The Neoclassical Period (1660-1785)

 is devided into 3 subsets: The Restoration, The Augustan Age, and The Age of Sensibility
 it was much influenced by contemporary French literature which was in the centre of its
greatest age
 the literature of this period is known for its use of philosophy, reason, scepticism, wit and
refinement

 Jonathan Swift
o born in 1667 in Dublin, Ireland – but he grew up in England
o great satirist
o 2 conflicts - within him and England vs Ireland
o allegorical criticism of the society in England
o more non-realistic, fictional text
o many of his works were published anonymously
o His father died 2 months before he was born and his mother was very poor- Swift
was dependant on generosity of his uncles, they also raised him
o many of his Works had religious and political theme (he reflected both happenings
in England and Ireland)
o during his life he has worked as satirist, political journalist and a churchman
o probably secretly wedded to Stella, but they lived separately
o other writings – A modest Proposal, A Tale of a Tub, The Battle of the Books...
o best known work Gulliver’s Travels
 parody of travel novel
 contains 4 Voyages: to Lilliput, to Brobdingnag, to Laputa, Balnibarbi,
Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib and Japan and to the Land of the Hoyhnhnms
 main character – Lemuel Gulliver (English voyager)
 BOOK 1 - after a shipwreck Gulliver finds himself tied to the ground by small
creatures called Lilliputans, even though they want to fiercely protect their kingdom- they are very hospitable-
Lilliputans are risking famine to feed Gulliver (he eats more than a  1000 Lilliputans could), later they transport
him to the capital tied to a wagon that they have built specially for him- to present him to their emperor,
Gulliver becomes a part of Lilliputan′s army in their fights against enemy nation of the Blefuscu, however
Gullievr is later convicted of treason for urinating on royal palace and setting it on fire, so eventually he escapes
to Blefuscu where he is able to repair his ship and return to England
 BOOK 2 - after 2 months in England Gulliver sets out on another voyage, this
time he gets to a land of giants – Brobdigang, he is discovered by farmers and one of them keeps him as an
animal and eventually sells Gulliver to the queen, the queen keeps him for amusement- Gulliver plays for her
and her ladies and is rather repulsed by them (their big pores, urinating..), generally the people of Brobdigang
are very ignorant (even the king knows nearly nothing about politics), eventually Gulliver escapes from royal
ship when an eagle takes the box he is in and drops it into the ocean
  BOOK 3 - this sail fails due to the attack of pirates, Gulliver finds himself in
Laputa,  where a floating island inhabited by theoreticians and academics oppresses the land below, called
Balnibarbi, their scientific research and also the people living there however seem completely out of touch with
reality, later he makes a trip to Glubbdubdrib where he is able to meet some historical figures which he finds
less impressive alive than in books, next trips are to Luggnaggians and the Struldbrugs- nations of immortals
who prove to him that wisdom does not come with age, then he sails to Japan and from there back to England
 BOOK 4 - on his fourth journey he sets off as a captain of a ship, however after
a rebellion of his ship crew and Gulliver′s imprisonment in his cabin he gets to the land of Houyhnhnms-half-
horses who rule here and Yahoos- humanlike creatures (very animal-like, without any rules) who serve them,
Gulliver learns their language and leads long discussions with the Houyhnhnms about his voyages, their culture,
British constitution..., even though he want to stay with them his body makes him very similar to the Yahoos and
he is banned to do so, Guliver leaves on a canoe to near Island from where a Spanish ship takes him, as he is
interacting with people again he finds them very similar to the Yahoos and misses the Houyhnhnms even more