Neoclassicism

1. Inspired by ancient Greek and Roman culture • Stressed reason, common sense, good taste, and emotional restraint. • Wrote about objective issues that concerned society as a whole, such as politics and religion. • Respected human institutions of church and state. • Believed in order in all things. • Focused primarily on the concerns of the upper and ruling classes. • Exercised controlled wit and urbanity. • Followed formal rules for diction and poetry. • Writing if characterized by order, logic, restraint, accuracy, "correctness," "restraint," decorum. Neoclassicism

2. Nature: The universal principles of truth underlying the structure of the world. (This is sometimes referred to as “Natural Law.”) Nature was viewed as a source of order and harmony both in society and in individual behavior. Wit: This word carries several meanings, including “intellect,” imagination,” and “cleverness.” Nature and Wit

3. Epigram: Greek for “inscription.” A short poem or saying characterized by conciseness, balance, clarity, and wit. •"I am not young enough to know everything.” (Oscar Wilde) •"No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.” (Groucho Marx) •"The only 'ism' Hollywood believes in is plagiarism.” (Dorothy Parker) Epigram

4. A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet with foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. “True wit is Nature to advantage dressed…” Iambic Pentameter

5. A verse unit consisting of two rhymed lines in iambic pentameter. “Good nature and good sense must ever join; To err is human, to forgive, divine.” Heroic Couplet

6. The historical period after the restoration of the monarchy in England. Restoration

7. Paradox: A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true. (For example, it is a paradox that standing is sometimes more tiring than walking). Paradox

8. Read the biographical information about Alexander Pope (page 539). • Read the excerpts from “An Essay on Man” and “Epigrams” (pages 535-537) • Answer questions #1, #2, #4, #5 #7 (page 538). For #1: -Write out your 2 favorite epigrams -State why they are your favorite -Turn in by the end of class today • Write an epigram of your own. • Must at least be two lines. (Heroic Couplet) • Iambic pentameter-10 syllables per line. • Turn in your original epigram tomorrow. Assignments:

9. An Essay on Man (Excerpt) By Alexander Pope

10. “An Essay on Man” (excerpt) Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of Mankind is Man. Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the Skeptic side, With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride, He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest; In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast; In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer; Born but to die, and reasoning but to err; Alike in ignorance, his reason such, Whether he thinks too little, or too much: Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confused; Still by himself abused, or disabused; Created half to rise, and half to fall; Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of Truth, in endless Error hurled: The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!

11. First follow Nature, and your judgment frame By her just standard, which is still the same: Unerring Nature, still divinely bright, One clear, unchanged, and universal light, Life, force, and beauty must to all impart, At once the source, and end, and test of art. Epigrams

12. Of all the causes which conspire to blind Man's erring judgment, and misguide the mind, What the weak head with strongest bias rules, Is Pride, the never-failing vice of fools. Epigrams

13. Pride, where wit fails, steps in to our deference, And fills up all the mighty void of sense: If once right reason drives that cloud away, Truth breaks upon us with resistless day. Trust not yourself; but your defects to know, Make use of every friend--and every foe. A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again. Epigrams

14. In wit, as Nature, what affects our hearts Is not th' exactness of peculiar parts; 'Tis not a lip, or eye we beauty call, But the joint force and full result of all. Epigrams

15. Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be. In every work regard the writer's end, Since none can compass more than they intend; And if the means be just, the conduct true, Applause, in spite of trivial faults, is due. Epigrams

16. True wit is Nature to advantage dressed, What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed; Something, whose truth convinced at sight we find, That gives us back the image of our mind. Epigrams

17. True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learned to dance. 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offence; The sound must seem an echo to the sense. Epigrams

18. Avoid extremes; and shun the fault of such Who still are pleased too little or too much. Epigrams

19. Regard not then if wit be old or new, But blame the false, and value still the true. Epigrams

20. Good nature and good sense must ever join; To err is human, to forgive, divine. Epigrams