English Lit 101: Major Periods and Movements - The Restoration and 18th Century Age of Sensibility Graveyard Poets Gothic Fiction

What It Is

The Restoration and 18th Century, Age of Sensibility, Graveyard Poets, and Gothic Fiction refer to a period in English literature spanning from the late 17th to the early 19th century. Characterized by a shift from the rationalism of the Enlightenment to a focus on emotions, nature, and the supernatural, this era saw the emergence of new literary forms and styles. For example, in Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" (1751), the speaker's meditation on mortality and the transience of human life exemplifies the Age of Sensibility's emphasis on emotional introspection.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Restoration Period: A literary and cultural movement that followed the English Civil War (1642-1651), marked by a return to classical values and a focus on reason and order. Example: John Dryden's poetry.
• Age of Sensibility: A literary movement characterized by an emphasis on emotions, nature, and the individual's inner experience. Example: Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
• Graveyard Poets: A group of poets who wrote about death, mortality, and the transience of human life. Example: Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
• Gothic Fiction: A genre of fiction characterized by elements of horror, the supernatural, and the mysterious. Example: Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
• Sensibility: A literary term referring to the ability to feel and express emotions deeply. Example: Elinor Dashwood in Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility".
• Sentimentalism: A literary movement that emphasized the importance of emotions and personal feelings. Example: Henry Mackenzie's "The Man of Feeling".
• Romanticism: A literary movement that emerged in the late 18th century, characterized by an emphasis on emotion, imagination, and individualism. Example: William Wordsworth's poetry.
• Sublime: A literary term referring to the experience of being overwhelmed by a powerful or awe-inspiring experience. Example: Edmund Burke's "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful".
• Horror: A literary term referring to a feeling of fear, anxiety, or unease. Example: Matthew Lewis's "The Monk".
• Supernatural: A literary term referring to events or beings that cannot be explained by natural laws. Example: Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
• Mystery: A literary term referring to a story that is not fully explained or resolved. Example: Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
• Atmosphere: A literary term referring to the overall mood or feeling of a literary work. Example: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".
• Imagery: A literary term referring to the use of language to create vivid sensory experiences. Example: William Wordsworth's poetry.
• Symbolism: A literary term referring to the use of objects, colors, or other elements to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Example: Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights".

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: The Graveyard Poets were a group of poets who wrote only about death and mourning.
• Correction: The Graveyard Poets wrote about death, mortality, and the transience of human life, but also explored themes of nature, beauty, and the human condition. Example: Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
• Misunderstanding: Gothic Fiction is a genre that only includes horror stories.
• Correction: Gothic Fiction is a genre that includes elements of horror, the supernatural, and the mysterious, but also explores themes of romance, adventure, and social commentary. Example: Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
• Misunderstanding: The Age of Sensibility is a literary movement that only emerged in the 18th century.
• Correction: The Age of Sensibility is a literary movement that emerged in the 17th century and continued into the 18th century, characterized by an emphasis on emotions, nature, and the individual's inner experience. Example: Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".

Quick Application / Identification

1. Identify the literary movement that emphasizes emotions, nature, and the individual's inner experience. Answer: The Age of Sensibility. Reason: The Age of Sensibility is characterized by an emphasis on emotions, nature, and the individual's inner experience, as seen in Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
2. Identify the genre of fiction that includes elements of horror, the supernatural, and the mysterious. Answer: Gothic Fiction. Reason: Gothic Fiction is characterized by elements of horror, the supernatural, and the mysterious, as seen in Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
3. Identify the literary term that refers to the use of objects, colors, or other elements to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Answer: Symbolism. Reason: Symbolism is the use of objects, colors, or other elements to represent abstract ideas or concepts, as seen in Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights".

Last?Minute Revision

• The Restoration Period (1660-1700) followed the English Civil War (1642-1651).
• The Age of Sensibility emerged in the 17th century and continued into the 18th century.
• The Graveyard Poets included Thomas Gray, Robert Blair, and William Collins.
• Gothic Fiction is characterized by elements of horror, the supernatural, and the mysterious.
• The Sublime is a literary term referring to the experience of being overwhelmed by a powerful or awe-inspiring experience.
• Edmund Burke's "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful" (1757) is a key text on the Sublime.
• Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho" (1794) is a classic example of Gothic Fiction.
• Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" (1751) is a key text on the Age of Sensibility.
• William Wordsworth's poetry is a key example of Romanticism.
• The term "Sensibility" refers to the ability to feel and express emotions deeply.
• Sentimentalism is a literary movement that emphasized the importance of emotions and personal feelings.
• Matthew Lewis's "The Monk" (1796) is a classic example of Gothic Horror.
• Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839) is a key text on the Gothic Fiction genre.