The neo-classical age, spanning the 18th century, is characterized by order, accuracy, and a focus on human nature and reason in literature. It includes three periods: the Restoration, the Augustan period, and the Age of Johnson, reflecting significant changes in style and theme, with major writers like Pope and Swift. The era concluded with the rise of Romanticism marked by Wordsworth's 'Lyrical Ballads' in 1798.

1. An overview of Neo-classical age
 Name: Raval Mital M.
 Roll no: 26
 Year: 2016 2018
 M.A.Sem: 1
 Enrolment no: 2069108429170026
 Paper no: (2) The Neo-classical Literature
 Presentation topic: An overview of Neo-classical age
 Submited to: Parth Bhatt
Smt.S.B. Gardi
Department of English
M.K.Bhavnagar University

2. Introduction
 The age is known as classical age or
age of reason.
 Neoclassical literature is
characterized by order, accuracy and
structure.
 It is a period of Enlightenment.
 Literature of the age is concerned
with human nature, supremacy of
reason.
 Unity in the works of all writers.
 The age wished to understand not to
imagine.

3. Definition of Neo-classical age
 The 18th century in English literature has been called the
neo-classical age, Augustan age and the age of reason.
 The term “the Augustan age” comes from the self
conscious imitation of the original Augustan writers,
Virgil and Horace by many of the writers of the period.
 Specifically, the Neo-classical age was the period after the
pest oration era of the death of Alexander Pope.
 The major writer of the age were Pope and Johnson,
Dryden in poetry and Jonathan swift and Joseph Addition
in prose.
 Neo-classical period ended in 1798 when Wordsworth
published the Romantic ‘Lyrical Ballads”.

4. Characteristics of Neoclassical
Literature
 Neo-classical literature is characterized by order,
accuracy, and structure.
 In direct opposition to Renaissance attitudes, where
man was see as basically good, the Neo-classical
writers portrayed man as inherently flawed.
 They emphasized restraint, self control and common
sense.
 This was a time when conservatism flourished in both
politics and literature.

5. Some popular types of literature in
Neo-classical age
Parody
Essays
Letters Fables
Satire
Melodrama

6. Three stages
 Neo-classical period of literature can divided into
three part.
The Restoration period
The Augustan period
The age of Johnson

7.  The Restoration of king Charles II
to the English throne in 1660 after
a long period of puritan
domination in England brought a
new change in English literature.
Previously closed theaters were
opened again. New group of
writers began to write plays.
 Restoration literature continued
to appeal to heroic ideals of love
and honor, particularly on stage,
in heroic tragedy.
The Restoration period (1660-1700)

8. Famous writer
 John Dryden
 John Milton
 Sir William Temple
 John Locke
 Samuel Pepys
 Jean Racine
 Jean Baptiste

9. The Augustan period (1700-1750)
 It is called Augustan because
people was think like Augusts
Caesar.
 This period is marked by the
imitation of Virgil and Horace’s
literature in English letters.

10. Famous writer
 Alexander pope
 Jonathan swift
 Joseph Addison
 Francis Marie

11. The Age of Johnson (1750-90)
 This period marks the transition
toward the upcoming Romanticism
through the period is still largely
Neo-classical.
 Much was happening around the
world politically, such as both the
American and French Revolutions.
 This time marked a transition in
English literature from the structure
and formality of the Neo-classical
writers to the emotional, ungoverned
writings of the Romantics.

12. Famous writer
 Samuel Johnson
 Edward Gibbon
 George Crabbe
 Robert Burns
 William Cowper
 Thomas Paine
 Thomas Jefferson
 Benjamin Franklin

13. Conclusion
 The neo-classical era in literature br0ught a sense of
decorum and stability to writes
 There were rules to be carefully followed and there
was structure to be uphold.