“A TURBULENT TIME”: TRADITION VS.

REFORM

ENG 400: British Literature

Key Historical Theme: Civil War and Revolutions

• Struggles between king and Parliament led to a bloody civil war, culminating in the execution of Charles I, and subsequently, to a bloodless revolution deposing Charles II’s successor, James II.

• Industrial and Agricultural revolutions boosted manufacturing and farming production.

• Revolutions in America and France showed that people could change their form of government.

The King and Parliament

King Charles and Parliament

Charles I (crowned in 1625) Clashed with Parliament

Needed money for wars, but Parliament refused funding

Turned to other means Extorted loans from wealthy Pressed poor into service

Dissolved Parliament for 11 years Exacerbated religious controversy

Insisted that clergymen “conform” Persecuted and tortured

“dissenters”

The Civil War

1645: Parliament’s forces, led by Oliver Cromwell, defeated the royalist army

1647: King Charles I taken as prisoner 1649:

Radical Puritans dominate Parliament King Charles I tried and convicted of treason;

beheaded on January 30th

The English Commonwealth

After Charles I’s beheading, England without king

Oliver Cromwell led new government, called English Commonwealth 1653: dissolved

Parliament and named himself “Lord Protector”

Ruled as virtual dictator until death in 1658

The Restoration (Charles II)

1658: At time of Cromwell’s death, England tired of taxation, violence, and disorder

1660: Parliament offered crown to exiled son of Charles I, restoring the monarchy Charles II had spent his exile

in France Copied fashions and lifestyle

of Paris Was an avid patron of the

arts and sciences

Glorious Revolution (1688)

1685: Charles II died, succeeded by his brother James

James II, a devout Catholic, had religious differences with Puritan Parliament

Parliament invited James II’s daughter, Mary, to rule jointly with her husband, William of Orange

Rather than fight, James escaped to France

Known as the “Glorious Revolution” because it was accomplished without bloodshed

Glorious Revolution

A Constitutional Monarchy

1689: William and Mary agreed to respect a Bill of Rights passed by Parliament Guaranteed Parliament right to approve all taxes Forbade monarch to suspend the law

Established a limited, or constitutional monarchy Balance of power shifted away from monarch and

over to Parliament Eventually, Parliament became the ruling force of

the country Today, monarch is largely ceremonial

Agricultural Revolution

By late 1600s, new farm tools made it possible for farms to produce much more food

More food population surge New tools reduced need for farmhands

many people left the countryside Former farmhands became factory hands

who ran machines in growing towns (early Industrial Revolution)

The Industrial Age British inventions after 1750 made the

spinning and weaving of cloth more efficient

Steam engine perfected and adapted to run power loom

Factories built to produce large quantities of cotton cloth

Merchants sold textile goods all over world

The Enlightenment

Scientific revolution Enlightenment thinking

Enlightenment beliefs: through reason and observation of nature, human beings could discover the order underlying all things 1687: Sir Isaac Newton published study of

gravity By 1750, realities of industrialization

eclipsed social theories of Enlightenment “Progress” had led to misery for millions of

people. Writers and intellectuals began to lose faith in

the ability of human reason to solve every problem.

The Eclipse of the Enlightenment

By late 1700s, “progress” celebrated by the Enlightenment thinkers seemed to be causing millions to suffer

As they lost faith in the power of human reason, writers turned away from the standards of neoclassicism

Key Historical Theme: Tradition vs. Reform

• Theme Overview• John Bunyan and “The Pilgrim’s Progress”• Amelia Lanier and “Eve’s Apology in Defense of

Women”• Richard Lovelace and his poetry• Jonathan Swift and “A Modest Proposal”

Tradition vs. Reform

Tradition: a society’s approved values, beliefs, roles, and practices

Reform: attempts to change traditional practices and ideas

Notes: Reformers often base their ideas on traditional

beliefs. Both traditionalists and reformers explore multiple

meanings of values terms such as strength, honor, and freedom.

Arguments on either side are usually based in differing political, religious, and philosophical assumptions.

John Bunyan

John Bunyan Apprenticed to his father, a tinker and had little formal

education Drafted into army; fought on side of Parliament Married a Puritan in 1648 and converted Became popular preacher by 1655 Arrested and jailed for 12 years when Charles II took throne

(preaching outside the Church of England) Studied the Bible, using at as a guide to write books Began Pilgrim’s Progress during second, shorter prison term

The Pilgrim’s Progress Combines simple, vivid language and characters with humor

and suspense Enormously popular, outsold every other religious work in

English except the King James Bible

“The Pilgrim’s Progress”

Allegory: a literary form in which all the parts of a story have a symbolic meaning Symbols: objects, people, or places that stand for

something beyond themselves Every element of an allegory is symbolic.

Reading an allegory involves understanding it on the Literal level: Pilgrim’s Progress tells the story of

an adventure-packed journey Symbolic level: It tells the complex story of a

Christian soul’s journey through life to salvation The purpose of an allegory is to teach a

moral lesson.

“The Pilgrim’s Progress” vocabulary

heedless (adj)•not taking notice•inattentive

wallowed (v)•Rolled around in mud, water, etc.

burden (n)•something that weighs one down•a heavy load or responsibility

“The Pilgrim’s Progress” vocabulary, continued

endeavored (v)•made a serious attempt•trieddominions (n)•territories governed by an individual or group

substantial (adj)•large in size or strength

Amelia Lanier

Legacy and Importance Saw need for women’s rights before modern movements Questioned society’s vision of women and limited roles allowed

to them Today, considered a visionary feminist who spoke out against

injustice From Court Life to Working Woman

Father, husband, and son were all court musicians Family not wealthy, despite court connections After husband’s death, opened school outside London

Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum (“Hail, God, King of the Jews”), published in 1611 Volume of poetry containing “Eve’s Apology in Defense of

Women” Questioned privileges of upper class Called for women’s social and religious equality

Breach (n)•Breaking or being broken•Failure to observe the terms of an agreement

discretion (n)•care in what one does and says

Strait (adj)•strict

Reprove (v)•rebuke•find fault for an action

“Eve’s Apology” vocabulary

Richard Lovelace

Son of a wealthy family, considered very charming

While at Oxford, wrote a play, painted, and played music.

Was a firm royalist, or supporter of Charles I Sent to demand that Parliament restore king’s

authority; immediately arrested While in prison, wrote “To Althea, From Prison” When released, spent his fortune equipping king’s army After king was defeated, joined the wars in Spain Upon return to England, imprisoned again by the

Puritans (“To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars”) Cause and date of death unknown

Poems of Lovelace vocabulary

inconstancy (n)•fickleness•changeableness

fettered (adj)•chained

hermitage (n)•a place of isolation and quiet

Jonathan Swift

Born in Dublin, Ireland, to English parents Enjoyed the social, literary, and political power of England Disturbed by brutal treatment of the Irish by their English

overlords Satirical writing threatened career in Church;

remained staunch defender of Anglican faith Considered a generous and educated man who

despised fanaticism, selfishness, and pride. Spent large part of income on charitable causes in Dublin Wrote many pamphlets on cruel treatment of the Irish Was frustrated by lack of public response to Irish plight

Satire

Satire: writing that uses humor to expose and ridicule vice (wrongdoing) and folly (stupidity)

Strategies for satire include Understatement: downplaying actual

meaning Hyperbole: exaggeration Sarcasm: using positive words to express a

negative meaning Irony: contradiction between reality and

appearance or between actual and intended meaning of words

Satire and “A Modest Proposal”

A Modest Proposal Satirical response to uncaring attitudes toward Irish Aimed to

Call attention to Ireland’s needs Shame powerful individuals who refused to take action

Key Issues Poverty in Ireland triggered other social problems, like

starvation and homelessness. Much of land owned by absentee English landlords who

charged high rents and took Irish resources. English upper class/aristocracy grew wealthy by reducing the

Irish to poverty. Reductio ad absurdum: a satirical strategy that

involves pretending to agree with a point of view, and then exaggerating it to the point of being ridiculous

“A Modest Proposal” vocabulary

Censure (v)•Strongly disapprove•condemn

Commodity (n)•Product that is bought or sold

Collateral (adj)•related•side (benefit or consequence)

Conjecture (v)•guess

“A Modest Proposal” vocabulary

contrive (v)•think up•devise

deference (n)•courteous regard or respect

encumbrance (n)•burden

expedient (n)•device or strategy used in a difficult situation•solution

“A Modest Proposal” vocabulary

incur (v)•acquire or bring upon oneself

schism (n)•division of a group into factions or sides

sustenance (n)•food or money to support life