Literature in The Age of Johnson

Age of Johnson (1750-1790)
 This period is the last of the neoclassical era

 It is also known as the age of sensibility and the age of reason
 Authors of the late 18th century wrote to express themselves rather than to teach lessons. These
writers encourage emotions, passion and imagination.
 The Age of Johnson allowed for a transition of English literature into romantic revival through
means of experimenting.
During the Age of Johnson, writers focused on enlightenment; it refers to using knowledge rather than faith to
enlighten others and further explains matters such as politics, medicine and astronomy. The primary principle of
enlightenment is intellect, reason, balance and order.
Characteristics of literature
The New Realism:
The birth of a new spirit of inquiry was at the root of realism which is conspicuous in the novels of this
period and is noticeable in the poetry of the last decades of the century. In the novels have a realistic
portrayal of character or showing sordid realities of life.
The Rise of Middle Class:
The bourgeois adjusted and continually made the middle class more flexible, rather than negating and
destroying it. With its moralizing requirements, the middle class absorbed classicism. The rise of the
middle class ushered in a new era of sentimentalism, feelings, and emotions, all of which had a significant
impact on literature. W. "The new generation, in turn, reacted against the prior generation's self-
complacency, coldness, and aridity; they found themselves dissatisfied with the way their fathers had
looked at life, with their formalism, narrowness of sympathy, and controlling ideals," writes H. Hudson.
The Humanitarian Spirit:
The rapid rise of democracy is a feature of this time period. The democratic movement sparked protests
against society's callousness and cruelty, resulting in the rapid growth of humanitarianism. The
importance of a person's individual value was emphasized. The concepts of equality, liberty, and
brotherhood became more widely known. They were aware of their rights and the countless absurdities
and injustices of the current social system. Rousseau's ideas, as well as the French Revolution,
popularized democratic values.
Age of Transition.
This was certainly a transitional time in the world of poetry. On the one hand, there are poets such as Dr.
Johnson and Goldsmith who blindly follow the Augustan tradition and write in the style of Pope. On the
other hand, poets like Blake and Burns, who herald the new age of Romanticism and have nothing in
common with the Augustan school of poetry, emerge in the latter years of the century. We have poets like
Gray and Collins who are truly transitional poets in the sense that they share both romantic and classic
characteristics. The most fundamental trait of the Age of Transition is a dual tendency: loyalty to classic&
tradition and the desire for a new romanticism.
Some of Prominent Authors during this period
1. Samuel Johnson
 He is an English critic, biographer, essayist, poet and lexicographer.
 He is described as a premiere literary figure during this age.
 Johnson’s most successful part of his career when he wrote for The Rambler; a periodical
during that time.
 His famous work include:
 Dictionary of English language (1755)
 Life of Eminent English Poets (1779-1781)
2. Oliver Goldsmith
 He is famous for his essays in many periodicals. It was published in “The public ledger”
in was compiled to produce Citizen of the world (1762)- he uses the satirical device
viewing the western society through the eyes of oriental visitor.
 His other famous works are:
 The Traveler (1764)
 The Deserted Village (1770)
 The Vicar of Wakefield (1766)
 She stoops to conquer (1773)
3. Thomas Gray
 He is a dominant figure in the mid-18th century and a precursor of the romantic
movement.
 He wrote Elegy Written in a country Churchyard is one of the most famous lyric English
poems.
4. Horace Walpole
 Known for his short novel “The Castle of Otranto”. This novel is considered the first
example of gothic novel
Conclusion
While the terms "Age of Johnson" and "Age of Sensibility" are frequently used interchangeably,
Johnson's era is considered the last of the neoclassical eras, whereas writers from the latter period are
credited with foreshadowing the Romantic Period with their emphasis on the individual and imagination.
Works focusing more explicitly on anticlassical characteristics of old ballads and new bardic poetry
characterize the Age of Sensibility.

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Age of Johnson (1750-1790)

 This period is the last of the neoclassical era

The New Realism:

The Rise of Middle Class:

The Humanitarian Spirit:

Some of Prominent Authors during this period

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