Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University

18th Century English Literature

Final Exam (Spring, 2023)
DATE:15-06-2023
FULL NAME: fotso kuate romaric

1 - Read the following information and answer the question by writing an essay. (60 pts)
“Neoclassicism (imitation or reproduction of the structures and themes of Greek or Roman originals)
dominated English literature from the Restoration in 1660 until the end of the eighteenth century. Neoclassical
writers saw man as an imperfect being, whose potential was limited - hence their attempts to subordinate
details to an overall design, to employ in their work concepts like symmetry, proportion, unity, harmony, and
grace, which would facilitate the process of delighting, instructing, educating, and correcting the social animal
which they believed man to be.”

Explain how Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" (1711) and "An Essay on Man" (1733)
embody the principles of Neoclassicism, and in what ways Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels
satirizes these principles. Provide specific examples from the texts.

2 - Read the following quotation from Gulliver’s Travels and answer the question in a
paragraph. (40 pts)
(The King of Brobdingnag, the land of giants) was perfectly astonished with the historical Account I gave him
of our Affairs during the last Century; protesting it was only an Heap of Conspiracies, Rebellions, Murders,
Massacres, Revolutions, Banishments; the very worst Effects that Avarice, Faction, Hypocrisy, Perfidiousness,
Cruelty, Rage, Madness, Hatred, Envy, Lust, Malice, and Ambition could produce…As for yourself (continued
the King) who have spent the greatest Part of your Life in travelling; I am well disposed to hope you may
hitherto have escaped many Vices of your Country…I cannot but conclude the Bulk of your Natives, to be the
most pernicious Race of little odious Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the Surface of the Earth.

Compare Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726), Samuel Richardson’s Pamela (1740) and
Henry Fielding’s Shamela (1741) in terms of reflecting and criticising moral social codes and the
true meaning of “virtue”. Describe to what extent and in what sense these novels promote a
re-thinking of “virtue” in the 18th century British culture, by referring to specific examples
within the texts.

* BONUS (10 pts)

The movie Barry Lyndon tells the story of Redmond Barry (played by Ryan O'Neal), an 18th-century Irish man
who is determined to improve his social standing and wealth by any means necessary.

What revolutionary societal change in Europe serves as a backdrop or context for the events in the movie?
Answer sheet
Neoclassicism was a movement that sought to bring back classical ideals of beauty and harmony in literature
and art. According to some bunch of writers they believe the classic author have attend perfection in the various
domain and other contemporary should better follow it in other to reach to produce a masterpiece.classical
author have produce immortal work they followed the unchangeable psychology in human nature , they found
what is unchangeable thanks to this we still read ancient classic author like Homer, cicero,ovic….
In an essay on criticism pope believe that good poetry must be based on reason and sound judgment, rather than
inspiration or fancy , he thinks clarity and precision in language is more important. He advocates for a middle
way between ornamentation and plainness this is exactly what the classical authors did in their numerous work.
The classical author works had a perfect balance and restrain in art.
More over in an essay of man popes challenges the nature of humanity and the universe through a rational a
rational and systematic approach he argue that man is part of a larger cosmic order and our responsibility is to
determine by reason and natural law,this is and evidence of the neoclassical belief in the power of reason to
understand and explain the world.
On the other hand jonathan swift gullivers travels satirizes all these principles by using irony and exaggeration
to expose the absurdity of the neoclassical ideals. For instance in book III gulliver encounter a society of
intellectuals who are disconnected from the real world laputa due to their obsession with abstract theories how
to extract sunbeams fromcucumber . this satirizes the neoclassical emphasis on reason over practicality.
According to him scientific research should go in line with the bettermen of man on earth they should help us
grow and this was a direct attach to the seventeen century england science society. In book Iv he encounter
another society this were the houyhnhnms a society of rational horses who have no concept of emotion or
individuality just like the puritans, exposing the oppressive and inhuman nature of the neaclassical ideal of
balance.

Answer 2

In gullivers travels, brobdingnag was a place inhabited by giants. The moment he land on the island he was
treated as pet he was giving to the prince just because of his tiny size. Gulliver was satirising the values of british
society by showing how absurd they would seem if viewed from a different perspective. For example he
discovered that the brobdingnag were not impressed by wealth or status but rather by moral character and
intellect it was a direct attack on the shallow values of british court culture where people were only judge on
their social status rather than their moral character.

In richardson epistle pamela he was talking about the concept of virtues, pamela did everything to keep herself
chaste and honorable against her obsessive master mr B and in the end she is rewarded and she got married to
this man .the book was kinda focus advocating that there is a reward for every good behave person but the
ending of the book is a little bit confused, because a chaste girl should not end up with a rogue man like mr B.
In shamela henry fielding novel, he was kinda addressing shamela virtues, according to him shamela was not a
good person, she tried to seduce her master who was naive just to get married to him; furthermore looking at the
name shamela which means shame and sham, sham means tricks and all this was what that characterise
shamela in the novel.
In conclusion these novel promotes a re-thinking of virtue in the 18th century british by challenging traditional
ideas about morality and social class. They suggest that virtue is not necessary tied to social status and sexual
purity but rather to inner strenght and moral character through satire this novel call for more nuanced
understanding of what it means to be virtues

PLEASE UPLOAD TO UZEM.