II The Seventeenth Century I: Peacham, Drayton, Reynolds, Milton (Blamires, pp. 68-216)

JOHN DRYDEN

(1631-1700)

I. His Critical Works

The following are the critical works of Dryden: -

1.An Essay of Dramatic Poesy

2.The Apology for Heroic Poetry.

3.The Grounds of Criticism in Tragedy.

4.Preface to the Fables.

Dryden has also spoken about the nature and functions of poetry.

II. The Nature of Poetry.

Unit II The Seventeenth Century I: Peacham, Drayton, Reynolds, Milton (Blamires, pp. 68-216)

M. Phil English, Bharathiar University--Blamiers— Approaches--Unit II,

Unit II 

The Seventeenth Century I: Peacham, Drayton, Reynolds, Milton (Blamires, pp. 68-216)

The Seventeenth Century II: Rymer to Dennis

The Eighteenth Century I: The Age of Addison and Pope

The Eighteenth Century II: Johnson and his Successors

Unit II The Seventeenth Century I: Peacham, Drayton Reynolds, Milton.

The seventeenth century was a turbulent period in the political as well as literary history of England. The Civil War of 1642-51, the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Commonwealth government and the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell created disorder and confusion in society so much so that quiet reflection on works of literature was nearly impossible.

PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH

PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH

Study Materials for MPhil students of Indian Universities

Dr. S. Sreekumar

1.  Aims and Principles

ÖOf all the critical approaches to literature, this has been one of the most controversial, the most abused and the least appreciated.

ÖThe crucial limitation of the psychological approach is its aesthetic inadequacy.

ÖIt can seldom account for the beautiful symmetry of a well-wrought poem or of a fictional masterpiece.

A. Abuses and misunderstandings of the Psychological approach

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE, PART V—Bacon & Jonson

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE –Blamiers

M. Phil English, Bharathiar University--Blamiers—

Approaches--Unit I

The RENAISSANCE V

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE

Summary by Dr. S. Sreekumar

Note: The summary is in FIVE parts

PART V—Bacon & Jonson

Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

In the second book of The Advancement of Learning Bacon attempts a systematic study of various branches of learning.

·        Bacon argues that a man’s understanding has three parts—memory, imagination & reason.

·        History is related to memory, poetry to imagination and philosophy to reason.

·        Similarly theology consists of history, parables (Poetry) and doctrine.

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE IV

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE –Blamiers

M. Phil English, Bharathiar University--Blamiers—

Approaches--Unit I

The RENAISSANCE IV

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE RENAISSANCE

Summary by Dr. S. Sreekumar

Note: The summary is in FIVE parts

PART IV—CLASSICAL & NATIVE VERSIFICATION

Nothing has been more unproductive in the history of English criticism than the debate about classical meters.

Conservatives tried to apply the quantitative meter of Latin language on to English verse. But Latin meter was totally inapplicable to English verse. Latin syllable ending in two consonants must be accounted ‘long’.  This was inapplicable and led to clumsiness when imposed on English verse.