17th+Century+Literary+Movements

17th Century Literary Movements by Phillip Lin

__**Introduction**__

//"Affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it." -John Donne// Coming in after the Renaissance, there was a strong growth in areas such as religion, science, politics, and especially the literature of the era. In a time for fresh introspection and change, the two most prominent literary movements, the Metaphysical and Cavalier Poets, serve to define the atmosphere of not just the [|literary], but also the cultural, political, and religious changes in the 17th century.


 * __Metaphysical Poets__

//"Humiliation is the beginning of sanctification." -John Donne// The Metaphysical Poets were not comprised of poets in a school or organized movement, they shared a similar style of wit and originality, especially through the reinforcement of traditional lyric forms of love and reinventing the genre with newfound energy. Their poetry often focused on concerns with the metaphysical, from which is derived their namesake, these poets delved into the inspection of the world through rational thinking over mysticism, and naturally this analysis approach led to discussion of religion at times. Metaphysical poets are known for mixing styles of writing in their works, and their similar thoughts and feeling are what tie the poets together in this category, along with their usage of direct language, paradoxes, and conceits. The two most prominent Metaphysical poets are John Donne, an English Jacobean poet and preacher, and [|Andrew Marvell], a P arliamentarian and son of a clergyman.



__Cavalier Poets__

//"Art hath an enemy called Ignorance." -Ben Johnson// Originating with Ben Johnson and followed by his "sons" or English royalist poets called Sons of Ben, they focused primarily on courtly love. Utilizing a casual approach to affectionate poems, they presented themselves with a high degree of individual personality with direct colloquial language. Avoiding religion for the most part, [|Cavalier poets]show dislike towards extreme views. They also express distaste for deep exploration of the soul, treating both life and poetry cavalierly with a hedonistic perspective on life. Cavalier poets celebrate life, and use poetry to celebrate even the most trivial minor pleasure (or sadness) in life with a sense of humanity and every day business. Their views on life and poetry as a separate entity from solemnity reflect the writers themselves, who are made up mostly of courtiers with the exception of Robert Herrick. Other Cavalier Poets that followed Johnson include: Richard Lovelace, Thomas Carew, and Sir John Suckling. **

//"He knows not his own strength that has not met adversity." -Ben Johnson//

**__Amatory fiction__**

//"Courage and clemency are equal virtues." -Mary Delarivier Manley//
Originating in Britain, Amatory fiction is romantic fiction primarily written by women. Like modern romance novels, Amatory fiction explored gender relationships, and became a widely popular genre with its focus on romantic emotions and sexual love. Sexually explicit and politically outspoken, this form of literature was a shock to the world first due to the fact it was written by women mainly, and second due to its content, as it was not appropriate for women to write about sexuality and politics at the time. Most Amatory fiction follow a general pattern of beginning with a story of love and romance only to end with despair and the heartbreak of romantic relationships. Led by three prominent writers, Eliza Haywood, Mary Delarivier Manley, and Aphra Behn, they were infamous for their scandalous writings, prompting them to change from the "fair triumvirate" to the "naughty triumvirate."




 * __Puritan Literature__**

"To err is human, to forgive is divine." -Roger Williams

Puritanism was a religious, social, political, and literary movement that focused on original sin, predestination, limited atonement, and irresistible grace. American Puritan writers brought new and glorifying views of God and religion, and addressed the needs of their target audience in doing so. The style of writing itself was often strenuous and serious, focusing on applicable aspects of religion in life, and worked on discovering the meaning of the happenings throughout life and what is meant by God due to these events. Symbols, the Bible, and Puritan lifestyles define Puritan literature, and were almost always generally long and practical. Prominent Puritan writers include: [|William Bradford], John Winthrop, [|Roger Williams], and Anne Bradstreet. Bradford praised simple heroism in a Puritan's life guided by God, Winthrop emphasized the important of spirituality, Williams referenced the Bible often and boldly mentioned Indians due to his good relations with them, and Bradstreet wrote both long and religious poems as well as witty articles about her life.



1. What two literary movements defined literature in the 17th century? 2. Which poet was also a preacher and Parliamentarian? 3. What do Cavalier Poets celebrate in their writings? 4. What did William Bradford emphasize in his work? 5. Which writer had friendly relations with Indians?
 * __Scavanger Hunt__**

http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/ http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/17century/welcome.htm http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/English_Literature/englit_1/17th_century.htm
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