Jonathan Swift and the Age of Reason 1625-1798 Jonathan Swift and the Age of Reason

Overview of dates 1660: Trade in Asia 1605: Gunpowder Plot-to kill James I 1607: Jamestown 1620: The Mayflower 1649: Charles I beheaded 1653-1658: Oliver Cromwell rules 1660: Charles II restored to throne

Development of English Commonwealth: 1649—King Charles I beheaded Controversy with Parliament over money Fought with Puritans and Calvinists over methods of practicing religion Oliver Cromwell, nominated by radical Puritans) takes over as Lord Protector and acts as a dictator until his death in 1658

The Restoration: Charles II (who had escaped to France when father beheaded) is restored to the throne Time of partying and lavish activities (think of the huge white wigs, white make-up, painted beauty marks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2kyNbZc7oc&list=PL4xtxvniNLLlNob9nnw_O1eyqbJ-YTNka&index=22 Charles II pushed for study of arts and sciences

Glorious Revolution 1688 After Charles II, James II (a Catholic) came to the throne Parliament asked Mary, daughter of James I and a Protestant, to rule England with her husband William of Orange James II escaped to France William and Mary agreed to respect Bill of Rights that gave Parliament more power and made England a limited, or constitutional, monarchy

Enlightenment (Age of Reason) A time of scientific revolution where people believed there had to be an answer for everything Sir Isaac Newton and the study of gravity and the planets (1687) This led the way to new inventions and tools, which brought about the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions Writers and intellectuals became disillusioned as the revolutions brought misery to many poor who could not find work to survive (which led into the ideas expressed during the Romantic Period)

Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions Landlords had advantage of new tools and could plant and harvest larger crops, providing more food for the nation They fenced in lands they had once rented out to sharecroppers and hired laborers Farmhands who no longer had jobs in the countryside moved toward towns to work in the factories

Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions cont. Factories and industry boomed because of new inventions (steam engine), increasing England’s wealth By late 1700’s “progress” meant misery for many Men, women, and children crowded into towns to find regular work Regular work generally meant working 12-14 hour days for little pay (no labor laws intact yet)

Literature during the Age of Reason Writers brought back qualities of ancient Greek and Roman writers—harmony, restraint, and clarity (“Neoclassical”—new classics) They favored generalities and had a fondness for satires poking fun at society’s follies—they used wit Jonathan Swift Restoration literature dealt with more controversial and lavish topics—sex, partying, essentially ideas involving carpe diem

Age of Satire A literary work of human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn. Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift used satire to expose moral corruption and crass commercialism

Journalism Journalists thought of themselves as reformers of public manners and morals Eighteenth century journalists didn’t really describe political and social matters

The novel (something new) The novel affected English literature because it was a new form of entertainment Novels written during that time told us what life was like at that time Novels also help us understand the joys and disappointments of human life of all ages

The first novels Robinson Crusoe which is thought to have been a true novel Tom Jones which includes rowdy incidents though the characters are basically good Pamela, Clarissa which are novels in letters to teach young women how to act Tristam Shandy experimental

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) Born in Dublin, Ireland to English parents Wanted a career in politics but received no support in this area and decided on a career in the church Wrote satires throughout his life Scornful critic of the rising merchant class (saw them as shameless money grubbers) Wrote satires that showed human nature as deeply flawed

Swift cont. Reluctantly took a position as dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin He despised the Irish for various reasons Eventually he noticed the problems forced on the Irish by the English “A Modest Proposal” Uses techniques of satire and exaggeration to get his point across