The Augustan Age (18th Century)
Introduction
The Augustan Age in English literature refers broadly to the first half of the 18th century
(1700–1745), though sometimes extended to the late 17th and later 18th century (1660–1798)
within the broader Neoclassical Period. The term “Augustan” alludes to the reign of Emperor
Augustus in Rome, when poets like Horace, Virgil, and Ovid flourished. Similarly, English
writers of this period (Dryden, Pope, Swift, Addison, Steele) sought to emulate classical ideals of
order, decorum, balance, and reason.
The age coincided with:
The reign of Queen Anne (1702–1714), George I (1714–1727), and George II (1727–
1760).
The rise of political parties (Whigs and Tories), journalism, and the middle-class
reading public.
The Age of Enlightenment, stressing rationality, progress, and empirical observation
Characteristics of the Augustan Age
1. Neoclassicism
o Emphasis on order, balance, clarity, and adherence to rules derived from classical
models.
2. Satire as Dominant Mode
o Writers used wit, irony, and satire to expose human follies, social corruption, and
political vice.
o Inspired by Roman satirists (Horace, Juvenal).
3. Reason and Rationality
o Valued logic, intellect, and moral clarity over passion and imagination.
4. Urban and Social Focus
o Literature turned away from chivalric romance and instead depicted urban life,
manners, and institutions.
5. Didacticism
o Strong moral undertone: literature aimed to instruct as well as to entertain.
6. Poetic Form
o The heroic couplet (rhymed iambic pentameter) dominated poetry (esp. Dryden
and Pope).
7. Rise of Journalism and Prose
o Periodicals like The Tatler (1709) and The Spectator (1711) cultivated critical
prose, essays, and commentary on manners.
8. Early Novel Development
o The Augustan period witnessed the emergence of the English novel as a major
literary genre
Important Genres of the Augustan Age
1. Poetry
Dominated by satire and heroic couplets.
John Dryden (1631–1700) – transitional figure; Absalom and Achitophel (1681),
MacFlecknoe (1682).
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) – the chief Augustan poet.
o Essay on Criticism (1711) – rules of taste and criticism.
o The Rape of the Lock (1712; revised 1714) – mock-epic satire on social
trivialities.
o Dunciad (1728; revised 1743) – satire on dullness.
o Essay on Man (1733–34) – philosophical poem on human nature and providence.
2. Prose, Essays, and Satire
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) – master satirist.
o A Tale of a Tub (1704).
o The Battle of the Books (1704).
o Gulliver’s Travels (1726) – satirical allegory on politics, science, and human
pride.
Joseph Addison (1672–1719) & Richard Steele (1672–1729)
o The Tatler (1709), The Spectator (1711–12, 1714) – essays on manners, morals,
and taste.
3. Drama
Declined compared to Elizabethan and Restoration drama.
Notable works: Congreve (The Way of the World, 1700) – a Restoration holdover with
wit and manners.
Development of the English Novel
The 18th century saw the rise of the novel as a major genre, partly due to:
Increased literacy and circulating libraries.
Middle-class readership seeking prose narratives of everyday life.
Decline of verse romance and drama as dominant forms.
Influence of journalism and periodical essays.
Major Novelists and Their Works
1. Daniel Defoe (1660–1731)
o Pioneer of realistic prose fiction.
o Robinson Crusoe (1719) – survival, self-reliance, imperial adventure.
o Moll Flanders (1722) – picaresque tale of crime and repentance.
o A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).
2. Samuel Richardson (1689–1761)
o Master of the epistolary novel (told through letters).
o Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) – morality, social climbing.
o Clarissa (1747–48) – psychological depth, tragic heroine.
3. Henry Fielding (1707–1754)
o Comic epic in prose; satirical and realistic.
o Joseph Andrews (1742).
o Tom Jones (1749) – panoramic social novel, humour, moral vision.
4. Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)
o Experimental narrative style.
o Tristram Shandy (1759–67) – digressive, self-reflexive, comic.
5. Tobias Smollett (1721–1771)
o Picaresque novelist.
o Roderick Random (1748), Peregrine Pickle (1751).
Conclusion
The Augustan Age (1700–1745) is marked by its neoclassical ideals, satirical wit, and
rational spirit, reflecting an era of political stability, urban life, and Enlightenment thought. Its
poetry, prose, and essays emphasized clarity, decorum, and moral instruction. Most importantly,
the novel emerged as a dominant form, with Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Sterne, and Smollett
laying the foundations of modern English fiction.
Thus, the 18th century stands as a crucial bridge between the classical order of the past and the
innovative individualism of the later Romantic Age.
